Speeches

The National League of Women Voters met at Richmond, Va. President Belle Sherwin recorded the general chagrin that the 1924 Presidential vote was only 50.92% of the total voters--a less than 2% gain over 1920. The League had aimed to get out a 75% vote--or approximately 15,000,000 more voters than actually did their duty.

President Sherwin then met squarely the general criticism of women's organizations, which resolves itself into three charges:

1) Communistic programs.

2) Hasty endorsement of legislation.

3) Interest in Federal to the exclusion of local legislation.

The first charge is due, she said, to sloppy definitions of communism by the critics; the second and third, to critics' ignorance of the facts.

Other speeches had other themes--World Court, Preparedness, Child Labor, Man. Officers were elected. Mrs. Borden Harriman and others were applauded. Sixty-five college girls from 36 colleges paraded. To the California league went a silver loving cup for winning the increase-the-vote contest.