"God Made Us"

The Woman's Democratic Club of New York City, of which the 1,700 members, like their civic sisters the country over, are dedicated to making politics "cleaner" and more reasonable, tried lately to elect a president. A Mrs. John Marshall Gallagher was a candidate. A Mrs. Hanna V. Imhof--despite gossip that she had said she would not have the presidency, even "on a silver platter"--was another.

The nominating committee's secretary announced three votes for Mrs. Gallagher, two for Mrs. Imhof. Up rose an Imhofian and proved that the secretary had quite twisted the votes. They actually stood three for Imhof, two for Gallagher.

A woman judge, famed Jean H. Norris, was called in to arbitrate, and a re-ballot caused by her stood Gallagher 4, Imhof 1. "Intimidation," cried Imhofians. Justice Norris, they said, was too friendly with Mrs. Gallagher. Justice Norris denied the charge "as God is my judge." To which Mrs. Imhof retorted: "It is common gossip that she is politically ambitious. . . ."

This nomination squabble was as nothing, however, to the election squabble, which Mrs. Imhof took to the State Supreme Court last week. Mrs. Gallagher having been nominated four votes to one, her name alone was placed on the ballot by the committee. Yet when the club members voted, the result was: Imhof 127, Gallagher 127. A tie! One ballot was so poorly written that none could be sure whom it favored but it looked like an Imhof. What to do?

"There were many brilliant and capable women in the room," said retiring President Mrs. John Enos Quinn; and it was at their suggestion that she, though she had already voted as a common member, resumed her official capacity and cast another, deciding vote for Mrs. Gallagher.

"Fraud!" cried Imhofians and took the case to court.

Mrs. Quinn later admitted her parliamentary ignorance and error. Then she made a pronouncement to which there was none to take exception. "Before men made us voters," she said, "God made us women."