The Washington herald., 1914-06-29
GAG RULESWAYS
CLUBS, SAY ANTS
Convention Which Indorsed
Woman Suffrage Was
Packed" They Assert.
MILLION? THAT'S UNTRUE
Opponents Of Equal Franchise Send
Statement to President Deny
ing Asitator's Claims.

President Wilson has become the storm
center OF the woman suffrage fight in the
General Federation of Women's Clubs
The board OF directors of the National
Association Opposed TO Woman Suffrage,
acting through the organizations presi-
dent, Mrs. Arthur NJ. Dodge. OF New
York, yesterday forwarded to the Presi-
dent the copy OF a statement indorsed
by the directors denying that the Loo. .00O
women Of the federation are in favor Of
woman suffrage and rebuking In sweeping
terms the General Federation for the tao
tics II employed in its biennial convention
in Chicago recently in securing a vote for
woman suffrage.
This communication was sent to Mr
Wilson in anticipation OF the visit to hin
tomorrow Of delegation Of suffragists
from the General Federation. The
declaration Of the 'antis" reads, in part:
Case of Gag Rule"
The action indorsing woman suffrage
was a clear case Of gag rule in a packed
convention, worthy Of the much-desp.sed
political machines.
"Of the State federations, seventeen
have endorsed woman suffrage and
several have voted not to endorse il.
while by far the greater number have
refused TO allow the subject TO be dis
cussed at their conventions. In many of
the State federations the suffragists
have been maneuvering for years to
secure suffrage delegates to the biennial
convention OF the general federation.
Many suffragists hoped until the last mo-
ment that the question would not be
brought up in Chicago and many have
said openly that they regretted that the
resolution was brought before the con-
vention.
The president. Mrs. Pennybacker. had
taken a neutral position. The Illinois
sunragists openly threatened that, unless
she permitted the suffrage resolution 10
be introduced. a rival candidate would
be brought forward. The president ap-
members OF the board to confer with two
prominent sufIragists in Chicago. and.
probably in consequence of this con-
ference. IL was announced from the plat
form on Friday that the suffrage resoIu-
ton would be brought forward the next
morning.
When it was brought up Saturday
morning. there were in favor Of suffrage
by Mrs. Leach. OF Kentucky. and Miss
Stearns. Of Wisconsin. While many
women were on their feet trying to OBJ
tain recognition from the chair. the one
woman recognized by the president was
Mary Garrett Hay. Of New York, who
moved the previous question. which was
carried. On the main question, a rising
vote was called for, but ignored by the
president
a protest to the resolution was pre-
sented on the following Tuesday which
was accepted and placed on nile The fol-
lowing is the protest as printed:
The suffragists are already quoting
widely that one million club women have
endorsed woman suffrage. which is abso-
lutely untrue. as there are hundreds Of
clubs throughout the country that refuse
to endorse II and there are hundreds
and thousands OF women belonging 20
clubs that have endorsed it who are
actively opposed to woman suffrage.
To quote from a letter of Mrs Dimies
T. S. Denison. former president and
honorary president OF the general fed
GRAFTON: Any woman who says that a
million women by this resolution endorse
woman suffrage is a qualified member
Of the Ananias Club"