Evening star., 1928-04-01
WOMEN'S PART In POLITICS

Martin OF PENNSYLVANIA was made
chairman of the committee on perma-
nent organization. There were 43 men
and IL women on the committee, and
the women were given 10 OF the 81
honorary vice president positions. The
Republican committee on credentials
had | woman and SO men. The COM
mittee on rules and organization had
women and 81 men.
In the Democratic convention Mrs.
LIE Roy Springs of South Carolina was
made chairman Of the important COM
mittee on credentials and Miss Darden
Moose Of Arkansas secretary. The COM
mittee on permanent organization had
four woman members. Mrs. Frank
Reeves OF Washington presented the
resolution on the death Of Woodrow
Wilson and Miss Elizabeth Marbury of
New York was temporary reading Sec
retary.
Mr.. Michelet points ont that the suf-
frage amendment became effective
August 81. 1920. only 10 days before
the November election. Millions of
woman voters. ne believes were barred
from voting that year because of in
ability TO comply with various State
registration laws. Notwithstanding
such natural obstacles. plus the fact
| that woman suffrage in many States
was new thing. there was an increase
OF so per cent In the 1920 vote over
the largest preceding vote-that OF
1916, There was another increase III
the number OF votes cast In the 1924
elections But only SO per cent OF the
/ electorate voted In the presidential
election Of 1924 OF an eligible 53.-
e2l 1872 persons. only 2o.09i AIT went to
the polls In 1924 and cast votes for a
President. There were 26,759,952
women eligible TO vote. according TO the
1922 census. OF these. Mr.. Michelet
has estimated that only 10000. 900 have
joined the army OF regular and de-
| pendable voters
the vote the efforts of many organ
izations OF women are being directed
TO make them use 1t. Apparent lack
| OF success In the first two presidential
elections Is attributed to the fact that
women have not had time TO form
political habits" The woman vote
tnis year Is expected to be larger than
It was In 1924, But the woman vote"
VIII De partisan, rather than expressive
OF the wishes or demands OF women rs
a distinct class of humanity. There
are plenty Of womens organizations
| now working TO get out the vote" and
to influence the vote of women. But
they are either formed with the nom
partisan ideal OF instiIling In women
the patriotic desire to vote. or else thev
are distinctly partisan. instilling In the
women the patriotic duty to vote Re-
publican or the patriotic duty TO vote
Democratic. No Nationwide attempt
/ a - a t.
oe MADE, 10 weld the woman voters into
a potentially powerful unit which might
bring another party into being.
Both the National League OF Women
voters and the Woman's Party. two
POLITICALLY active women's organizations.
WIZ De represented by delegations AT
Doth party conventions. But both these
organizations are partisan. The
FORMER II interested now In getting out
the woman vote and I'm the inclusion
OF certain planks favoring certain prin-
ciplcs In party platforms The latter IL
interested In the equal rights amend :
| ment to the Constitution,
But II one party happens to treat the
ladies' more gallantly than the other
u one party gives the ladies a more
important role In It's convention than
tne other, II one party inserts a plank
in its platform favoring, for instance
the equal rights amendment and the
otner party discards that plank and
puts 1t ON the trash pile would II make
any real difference In the way n frac-
tion OF the 20 100000 potential woman
voters mark their ballots In November
PROBABLY not. So far the woman
voters OF America have shown them :
serves to be counterparts OF the ill-used
and rather stupid male. They are
voters. But first of all they are Demo
Gratis or Republicans and say "Yessir.'
| when spoken 10.