Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-04-04
WOMEN VOTERS
ACHIEVE AIMS
Indiana League Credit PreSi-
dent With Results.

The name Of Mrs. A. II. Beardsley of
Elkhart is uppermost in the minds Of
members Of the Indiana League Of Wom-
en- Voters noE7 that the approach of the
State convention, which will be held in
Lafayette May Oil, makes the question
prominent one. AS Mrs. Beardsley has
not yet returned from Florida and the
gulf, where she has been making a trip
with her husband, Senator Beardsley, it
is not known whether or not she VIII
consent to be a candidate for reelection
but the achievements of the organization
during the two years of her presidency
will assure her the support of the con-
fee again. Until her attitude in the mat
ter is known 1t is probable that no other
candidate for the office will be talked of.
Mrs. Beardsley took Office In May, 1920,
| at the time the League Of Women Voters
was organized in Indiana. Its future
was uncertain. Now 1t has about 10000
dues paying members belonging to more
than $50 branch leagues. Mrs. Boards
| as a State leader have contributed greatly
to the success of the Organization.
The achievement Of this two years,
which the memb ers Of the organization
regard as the most important, was the
passage of a constitutional amendment
making it unlawful for an alien to vote
until he has become fully naturalized.
This amendment was introduced into the
Legislature Of 1919 by the Franchise
League, which was the forerunner Of the
League of Women Voters, and its pas
sage was secured. The league used its
efforts successfully in the Legislature of
1921 for the second passage. When the
time approached for the amendment to
go to the people in September, 1921. the
| league threw all its force into a cam
paign to popularize the measure, with the
result that that amendment alone, out
Of all those submitted secured enough
votes for adoption.
Two bills presented and pushed by the
| league in the last Legislature became law.
one of them was the equal guardianship
| law, making the mother a co-guardian Of
her children. Previous to the passage
Of the bin Indiana has been operating
under the old English common law, which
made the father the sole guardian, and
was one of only seven States in the coun-
try which still chung to that medieval
arrangement. The other law was a child
labor school attendance law, which is
expected in time to raise the educational
| level Of the citizens Of the State.
At its convention a year ago the league
passed a resolution urging Governor Nc
Cray TO appoint q woman as State pro-
| baton and State school attendance off,
GERS. The Governor announced at once
his willingness TO accede' 10 the request
Of the women. and shortly afterward ap-
pointed Mrs. Carina Warrington and Miss
Blanche Merry, respectively, to these Of
fees. Following along this same line
Of endesvor q number Of local leagues
undertook to have women appointed or
elected to local school boards, with the
result that a number Of cities now have
women on these boards.
These solid achievements Of the organ
ization. in addition TO a great deal Of
successful routine work along educa-
/ tionsl and welfare lines, have made Mrs.
Beardsley a most successful president.
Associated with Mrs. Beardsley this
year in the administration of the league
are Mrs Alice Foster Mccullough OF Fl.
Wayne, Mrs. c. 4. Carlisle Of South Bend,
Mrs. 4. E. Could Of Peru and Mrs. Kath-
crime Greenough, Indianapolis, vice pres
idents: Mrs. Olive Belden Lewis of In
dianapolis secretary, and Mrs. Homer
McCray OF Kendallville, treasurer.