Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-03
SUFFRAGE ARMY,
THOUSAND STRONG,
INVADES CAPITOL
Demand That House Establish
Committee, Like Senate's,
on Suffrage.
DIR. ANNA SHAW AND OTHER
LEADERS PLEAD FERVIDLY
Ants Will Also Have a Hearing
in Opposition Later
On.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-The
suffrage convention was suspended
for a few hours today while dele
gates moved to the capitol to urge
a favorable report by the House rules
committee on resolution to create
a standing committee on woman
suffrage in the House.
Women suffregists have long been
pressing for a hearing on the reso-
luton. They sought it persistently
during the extra session and were
promised that ttention would be
given TO the measure early in the
regular session.
Women OF the anti-suffrage move
ment also have been granted a hear
ing in opposition to the resolution,
and they will appear later.
The scene resembled a charge on a
citadel when more than 1000 suffrage
delegates closed In on the capitol The
women advanced in regimental for
nation, in quick-step order, and
crowded the hearing room long be-
fore the committee arrived.
DIR. Anna Howard Shaw, president
of the National American Woman
| Suffrage Association, had charge OF
presenting arguments for Il commit
| tie. She told the members it was not
the privilege of the speakers 20 con-
vert the congressman to suffrage, but
to convince them that the suffrage
movement was entitled 10 a House
committee, equivalent to . similar
one in the Senate.
Mrs. Ida Hustled He ,per declared
the suffrage movement had grown to
national proportions, justifying a
| House committee; that the move
ment had not received its just treat
ment and that justice required that
the movement should come under the
| jurisdiction of the national congress.
Helen Gardner, Miss Jane Addams,
| Mrs. Desha Breckenridge, Mrs. Mary
| Beard and Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait
also pleaded for the committee
! Representative Raker. of Califor-
MIA, spoke for the resolution, which
would provide for a suffrage commit
tee of thirteen members.
/ a resolution by Representative
K ", Progressive, of Pennsylvania,
i W dopted, providing that the final
/ v, 4 the rules committee on the
Nv IS proposal should be taken in
public.
Miss Adams argued in refutation
of a contention that Congress could
not prescribe conditions of suffrage in
the States. She declared Congress had
done so In the case of the negro and
the Indian and cited direct elections
of senators which Congress had
passed upon. She further cited as IL
lustrations the disfranchisement OF
criminals and naturalization of immi-
grants y Federal authority.
Henry CIay's Granddaughter Speaks
Miss Adams predicted that en-
franchsement of women throughout
the country would be doubled within
a few years. Mrs. Desha Brecken-
ridge, of Kentucky. granddaughter
of Henry Clay, said she realized that
the women of her State were gem
orally classed ''poetieally with Whis-
key and horses and politically with
lmbeciles and criminals" but that the
women of Kentucky were striving to
overcome the difficulties in their path
toward equal suffrage.
Mrs. Mary Beard declared the suf-
ragists like President Wilson, want
to be their own masters" Suffrage
she urged upon Democrats as a mat
ter of political expediency, If for no
higher motive, If they wished to
mai1Sain their political supremacy
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait summed
up all the arguments. Women of the
lanti-suffrage movement will be heard
in opposition to the proposal tomor-
DIR. Anna Howard Shaw, president
CONTINUED on = 'nmn 81