Evening star., 1944-06-04

cising the suffrage. Other Southern
States also had small percentage votes,
for example, Alabama, 104; Arkansas,
1913; Florida, 256; Georgia. 10; Mis-
sissippi, 81 North Carolina, %; Ten
nessee, 179; Virginia, 1873; Texas, 1862
The relatively small votes cast in the
Southern States in the presidential Of
1910 are due in large part to the fact
that these are one-party States (the
Democratic party. The voters turn out
in primary elections in much larger num-
bers. After the Democratic nominations
have been made, it is all over but the
shouting. Many of the voters when the
general election rolls around just go
fishing. Also the Negro populations in
these States is large and relatively few
of them vote.
Vermont is almost as much of one
party State-on the Republican side-as
are the Southern States It's per cent
vote in the 1910 election was only 1913.
and Maine, another strong Republican
State, made an even poorer showing,
with 37.9 percentage vote.
The District of Columbia in 1910 had
population of 663,091, of whom 474, ,793
were Of voting age Residents of the
District, however, unless they have re-
tanned a legal voting residence in the
States, are not permitted to vote. In
consequence hundreds Of thousands OF
American citizens have been and are
denied the right to vote.
Despite the fact they have had ma.
tional suffrage for quarter of CEN
tury, women today are represented In
Congress by only one Senator and seven
members of the House.
The highest executive ofice held by q
woman is Secretary Of Labor Miss
Frances Perkins has had that job ever
since President Roosevelt entered the
White House.
The political organizations Of both
the major parties, however, have given
recognition to the women. Both the
Democratic and Republican National
Committees have two members from
each State, and from. the Territories and
the District of Columbia. one man ana
one woman. This year the Republican
National Committee has recommended
that the Resolutions Committee of the
national convention shall be composed
of two members from each State, pro-
vided one of the two Is a woman. A
State which fails to name a woman
will have only one member of the COM
mittee.4
The fight for woman's suffrage dates
back to" Revolutionary days. Abagail
Adams wrote to John Adams, while he
was attending the Continental Congress:
IF particular care and attention are
not paid to the ladies we are deter
not hold ourselves bound to obey any
laws in which we have no voice or
representation"
Along with their fight for suffrage,
women in this country have striven to
have the laws made more equitable. In
this they have achieved large meas
ure of success. Miss Susan B. Anthony
in 1854 prevailed upon the New York
Legislature to enact law giving mar
ried women the right to own property.
to have joint guardianship over their
children and to claim any wages they
might earn.
The drive for woman suffrage really
intensified in 1912 and 1918. Just before
woodrow Wilson was inaugurated Presi-
dent, big suffrage parade was staged
in Washington. The suffragettes as
they were called, received a rough well
come from the crowds along Pennsyl-
vania avenue. The women picketed the
White House, and some of them were
arrested.
President Wilson recommended the
adoption of the woman suffrage amend
ment, however, and it was finally put
through Congress during his admins
tratjon