l cooperation with the States in the protection of
infant life through infancy and maternity care; the prohibition of
child labor and adequate appropriation for the Children's Bureau; a
Federal Department of Education; joint Federal and State aid for the
removal of illiteracy and increase of teachers' salaries; instruction
in citizenship for both native and foreign born; increased Federal
support for vocational training in home economics and Federal
regulation of the marketing and distribution of food; full
representation of women on all commissions dealing with women's work
and women's interests; the establishment of a joint Federal and State
employment service with women's departments under the direction of
technically qualified women; a reclassification of the Federal Civil
Service free from discrimination on account of sex; continuance of
appropriations for public education in sex hygiene; Federal
legislation which shall insure that American-born women resident in
the United States but married to aliens shall retain American
citizenship and that the same process of naturalization shall be
required of alien women as is required of alien men."

Deputations from the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters
presented this program to the Resolutions Committee of the Republican
party at its convention in Chicago; to that of the Democratic party in
San Francisco, and to the convention of the Farmer Labor party and the
Committee of Forty-eight held jointly in Chicago. The last named
included the following planks: Abolition of employment of children
under 16 years of age; a Federal Department of Education; Public
ownership and operation of stock yards, large abattoirs, cold-storage
and terminal warehouses; equal pay for equal work. Five of the planks
were included in the Republican platform: Prohibition of child labor
throughout the United States; instruction in citizenship for the youth
of the land; increased Federal support for vocational training in home
economics; equal pay for equal work; independent citizenship for
married women. The Democratic Resolutions Committee incorporated in
its platform all of the requests made by the League of Women Voters
except a Federal Department of Education. The Socialist Party held its
convention before the planks were sent out. The Prohibition Party
adopted the full program of the League of Women Voters.

One of the important steps taken in 1920 by the League of Women Voters