South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-10
ANTPS WAGE BITTER
FIGHT AGAINST PLAN
Ballot Clubs Get Equal Repre-
SentatiOn and Opportunity
to Bring Propaganda to the
Fore During Present Session

CHICAGO. June 10.-Sunrage scor-
ed its first victory. in the 18th annual
convention Of the women's clubs here
today when the council decided at
meeting in the Auditorium theater 10
permit open discussions from the floor
Of the main convention. Suffraget
leaders declared that with this leeway
they will make the biennial go on rec
ord as favoring the suffrage question
by next week.
Anti-sU fragists among the delegates
bitterly opposed the motion. claiming
it was not feasible 10 have discussion
from the floor. Speakers for the Op-
posing factions, however. took the floor
and after lengthy debate suffragets
carried their point
AS a result Of this policy adopted by
the council equal rights supporters
Will be enabled TO Wedge the cause TO
the front at every turn. SunraglstS
also declared that the ruling was a
big victory for them as il showed the
sentiment among the delegates on the
subject.
Sharp Debate Expected.
When the council met sharp debate
of the question was anticipated by the
delegates and d prolonged hght TO cur
tail the powers and authority OF the
resolutions committee was expected.
Suffrage leaders planned 20 bring up
the suffrage question when the ques-
tion of the duties of the resolutions
committee should be discussed. The
action Monday deciding that suffrage
clubs should be admitted TO represen-
tatiOn in the convention on the same
basis as women's clubs affiliated with
the general federation has smOOthed
out the path for the appointment or
delegates favoring suffrage TO the COM
mittee on resolutions and was in it.
self a tacit endorsement OF suffrage.
Heretofore suffrage clubs had a small
er representation and could not lnfu-
ence sentiment on the all-pOwerful
committee on resolutions 20 pass the
suffrage question 10 the convention for
vote.
Sunragists today declared that every
possible effort would be made 10 get
the federation to vote for suffrage and
expressed the belief that they would
at least secure the long sought for rec
ognition. The delegates TO the feder-
alton came here uninstructed and ac-
cOrding 10 an unwritten law OF the
federation they viii use their own dis
erection in voting.
Here Are some OF the Questions.
A number Of other questions were
also considered at the council among
them being:
should the mid-season biennial
council be as large as possible or
should IL be confined 20 members only2
Is the influence OF the federation
weakened By the depression by a large
number OF questions concerning the
various departments Of work
Mrs. Z. l. Fitzpatrick, president OK
the Georgia federation, said:
m - n ~ ! ! =
suffrage. The womens clubs or
Georgia have had no difficulty in get
ting measures which they favored
through the legislature without the
power Of ballot back of them. We
are the power behind the throne now.
and We find that we get practically
everything we want without the power
posed 70 bringing wOman's Suffrage
into this federation
Sees Great Aid TO Cause.
Mrs. Grace Wilbur Trout. president
OF the Illinois Equal Suffrage asso-
citation:
ITO have body representing I, 500
600 women endorse the great principle
Of suffrage would help struggling
women throughout the country in their
work for social. political and Industrial
equality. IL would also help the gen
eral federation. In years gone Dy IL
was necessary for the federation %
proceed slowly. The federation IS no
longer in its swaddIns clothes IL
has reached its majority. lt has been
- years since its nrst convention IVES
held IN Chicago. IL is old enough tO|
vote
IL seemed probable that Mrs. Percy
N. Pennybacker of Texas, VIII oe re-
elected president general
New York. Atlantic City and Dallas.
Texas. are making strong bids for the
naNr biennial