The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-14

limiting the associations efforts to one measure.
 Miss Kate NJ Gordon of New Or leans, president of the Southern States Suffrage association. favored Mrs. Jenks' motion, asserting that she did not believe in allowing the national board too great powers in initiating legislation.
 My idea of the object of this asso- ciation," said Mrs. Medill Mccormick of Chicago. chairman of the congressional committed, lis that we want to pass national legislation to give women the ballot. Among the ways open to us to obtain the vote are to secure the passage of the Bristow- Mondell resolution. which is similar to the resolution drafted 50 years ago by Susan B. Anthony, and which requires ratification by 36 states to become effective. to pass the Shafroth amendment, which provides for submit ting the suffrage question to the voters of each state through initiative petitions and to go before the state legislatures for amendments of the state constitu- tions. The Shafroth amendment is de- signed to assist the states to give women the ballot by going around the state leg isatures. The more suffrage states we have the easier it will be to pass the Bristow-Mondell amendment"
 Mrs. Funk Favorable
 Argument in behalf of the Shafroth resolution was made by Mrs. Antoinette Funk of Chicago, a member of the con- gressional committee, who appealed to the delegates not to tie the hands of the committee in Washington by restrict ing their means of operation.
 Many suffragists seem to think that the Shafroth amendment is a 'toboggan slide into suffrage, but they are under a misapprehension," declared Mrs Blatch. One of my reasons for objecting to work ing for it is that our funds and workers are limited and besides we will have to resort to the Susan B. Anthony reso- lution eventually to gain the vote. I do not believe in dividing our efforts but think we should concentrate every energy upon the measure that will bring us what we want. The Bristow- -Mondell amendment gives us a chance to avoid the referendum and with the foreign element of voters in this country be- lieve it is not we'll to risk our cause to a referendum
 Sharp replies were called forth from members of the congressional commit tee and their supporters when Miss Mabel Vernon of Delaware criticized the committee. There are only a few more states which would be helped by the Shafroth amendment" she asserted. Why did not the congressional com mittee get out in the campaign states and help them instead of putting in their time on something that could not be accomplished in Washington? Shouts of "They did help came from all over the hall and Mrs. Funk and Mrs. Mccormick were allowed to tell of the committees work in the recent campaign.
 Mrs. Valentine of Virginia and oth- CT southern delegates said the south ern states would not care to accept the Shafroth amendment but that they would more quickly grant woman suf- frage through their state legislatures.
 Favor Resolution
 Mrs. Helen Hill Weed of Connec- ticut. General Rosalie Jones of New York and Mrs Francis Burns of Mich :. igan wore among the ardent advocates of the Bristow Mondell measure. while Dr. Anna Howard Shaw. president of the associations Mrs. Desha Breckin- ridge of Kentucky; Miss Mary Stewart of Montana and Mrs. Grace Wilbur Trout of Chicago made vigorous pleas for the Shafroth resolution.
 When debate was closed there were score or more of delegates who still wanted to express their views on the question. Mrs. Jenks' amendment to strike out was lost by a viva voce vote and Mrs. Browns substitute motion for that offered by Mrs. Blatch was adopt ed by vote of 194 to 100.
 motion offered by Mrs. Trout au thorizing the national board to in : dorse and support a federal amend . ment for national initiative and ref erendum law was defeated.
 Following discussion of the legisla- tive measures the convention adopted the resolution of special committee that all the 22 members of the two Tennessee delegations, one headed by Mrs. l.. Crozier-French of Knoxville, and the other by Mrs. James McCor- mick of Memphis, be given seats in the convention.
 Delegates from southern states at a conference tonight decided to concen trate their efforts toward the winning of a southern state for woman sui frage within the next two years. It was stated that Alabama probably will be selected for the campaign as 1t Is pro- posed to introduce suffrage initiative petition in the next Alabama leGisla-