Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-15
Deny Suffragist Claims and 0p-
pose Creation of Suffrage
Committee in House.
HEARING is INFORMAL
IN HIS CAPITOL OFFICE
Mrs. Scott of New York and Miss
Book Of California Speak for OPP
ponents of Votes for Women.

intimidate the democratic party by ex-
travagant claims of their voting strength,
anti-suffragists appeared today before
Chairman Henry OF the House rules COM
mittee TO oppose the creation of a wom-
an suffrage committee In the House
The hearing today was not held in the
large committee room where representa-
tives OF the National Council of Women
Voters appeared before the rules commit
tee yesterday in favor of the establish
ment of a woman suffrage committee.
Chairman Henry received the anti-suf-
fragists in his Office in the Capitol and
listened to them there.
Mr.. Henry announced that both the
hearing yesterday and the one today were
purely informal and that formal hearing
would be granted to both sides in Decem-
ber Mr.. Henry said that no action on
the subject Is TO be taken at the present
time.
Mrs. W r Scott, vice president of the
Guidon Club of New York. an anti-suf-
| frage organization. including a number
of prominent men among its officers. and
Miss Annie Book Of Los Angeles, CAL a
voter, We're the speakers for the OPP
ponents of votes for women. With them
were several Washington "antis." A
number OF suffragists were also present
TO see the fun" as they expressed it.
Mrs. Scott and Miss Book expressed
| themselves as being very indignant at
what they termed the Misrepresentation
of the suffragists who appeared before
the committee Yesterday. They objected
particularly TO the claim that there are
4.WV,Oo women voters at the present
| time.
Asks Startling Question.
Mrs. Scott rather startled Mr. Henry
when she asked him if he would not do
Everything possible to prevent the agita-
ton of suffrage in Congress. He replied
that he had no authority over any COM
nittee but his own. but that so far as
the rules committee was concerned moth
| ing would be done on the subject until
December
1T is politically immoral for Congress
Ito consider a question like this which
has no legal right before it," said Mrs.
Scott. The national government has no
business taking UP the suffrage question. :
Mrs Scott opposed the creation of a
woman suffrage. committee i'm the House.
Saying il would be used simply for suf-
fragfst agitation and for nothing else.
she added that should the House decide
10 create such a committee no members
|Pf Congress from suffrage states should
Pc allowed to serve on it, since they are
pre1udtced. The suffrage states should
pot be allowed to force votes for women
tRn other states, she said.
Miss. Book. an attractively gowned
young woman, had prepared a long argu-
nent for presentation 20 the committee.
fShe said that through the kindness Of
Senator MARITIME of New Jersey her argu-
nent Is now being printed as a public
f1ocument- Mr.. Henry promised her that
would be included in the reports of
The hearings to be held in December.
Eight Per Cent Seek Vote.
"A few women are assembled in
at present claiming that
hey represent 4,000,0 900 woman voters"
aid Miss Book. They do not represent
Anything of the kind. If they said
here are 100000 woman voters they
night be nearer the truth.
II am a woman voter in California,
md they do not represent me, and l
know thousands more woman voters
$hom they do not represent
These women know that only about
per cent of the women in the country
want to vote, and that the majority OF
he enfranchised women do not care
10 exercise the privilege. 1 have heard
he conversations of a number of wom-
pr in California who have voted once
and who said they would never vote
again. They do not like II and are
fathers and brothers to vote for them
n the future.
Helm Fails to Appear.
~ think that these women are simply
rying t. threaten the rules committee.
they are trying to pretend that they
ave immense political power which they
sill exercise against the democratic
,arty unless the party gives them what
hey want. They do not control suf-
icient votes to talk about
Where Is Mr.. Hefiin?" was a question
Asked both by Mr.. Henry and by the
lnti-suffragists during the short hearing
I developed that the greatest opponent
81 woman suffrage in the House had
promised to be present. He did not APP
pear. however.
"Well, he'll take care of you in Deem
ber.' said Mr.. Henry, encouragingly.
All of the other women who attended
he hearing refused to give their names.
I'm on the fence. and just came TO
bear" said one. I'm a suffragist and