The Story of the Woman's PartyGillmore, Inez Haynes
History
The Story of the Woman's Party
Gillmore, Inez Haynes
National Woman's Party; Paul, Alice, 1885-1977; Women -- Suffrage -- United States
The objections brought against this are, I think, two. First, that
non-voters should not, according to custom, be part of a political
Party; second, that if they are included, that Party will not
command as much respect as would a Party composed solely of voters.
There are non-voters in the Socialist, the Progressive, and the
Prohibition Parties; there is no reason why, if we are interested in
precedent and custom, they should not be in our Party also. As to
the second point: The Congressional Union has the reputation of
being an active, determined, and well-financed organization. When
the political world realizes that this young Woman’s Party has been
strengthened by the influx of twenty-five thousand workers of the
Congressional Union ready to give their service and money it will
consider that the Woman’s Party stands for more power than if formed
of the women of the Western States only.
[Illustration: WAGE EARNERS PICKETING THE WHITE HOUSE, FEBRUARY,
1917.
Photo Copr. Harris and Ewing, Washington, D. C.]
All of us in the Congressional Union feel an affection for it. But
that is no reason for continuing the organization. The Congressional
Union has served a useful purpose, we believe. But now that we have
created the Woman’s Party we ought, it seems to me, to develop and
make that the dominant Suffrage factor in this country because that,
through its name and associations, throws the emphasis more than
does the Congressional Union on the political power of women.
The following officers were elected unanimously at the morning session:
Chairman of the National Woman’s Party, Alice Paul; Vice-Chairman, Anne
Martin; Secretary, Mabel Vernon; Treasurer, Gertrude Crocker. The
executive board elected were: Lucy Burns, Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont, Mrs. J.
W. Brannan, Mrs. Gilson Gardner, Abby Scott Baker, Mrs. William Kent,
Maud Younger, Doris Stevens, Florence Bayard Hilles, Mrs. Donald Hooker,
Mrs. J. A. H. Hopkins, and Mrs. Lawrence Lewis.
At that Convention, various resolutions were passed; the most notable in
regard to the attitude of the National Woman’s Party towards the rapidly
developing war situation. That resolution runs as follows:
Whereas the problems involved in the present international
situation, affecting the lives of millions of women in this country,
make imperative the enfranchisement of women,
Be it resolved that the National Woman’s Party, organized for the
sole purpose of securing political liberty for women, shall continue
to work for this purpose until it is accomplished, being unalterably
convinced that in so doing the organization serves the highest
interests of the country.
And be it further resolved that to this end we urge upon the
President and the Congress of the United States the immediate
passage of the National Suffrage Amendment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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