The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-05
UNDERWOOD EvADES BLAME.
Says suhrngcttes Took Wrong Way
to Get IA Hearing.

WASHINGTON. Feb MAJORITY Leader
Underwood attempted to put the Republ-
cans on the defensive to-day In q pungent
speech in explanation Of the pemocra il,
partys position assumed last night in re-
gard to woman suffrage by vote OF
1913 to 81 the Democratic caucus had
passed the Helm resolution, which do.
ciares II to be the sense OF the majority
party IN the House of Representatives.
that woman suffrage Is matter for the
consideration OF the States. state by State,
ana not a national issue.
Representative Lenroot OF Wisconsin "a
Republican. had asserted that the action
OF the Democratic caucus served to prevent
women from being heard on their plea
Tor constitutional amendment extending
the suffrage TO women. Mr. Underwood
made II clear that the Democratic leader
snip would not permit consideration OF
any measure dealing with equal suffrage
Il am amazed at the statement of the
gentleman" replied Mr.. Underwood "He
knows that the judiciary Committee. has
been vested FOR many years with jurisdc-
ton over this very question and that
1t has repeatedly granted hearings to
women as 10 whether or not legislation
shall be passed submitting to the States
constitutional amendment for woman
suffrage.
II was at one time n member OF tho
Judiciary Committee. and recall hear
Ing given to Susan Il. Anthony | notice
that during the entire time the gentle
mans party was In charge OF thus House
II refused TO report suffrage resolu.
ton
THE proposition that came before the
Democratic caucus was merely for giving
jurisdiction TO "A new committee which -
already possessed by one of the ahlest
committees OF this House There Is no
objection on the part of these ladies as
to what committee they shall 60 before
They wanted their legislation reported
and thought they could not get 1t reported
from the committee in charge So they
wanted to create a new committee. Tha.
Is all there Is to Il II Ia not 4 question
OF taking from them the right to DE
hea I'd
viii the gentleman. as leader Of IN"
majority" asked Mr.. Ltnroot, use his
influence in the House for u report Of tina,
resolution 50 that We may have an on.
portuniiy here To vote on to-
Il would not do so because | ana not
In favor OF it, replied Mr., underwood
III there Is one Fundamental principl"
that my party stands for II is local self.
government. II the Democratic party
stands for one thing above all others II is
that the right Of franchise should be GOV
erned By the States OF the Union and not
by the national Government"
"Suffragisis are glad to know Just
where the Democratic party stands an
Just where further pressure ought 10 b
brought to bear said Miss Alice Paul.
director Of the Womans Suffrage Con
gressional Union. wv. have by no means
given up hope OF attaining success this
session and will turn at once TO thu
judiciary Committee, which has the pro
posed suffrage Constitutional amendment
in charge"
Miss Antoinette Funk of the National
Womans Suffrage Association said that
the suffrage cause had apparently I've '
held by the House caucus IS OF less ma
tional moment than the disposal of useless
waste paper" bu, added that the figh,
had Just begun.