South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-11
Resolutions on "Votes for
Women May Not Be De-
bated With Reference and
Report from Committee.

CHICAGO, June 11.-Suffrage advo-
Gates were dealt a severe blow today
when the twelfth biennial convention of
the general federation Of women's
clubs ordered that no resolution Of any
character should be debated from the
floor of the convention by the dele
gates until it had been referred to
and reported out by the committee on
resolutions. The rule today was adopt
ed without debate and without a dis
senting vote The action confirmed
the action of the biennial at San Fran
cisco. The result came as a big sur
prise to suffrage leaders who had
county victory as theirs after the
adoption of a rule in the council yes
terday permitting discussion Of reSo
lutions before reference to the COM
mittee.
Despite the setback which suffrage
received in the convention the Penn
sylvania delegation at caucus today
adopted a resolution favoring suffrage.
Pennsylvania was the second big state
to take such action, the New York del
that issue favorably. Suffrage leaders
expect it to make the combination the
big three.
The dress reform resolutions were
adopted at a conference Of the "Bu-
reau Of Information" of the fedora
ton and were scheduled to be present
ed TO the resolutions committee today.
The resolutions were read by Mrs
Mary /. Woods, of Portsmouth, n. H.,
who presided at the convention.
Suffrage Important Issue.
That the reelection of Mrs. Percy V.
Pennybacker. of Texas. as president of
the federation, depends upon the con-
vention's disposal of the suffrage
question and the attitude taken by her
in handling this matter was the senti-
ment expressed by many delegates.
expressed her stand on the suffrage
question and this fact has resulted in
much opposition to her on the part of
the Suffragists.
Friends of Mrs. George Bass. a Chi
cagO sufraget leader, have opened a
quiet campaign to place her in oppo-
sition to Mrs. Penny hacker. The
nominating committee Will report 10
the convention next Monday, putting
UP the regular ticket for election. Mrs.
Pennybacker declares herself, 1t was
said today that suffragists would make
other nominations on the floor of the
convention.
Mrs Pennybacker has received a
telegram from Mrs Horace Brock,
honorary president OF the PennSyl-
vanfa federation of Women's clubs
warning the federation that if it should
admit political clubs 10 full member
ship and officially act upon the ques
ton Of women's suffrage, either for
or against IT, there would be an i'm
mediate break in the national organ
ization.
Criticizes Style.
Mrs. Robert j. Burdett. of Cali
fornia, severely criticised the present
STYLES, declaring that the clothes OF
today were neither conceived nor de-
signed by good women.
The French designers design our
clothes for the demimOnde of Paris,
and American women either do not
know this or don't care about ii.
Mrs. Burdett asserted. Il would not
say. however, that every woman who
wears animmoral gown is immoral.
What a woman wears and the way she
wears il. so is she"
That the resolutions upholding Pres.
Wilson's work in behalf Of peace will
not be introduced into the convention
but that the women will conTlne their
praise of the chief executive TO cheers
and applause was another topic dis
cussed with interest. Well informed
delegates declared this was the only
possible because Of the
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