The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-04-25
LEAGUE OF WOMEN
VOTERS ADDRESSED
BY ITS PRESIDENT
Maude Wood Parks Appeals
For Vote Of Women in
Coming Election

Buffalo, April addressing the
National League of Women voters ut
It's fifth annual convention here to-
nGht Mrs. Maud We ID Park, its pre-
S"icnt. said that details of the Lea
CUES immediate program must be
regulated by the fact that nation
at election was impending. She urg-
cd upon women the importance Of
taking part in the legitimate activi-
ties Of their parties. PlankS cover
ing the issues most important to wo-
men should be prepa ,cd and present
ed to the platform committee OF the
political parties and to the caadi-
dates.
I'm all the efforts of the League"
Mrs. Park said, ait has had the adj
vantage Of the opportunity afforded
by the acknowledgment at ono time
of approximately 2O,OOO.O0O women.
In the nature Of the case, this oppor
'unity will last only few years and
~ can never come again. Only for
a few years shall we have the possi-
bic advantage of an enormous num-
Der of new voters, untrammc!cd by
carclcssly made political affiliations,
with no bad political tendencies to
undo and therefore free TO form
good political habits from the start.
ITO be sure many Of these we'll
meaning new voters had not been
accustomed to think in terms OF gov
crnment, many of them were ignorant
OF public affairs and profoundl, in
different to their new opportunity.
They needed awakening and a chance
to learn. Large numbers Of them
need it still. That is why SO much
of the recent unfavorable criticism
of wha: women have done with their
votes is superficial"
Mrs. Park said she looked for in
crcasing interest and activity OIL the
part of women voters and lager
part in the coming national rarven-
tions than they had four years ago,
and believed that woman's distlnc-
tive point Of view wonld become IN
creasingly important in public af-
fairs.
During the past year the League
workers had been preparing for Il ma
tion-wide campaign to get out the
woman vote this year and She hoped
it would result in an increase of at
least 25 percent over the vote Of four
years ago.
UNLESS the league is to make rad
zeal changes in its purpose and pro-
gram the speaker continued, "our
own part in, the high undertaking Of
applied democracy is reasonably
clear. First of all, we have to MAKE
more women alive to their great new
privilege. In the second place. we
must see to it that the girls coming
OF age to vote arc enlisted year by
year in the interest of good govern
mcnt. In the third place, we must
all turn to, young and cid. to sec to
it that the next generation gcls Il
good chance at civic education.
Next to education in importai &C
on our program, and second only be-
cause il depends upon education.
comes International coopcration to-
prevent war. 70 many of our mem
bers this form of work transcends
all others in interest. since without
peace, constructive civilization is i'm
possible.
"Thcrc is another suggestion for
future work that fires the imag ina
ton Of good many League mem
bcrs," Mrs. Park said. This is the
idea Of campaign to put more wo-
men into public office. TO my mind,
such an effort is justified only by enc
Of two premises. That women are
to he chosen who arc better qualified
for Office than arc their men 0ppon-
cnts, or else that the qualifications
being equal, more women in public
office are desirable because women
have distinctive opinions in regard
to public affairs that men cannot ex-
press"