Evening star., 1939-10-18
Firnner Stand
Against Force
Is Urged
Must Work Fast
VOteless District
League Is Told

To meet successfully the challenge
OF those who believe in ruthless
ness and rule by force, who belittle
the worth of the individual and who
scorn democracy" organizations
such as the Voteless District League
OF Women Voters must support their
ideals with more fervor than in the
past. Mrs. M. o. Lorenz, league
president, told members yesterday.
The doctrine of rule by force finds
adherents in one field or another in
all countries, including our own, she
warned, and such beliefs are not
confined to the political field or to
alien agitators.
The challenge can be met, she
continued, but I'VE must work fast"
Mrs. Lorenz's remarks were made at
the opening Of the annual member
ship luncheon of the Voteless
League at the Y. w. c. A. with about
200 persons present. The program.
designed to acquaint new and pro-
spective members with the leagues
objectives, included questions and
answers, information on the work of
the seven departments being SUD-
piled by their chairmen and assist
ants.
Questions of Government.
Briefly touching en- the work of
the departments, Mrs. Lorenz sug-
gested that "one of the most impor-
tant fronts in our battle for democ-
racy and justice is in the govern
ment itself" Questions of where the
government can do the work to-
ward preserving democratic ideals
better than the people themselves
are worthy of study, she declared.
How the voteless citizen in the
District, who has no control over
the government, can make his in
f1uence felt is question the de-
partment Of government and its
operation attempts to answer, she
pointed out.
In the field Of foreign policy, she
continued, the most successful policy
seems to be much the same as
being good neighbors." Certainly
no policy can more completely dis
rupt lives than a bad foreign policy,
she declared.
Child welfare Mrs. Lorenz named
as the field closest to our hearts. :"
And I think you will find the District
program does not do all it should. 3"
she said.
Study Suggested.
AS the question and answer period
followed, one of the audience said
she had observed that many resi-
dents of the District. here from other
States, were indifferent over the
question of suffrage. and asked if
the vote is really needed.
Counter questions were made in
answer by Mrs. Joseph Low, acting
chairman of government and its
operation: Why do we need the
vote anywhere? Why do we need
democracy?"
Mrs. LorenZ added to the discus
sion by suggesting a study of the
question should prove interesting.
I'VE have no idea how abused we are
until we begin to study it," she
declared.
Mrs. Low also said her department
would make study of new propos-
ais for reorganization of the District.
Embargo Repeal Favored.
Asked to discuss the leagues policy
with reference to neutrality, Mrs. C.
S. Duncan, chairman of foreign pol
icy, said the league favors repeal of
the embargo in the belief that it is
unneuWal and against the best in
terests of the country.
Mrs. Pearl B. Klein, chairman of
legal status of women. discussed
the leagues past efforts to obtain a
permanent home for the Women's S
Bureau of the Police Department.
She criticized the appropriation Of
$4,000 for remodeling the present
building as waste of money, de-
claring it will not fill a permanent
need.
While admitting child welfare
problems in the District have been