Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-07-19
THE WOMAN CITIZEN.

"a little publication called 'The Woman Citi-
Zen, asks, and undertakes to answer the question
What Did Women Want?" in the last national
campaign.
The publication published in several issues a
blank ballot asking the following questions
Did you vote the Republican ticket,
believing the United States would join the
League OF Nations in some form? believ-
ing the United States would not join the
League of Nations in any form?
Did you vote the Democratic ticket,
believing the United States would join the
League Of Nations in some form? believ-
ing the United States would not Join the
League of Nations in any form?
This ballot form was also carried sby several
other papers, and in all. some 1000 replies were re-
sccived. As a result of the voting the paper. now
announces the result, which is summarized as fol-
lows:
The result shows that 92.5 per cent of
all the women who voted either the Repub-
lican or Democratic ticket did SO "believ-
/, ing that the United States would join the
League of Nations in some FORM while
% per cent voted believing that the Unit
ed States Would not join the League of
Nations in any FORM Eleven voters only
said that the League was not taken into
consideration in their choice. Many spe-
cihcally stated that they were Republicans.
or would have voted the Republican ticket
lit had not been for the League issue.
The inquiry and the replies are interesting
enough, as far as they go; but they do not go very
Tar. 10 assume that on the basis of 1000 replies
.92.5 per cent of all the women who voted did so for
any given reason is drawing a rather sweeping con-
ssclusion from a very minute assemb1age of fact. This
comes close to paralleling the case of the historic
three tallors of Tooley street who ~prefaced their pc
triton with we, the people of England"
1t is likely that of the millions of women who
voted IN the last election 80 per cent of them, like
e similar percentage Of the men voters, did SO with
sout thinking very much about the League of Ma
lions. We believe it to be the almost universal con
that the United States will become, and
Ought to become a member Of a great international
body for the settlement of International questions
and the preservation of peace. But as to the kind
..of organization and the conditions of membership,
the average voter has troubled himself very little.
1.-The persons who take the trouble to answer
questions such as those propounded are those who
take a direct and active interest in the subject, and
who have some more or less clear ideas concerning
"a. ut the attitude of the general public cannot be
ssascertained on that basis.
The mistake that is made here in drawing con
Eclusions from insufficient data is one which IS very
common. those who are intensely interested in a
particular question ascertain, if they can, the atti-
rude OF their associates, and on that basis thew esti-
mate the attitude of the general public. They for
get that their associates are apt to share their own
interest, and rather likely to share their own opin-
ions, and that outside Of the little circle in which
they move the general attitude may be that of in
t0tia and Indifference.
E2 -I- Ar