New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-10
ANTS AND SUFFRAG|STS
TO Be HEARD IN HOUSE
Rules Committee Chairman An
nOunCeS December 2 as Date
for Opening Arguments.
NO TIME LIMIT ON TALK
Mrs. Dodge Already Expresses
Bitter Opposition to Appoint
ment of Suffrage Standing
Committee in Congress.
From ~he Tribune Bureau ]

Washington, Nov. 9.--Women-those who
want to vote and those who don't-will
be heard on the question of suffrage in
| this country by the House Committee on
| Rules during the first week Of December.
Chairman Henry of the committee an
nounced officially this afternoon that the
| hearings would begin on Tuesday morn
! ing. December .. and will last as long as
there are any women who want TO speak
| for or against suffrage.
THE proposition on which the hearing
is given" said Mr.. Henry, lis the request
/ Of the sunragists that this committee
make a favorable report TO the House for
the creation of a standing committee on
woman suffrage"
| According TO the plans Of anti suifragists
and suffragists. they regard the hearing
! which is barely three weeks off, as the
/ great field day Of the woman question.
Both sides In the battle will be repre-
scented by their ablest speakers and most
prominent leaders. Both sides will have
men speaking for them, as well as wom-
en- and 1t is expected that more real in
| formation will be brought out regarding
suffrage and its effects than ever before
| Mrs Arthur NJ Dodge, of New York
who as president Of the National Associa
ton Opposed to Woman Suffrage will
marshal the forces of anti-suffrage in the
| hearing. was in Washington yesterday
and to-day. and when informed by Chair
man Henry Of the date set for the hear
| ing said:
g. e ,,,I
WINGED that neither the Committee on
Rules nor the membership of the House
should favor the establishment Of a stand
ing committee on woman suffrage. There
is no doubt that the Committee on Rules
is opposed TO woman suffrage, and when
the members realize that the creation OF
the committee on woman suffrage would
be an unfair encouragement Of suffra Eism
they will not, ] am sure, favor such r
thing Ny information is that the suf-
fragists expect the committee 10 deny
them what they ask.
"A fallacious argument has been
brought forward by the friends Of the
suffragists, TO the effect that il would be
a good thing for the Committee on Rules
to report favorably the proposition to
create a committee on suffrage, under the
! impression that this would quiet the
clamor Of the suffragists and give them
place into which they could throw all
their petitions and resolutions. That is,
they would make of the committee a
/ burying ground of all suffrage propa-
ganda.
However, such a concession would not
} quiet the suffragists at all. 1t merely
would result in their utilizing IT as an al
! legged proof OF victory. In fact, they
! would attempt to point out that 1t was
the entering wedge; that it meant that
| Congress favored an amendment TO the
| federal Constitution for woman suffrage.
and that it committed the Democratic
| party to suffrage Members of the House
should remember that 1t is the custom of
the suffragists to adopt a rubberlke point
Of view, and when they are given an
| inch. to stretch II into mile OF course
this would be absurd when it is remem-
bered that both the Committee on Rules
and the House are undoubtedly opposed
| to woman suffrage.
Moreover. the only reason for the suf-
fragists' request for this committee is TO
make a fictitious showing of strength In
the remote event of its being granted. As
a matter of fact, there is now House
committee which handles all resolutions
on this question. 1t is the Committee on
the judiciary.
why should there be created a COM
mittee to do a line of work which has
been done for years in most efficient
manner by a committee consisting Of some
of the ablest and best known lawyers in
the House?'