Evening star., 1932-12-29
Special Dispatch TO The Star.
NEW YORK. December 90 MAMA.


NEW YORK, December 90 (NANA.)-
Republican woman campaigners sought
to present their nominee, Herbert Hoo
yer, in the light of hero, whereas the
Democratic strategiSts, appealing to the
feminine vote subordinated personality
to practical issues. including the vital
one of the pocketbook
And that, believes the energetic Miss
Mary W. DeWson, is why the woman
voters turned so stanchly to the sup
port of Franklin Roosevelt for Presi-
dent. Miss Dewson was director of the
Women's division of the National Demo-
cratic Campaign Committee. and her
work received the highest praise in
recent article by Louis McHenry Howe,
campaign commander.
I'VE didn't make the old-fashioned
plea to the women that our nominee
was charming, and all that" explained
Miss Dewson Instead We appealed
to the intelligence of the country's
women, to all those thousands feeling
the pinch of hard times. Ours were
economic issues. and We found the woin-
en- ready to listen. They had been
thinking hard about such things
Miss Dewson turned to a sketch Of
President Hoover on the office wall.
1t bore the legend George Washing
ton Hoover" A hand. tagged Gen
eral Federation of Womens Clubs" !"
was putting finishing touches to bust
of Mr.. Hoover in the image OF Wash
Ington.
That was a great mistake. think" +"
oL, hi INo
women continued to make hero OF
their nominee. But the vital question
was which man would lead the country
into better things. by comparison OF
their records. The Democratic women
leaders believed that man was Roosevelt.
Supported Smith in 1928.
II supported Al Smith in 1923. l
believe the Democratic party has some
PRINCIPLES better suited to the mass OF
the people. This idea of immense wealth
at the top being allowed to trlckle down
no longer holds, and the country mas
realized it I found the women eager
to support a party of liberal ana
progressive faith" ..,
Miss Dewson, matronly, smiling, WIN
hair beginning to silver, sat thought1uAy
a moment.
"Tll tell you why We women are so
enthusiastic over Gov. Roosevelt, sne
said. Here is a little known story
about him and the way he acts on
conviction.
AFTER II years effort by a dozen
women's organizations In TINS State,
48-hour work bill for women IN 1actorles
and stores was presented to the Leglsla-
ture in 1890. Merchants appeared In
Fedora
tion of Labor and I and one or TWO
other women talked for the blll.
Il was guest at the executive
mansion. At tea-time Gov. Roosevelt
appeared and said he'd had hard day
He made wry face. Mrs. RooseveI. III
asked: Are you going to sign the ohl!'
why, certainly,' he SAID: Inc @ pressure
brought to bear against the Dill hao
meant nothing.
THAT action, of course, endeared MN
to the women. I worked for him be-
fore and during the campaign, 1or
nothing. and 1 was glad to do 1t. Many
other women felt that way about IT,.
Miss Dewson took up discussion OF
campaign mechanics.
"Grass Trampers' Used.
1--WE didn't believe in the effectiveness
of clubs-the dissemination of publicity
over tea cups" she remarked. THE real
work was done from door to door IN
the various county precincts by the
grass trampers, as they were called.
IT has been demonstrated that 1t Is
wise to change the election laws, follow
ing the example of Indiana, to provlde
for the election of women county and
precinct vice chairmen to guarantee
that every precinct shall have capa-
Bile woman in charge of winning over
the non-partisan and opposition woman
voters and seeing that they vote with
her" !,
Miss Dewson stressed the point of
taking the fight to the other camp, and
making more votes.
I'VE told the precinct leaders just
how their districts had voted in 1928,
and how many more Democratic votes
were necessary for victory" she said.
eve gave gasoline money to the county
chairwofnen to go after the women in
their districts. We printed millions of
leaflets, RAINBOW flyers we called them,
because they were printed in SO many
different colors. These leaflets pre-
sented the facts and issues Squarely