VOTES FOR WOMEN Although Woman Suffrage has been for a number of years a part of the program of the International Council of Women, the American Branch, represented by the General Federation of Women's Clubs, at first displayed little interest in the subject.

Although many of the club women were strong suffragists, there were many others, notably women from the Southern States, who were violently opposed to suffrage.

Early in the club movement it was agreed that suffrage, being a subject on which there was an apparently hopeless difference of opinion, was not a proper subject for club consideration.
The position of the women in regard to suffrage was precisely that of the early labor unions toward politics.

The unions, fearing that the labor leaders would use the men for their own political advancement, resolved that no question of politics should ever enter into their deliberations.
In the same way the club women feared that even a discussion of Woman Suffrage in their state and national federation meetings would result in their movement becoming purely political.

They wanted to keep it a non-partisan benevolent and social affair.
[Illustration: SUFFRAGETTES IN LONDON ADVERTISING A MEETING] Somehow, in what mysterious manner no one can precisely tell, the reserve of the club women towards the suffrage question began some years ago to break down.