Evening star., 1926-03-20
By FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

American feminists, long divided
into hostile camps of conservative
and radical forces, have converted
their differences into an international
@SSue and are preparing to fight 1t
out on foreign soil. The arena will
he the tenth meeting of the Inter
rational Woman Suffrage Alliance, at
pariS from May 80 to June 6. Be
cause Of a formal protest filed by the
National League of Women Voters,
the militant National Woman'5 Party,
led by Alice Paul, has been denied
admission to the World Suffrage AL
lance. The "blaCkballing" took place
after the WomanS Party had been
formally invited to apply for mem
bership, circumstance which has
intensified its bitterness and caused it
to fight back tooth and nail. Ihe
contest will take the form of an APP
peal for membership direct to the
congress itself.
The decision to carry the feud with
the League Of Women voters 10
Paris was made when the Natlonai
Woman's Party was notified a leW
weeks ago by Mrs. Margaret Corbett
Ashby. president of the lnternatloiiii
Woman Suffrage Alliance. that tne
nartv's application for membership
wrote Alice Paul that il was the
formal objection OF the League OF
Women Voters that made the W ON
ans Party inadmissible.
The reason which reluctantly leu
70 this decision" Mrs. Ashhy sald:
is that the policy and rollticai
action of the National oman
Party is directly and consistently
opposed to the policy and politlcdi
action OF the National League or
Women Voters. and that this being
me case our board feels assured
that the forthcoming congress Wouio
not grant affiliation. You Will real
fZe that the National League OF
Women Voters. being direct out
come OF the former National Woman
Suffrage Association, has history OF
long association with the Interna-
tional Alliance, that it Is the society
Of our beloved founder and honorary
president, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt.
and that for this reason we are
bound to take into serious account
any factors which the League of
Women Voters considers would lead
% difficulties in its work.
will Fight for Place.
In communicating this news to
Alice Paul. the international ALI
ance executive said that the Ma
tional Woman's Party might pre-
fer to withdraw its application ana
merely, as on previous occasions. |
send "fraternal delegates to the |
Paris congress. Mrs. Ashby added |
that it was still open TO the Ma |
tional Woman's Party to put its case !
before the congress.
OF that privilege the Alice Paul |
'left wing" OF the American feminist |
movement is now preparing to take |
full advantage. The international |
headquarters has just been notified |
that the Woman's Party application |
will be submitted to the Paris meet |
ing and that it's supporters are ready /
for n fight to the finish.
The issue now drawn goes to the |
roots of the long squabhle between |
militant ard non-milltant American |
feninists, dating back to the year |
1913. At that time Alice Paul and |
Lucy Burns, becoming impatient with
the ''pussyfooting" methods Of the
old National Woman Suffrage Asso-
citation. embarked upon their aggres-
sive campaign for complete equality
of the sexes in every field of human
endeavor." That comprehensive pro-
gram has always been opposed by the
National League of Women Voters.
Split Is Is Years Old.
For the last l3 years Alice Paul
and Carrie Chapman Gait have led
hostile groups in the Woman's move
mont. On questions Of major fem
mist policy they are today as far
apart as ever. The League or Wom-
en- Voters, now captained by Carrie
Chapman Gait. Belle Sherwin and |
Maude Wood Park, advocates, for eX- !
ample, removal of legal discrimina-
tions against women by specific |
bills for specific Ills" The National |
Woman's Party, marshalled by Alice |
Paul. wants equality for women at
one legislative SWoop. To that end
it is working for the constitutional
amendment which would provide that
men and women shall have equal
rights throughout the United States |
and every place subject to itH Juris-
,liction," as we'll as for removal OF
specific Determinations in the various
States.
The main point of conflict between
[ he left" and right" branches or
feminism was aired at the
recent National Woman's Party dem
onstration in Washington. II concerns
the question OF industrial equality.
The conservative feministS believe
I hat women in industry should be pro-
ected by laws restricting hours of
work, establishing minimum wages
and barring women from certain occu-
paticns. Radical feminists contend
that such laws. when not applied to
workers Of both sexes, tend to force
women out of the affected occupations
and into lower-paid employment.
While feminiSts in Europe are also
divided on industrial equality, the is
sue is much less acute there. though