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C H A P T E R F I V E Nonpartisanship, National Politics, and the Momentum for Repeal The WONPR and Party Affiliation T he WONPR demonstrate d tha t a nonpartisan organization base d on gende r an d th e engagemen t o f a moral issu e wa s stil l viabl e well into the 1930s . The mixture of both Republican s and Dem ocrats that made up the membership of the WONPR stoo d as an impressive validation of this approach. Indeed , it is doubtful tha t a more partisan appeal could have accrued th e sheer numbers that the WONPR claimed : over 1. 2 millio n members at the beginning of 1933. l In on e sense , o f course , th e WONP R wa s lik e any othe r singl e issu e group tha t ha d chose n t o work outsid e o f existing part y hierarchie s a s a way o f advancin g it s cause . Withou t becomin g bogge d dow n i n th e compromises o f part y politics , friend s coul d b e rewarde d an d enemie s punished regardles s o f politica l affiliations . Bu t nonpartisanshi p a s em braced b y th e WONP R als o ha d a strikingl y feminin e elemen t tha t harkened bac k bot h t o Frances Willard' s "Stygia n pool " critique of masculine politics and to the notion of woman's supposed political disinterestedness a s a n authenticatin g basi s fo r woman' s politica l causes . I n 1932 , for instance , th e WONP R place d a n advertisemen t i n th e (Wilmington ) Star addresse d "T o Registere d Wome n Voters. " Th e WONP R urge d women to get involved in the repeal movement, arguin g that "women can be independent politically . The y ar e not tied b y th e party habi t an d th e 114 Nonpartisanship, National Politics, and the Momentum forRepeal • 11 5 business association s whic h ofte n contro l men . Wome n ca n strik e wit h the vote for their homes and children and better conditions, IRRESPEC TIVE O F PARTY." 2 Yet, while this would see m to suggest a continued feminin e distrust of party politics , it must be noted tha t many wome n who worked for repea l had, i n the decades precedin g the formation o f the WONPR, als o begun to acquir e part y loyalties . Sinc e th e middl e o f th e nineteent h centur y the issu e o f partisanshi p ha d bee n a destabilizin g elemen t i n women' s organizations, an d i t woul d prov e t o b e disruptiv e a t th e WONP R a s well. Th e WONPR' s struggl e wit h partisanshi p mirrore d th e conflic t experienced b y a great numbe r o f wome n durin g thi s perio d betwee n a loyalty t o gender-based politic s o n th e on e han d an d th e allur e of part y politics on the other. The relationshi p that women ha d wit h the two major politica l parties, especially a s regard s th e prohibitio n issue , wa s greatl y affecte d b y th e 1928 election. Ther e ha d alway s bee n bot h we t an d dr y Democrat s an d Republicans, bu t on e resul t o f th e 192 8 electio n wa s tha t voter s no w identified th e Democrati c party , a s represente d b y A l Smith , a s wet , while Herbert Hoover' s Republican part y acquired th e dry tag. With th e continuing wetnes s o f th e Democrati c part y afte r 192 8 aide d b y th e appointment o f th e AAPA' s John J. Rasko b a s party chairman , wome n Democratic party regular s favoring repea l actually represented prevailin g party sentiment, rathe r than a minority view . By 192 8 there was also evidence that some reform-minded Democrati c women...

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