Evening star., 1938-04-24
Suffrage
Continued From First Page.)

declaration OF the national league
regarding suffrage for the District
Of Columbia. At the present time,
she explained. the national league is
on record for Federal suffrage for the
District of Columbia" The delegation
from the National Capital will ask
that the word Federal" be stricken
from the leagues declaration. and the
language made to read suffrage for
the District Of Columbia by consti-
tutional amendment
This purpose Of the local league
delegates will give them a chance to
speak, especially before the leagues
department Of government and its
operation. With an issue they can
bring more forcibly to the attention
Of women voters from the States, the
revitalized fight now on here, to get
votes for this city.
Platform is Outlined.
Already in St Louis for the con-
vention is Mrs. Elwood Street of this
city. an alternate. The delegation
which left last night included Mrs.
Gutenberg. Mrs. Gordon Wagenet,
chairman Of the local leagues depart
ment Of child welfare: Miss Florence
Karlin. congressional secretary for
the national league; Mrs. C. L. Hodge,
delegate: Miss Florence Harrison.
vice president OF the Connecticut
league. and Mrs. Charles Weston.
chairman of the District leagues
department Of government and its
operation.
Mr.. Finch. in his radio address last
night. outlined the platform adopted
by the citizens conference at its mass
meeting Friday night. He answered
critics Of the suffrage movement here,
with quotations from James Madison,
to show that Madison and his COL
leagues never intended that we here
at the Nations Capital should remain
permanently in q state Of political
serfdom."
Joining in the fight for full suffrage
for the District Mr.. Finch said were
citizens representative of every class
found in the social, economic and po-
litical life of America. persons and
organizations engaged in every phase
OF activity in the District: and. above
all. friends, both old and new. who
have been and are devoting much Of
their time and their energy to bring
US up to the plans Of that full Amer
ican citizenship upon which we as
American citizens should long ago
have been placed"
Questions on Ballot.
He concluded with a plea for a vote
of yes" to both questions on the bal
lot Saturday.
These questions are:
81. Do you want the right to vote
for officials of your own City Govern
ment?
90 Do you want the right to vote
for President of the United States
and for members of Congress from
the District?"
These two questions>were explained
to the man in the street" yesterday
afternoon in the curbstone broadcast
over WJSV. The majority of those
interviewed favored votes for the Dis
trict Only three objected. The
broadcast attracted q crowd on the
sidewalk at Thirteenth and F. streets.
Much interest was expressed, not only
by those interviewed but by the crowd
listening in.
Outstanding among those who
wanted the. vote was native Wash
ingtonian who said she, her father
and her grandfather had all been
born in this city She was Mrs. Edith
M. Riley, who said she was engaged
in railroad statistical work, not for
the Government.
Asked If she thought the government
Of the District should be run by the
people of the District. she replied, Il
most certainly do! Every one in Wash.
ington feels the same way"
I'VE should have the vote" she de-
clared. Up to about 20 years ago.
she declared there had been no poll
tics" in the municipal government.
Promises to Vote.
Harry Argyros of 1851 Seventeenth
street NV. promised he would get
out and vote for suffrage next satur.
day.
Asked what he planned to do on
April 30, election day in Washington,
Samuel l.. Snyder, formerly Of New