Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-31
AS ONE WOMAN SEES IT
Oisrespect for the Law Shown by
Gang Politicians During the Elee-
ton Only Slightly Removed
From the Mob Spirit
By SARAH u, LOWRlE


COME Of the recent election experiences
- that crop up now and then in the G, ,urse
OF conversation are worth. remembering
apart from their luridncss. There Is somc-
thing ludicrous In their actually happen
ing to ordinary commonplace women In the
LAND of the free
In one of the southern wards Of the city,
spoken of lightly BY it's boss owners as
Darkest Africa one Of the scouts sent
out by the Pinchot forces to see how things
were going found the street where the
voting was in progress plastcred with Alter
pictures and no sign Of those Of his Repub.
lican opponent. Knowing a woman on the
block, she hunted her up in house that
fairly bristled with Alters.
Has no one been here to- talk Pinchot
today was her question to the woman VINO
answered her ring. The woman looked eau
tously around and drew her into the mar
row little hallway.
NO one don't talk anything but Alter in
don't talk Pinchot or his life amt safe
round here. And IL my husband amt kept
the windows stuffed with these here cam
paign pictures more than him in this house
would pay for it. But" and here she drew
her visitor yet further into the house-"that
amt hindered me from working for the other
man.
And she drew from her capacious bosom
a sheet Of lined paper considerably crumpled
on which were written in every kind OF
were doing no talking, but were secretly
pledged to vote 'for the other man."
DERHAPS in more than one Of those ad-
mirably boss ridden streets there were
other such lists held pensurably in like re-
tired places let the picture of Alter smile
forth as he might from the front windows.
Another colored woman told me In speak
ing Of one of her race who has long been
held in high esteem by the leaders of her
ward
She told those men she could deliver us
and all our votes. and they believed her. |
don't know what they gave her But as
for delivering our votes, no, ma am Carry
ing water In sieve would n been easier
than carrying all the women Of her dt-
vision was when the time came. No, ma am.
when word got about that she had sold our
vote we just maturity laughed. She amt
popular with US. that woman White folks
like her, but she amt popular with us.
We just stayed away from home, working
all day and losted her our vote
One of the vigilantes sent from the Repub
lican women's headquarters to see that the
laws were respected outside the polling place
In a certain division precinct where the
voting was going on against the law in
private house, from which the owner threat
ened to eXpel those not voting as he elected
that they should reported that toward the
late afternoon he descended upon her and
threatened TO call the police.
I've been intimidated all day by you 'uns"
he barked, IAN I'll have you stopped''
The policeman at the corner came step
or two in answer TO his below for aid,
paused. gazed at the smalish lady holding
her ground with n determined grin. smiled
sheepishly and backed to his corner with a
shake of his head.
THE curious thing about it was that
L though she was right as n trivet about
her stand. il was not her Brightness that
held that barking owner of the polls in
leash all day-intimdatcd instead of in.
timidating. 1t was that she had learned the
nrt of ruling from the experiences of life.
time. and for that time. at least, she could
use it to his disadvantage.
One cannot count on that. or. indeed. on
being right. to ''intimidate' the lawless if
there is the drill and plan of II preconcerted
attack on foot. Then men back men until
n whole crowd Is swept by the mob spirit,
and right and justice and deccncy for the
time go down under the onrush.
] cut story out Of the Los Angeles
Daily Times this spring as | motored
through. story of n Texas preacher who
had his hair clipped by II mob of children
while the Sheriff looked on He had pun
ished his daughter for having her ha
bobbed. and her friends took this means
showing their resentment
At the time | boosted TO myself that il
could not have happened in the East. But
many things that happened in this town at
this election in the way Of coercion and
brutal interference and childish intemper.
nnce Of leadership placed whole streets of
Philadelphia on par with the mob Of chill
Gran In nd