Suffrage as War Measure

New York: NY Woman Suffrage Party, 1917. Leaflet, small 4to, 10-7/16" x 8-1/8" (unfolded), printed on white stock which shows a little age-toning. This leaflet has not been folded so is quite fresh and in fine condition overall. The entry of the United States into World War I caused a rift between the Woman's Party (Alice Paul et al.) which adamantly refused to endorse the war and the National American Woman's Suffrage Association (Carrie Chapman Catt, Anna Howard Shaw et al.) who supported the American War effort. Despite this rift, the suffrage organizations continued to press for votes for women at the state and federal level. In 1917 women won the right to full suffrage in New York - the first Eastern state to have women's suffrage. it was an important victory for the movement. This leaflet points that with World War I countries such as Canada, Italy, Russia, France and "[e]ven little Yucatan" have women's suffrage: "THE WOMEN OF NEW YORK STATE HAVE NO LESS PATRIOTISM, COURAGE OR ABILITY THAN THE WOMEN OF ENGLAND, RUSSIA OR CANADA." It goes on to argue that the war has demonstrated the country's need for its women to serve the nation "equally with men" and calls for men to "admit the justice and necessity of woman suffrage...For the sake of the strength it will add to the nation, vote for woman suffrage November 6th." An excellent example of the arguments on behalf of women's suffrage put before New Yorkers as they went to the polls. (6419).