The Washington herald., 1914-03-04
VOTES OR fight,
WOMENS Threat
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

thing OF them for forty years without
avail" he said.
Mrs. Benedict did not answer the ques-
ton directly. but Representative Chand-
Ter. Progressive, Of New York. asked:
Since the grand old Republican party
has failed and the Democrats seem dis
posed to fail as well. why should not
your 0oO.JJ0 women turn to the Progress
sive party. which favors woman suf-
frage?"
Il am giving away none Of our plans
today. But you must remember that the
question of woman suffrage is no longer
one OF right or Justice. or principle alone,
but IL is today a matter of political expe-
diency."
Mrs. Antoinette Funk, speaking for
the National Association for Woman
Suffrage, told the committee that II is
not easy for the women of the country
to change the Constitution wherein
!, women are practically denied justice.
On this point the committee took issue
with Mrs. Funk. An extended colloquy
. in which several Democratic members
participated followed. and the atten-
tion of the suffragists was called to the
often-reiterated statement of the anti
suffragists that legislation of reme-
dial character during the past seven
years has advanced women's rights,
exclusive of the right of suffrage. as
we'll in States where there Is no suf-
frage as in the most advanced suffrage
States of the West. Representative
Mccoy, of New Jersey. insisted that the
legal rights of women were as well IL
not better subserved by the State laws
of New Jersey and New York as they
are by the laws Of Colorado, where
women have voted for twenty-five
years.
Remember Ides of November.
Other suffragists speakers in turn were
Dr. Cora Smith King. who warned the
judiciary Committee that it should be no
longer the graveyard committee OF the
House." where suffrage bills and resolu-
tions are buried. II warn you" she
said. Ghosts may walk. Remember
the ides of November. The women voters
advise you to act speedily and favorably
upon the suffrage, amendment II You
do not the women Voters themselves may
become your court Of last resort"
Mrs. William Kent read to the COM
mittee some OF the bills passed by the
last California legislature showing the
influence of the balloting women. She
said:
You may say that laws Of this land
are being passed in women suffrage
States, but a great wave of progressive
democracy is sweeping over the country.
bringing q greater justice and d larger
opportunity to all the people"
A big delegation of women from various
States appeared before the committee to
reply to the arguments advanced at the
morning session by the supporters Of
the proposed woman suffrage amendment
to. the Federal Constitution.
Miss Minnie Bronson, secretary OF the
National Association Opposed to Woman
Suffrage. who charged the suffragists
with using Congress as an advertisement.
said:
IT want to call your attention to the
fact that the suffragists are using the
Federal government for the purpose Of
advertising their views through the
speeches they make here. don't know
whether you call that petty grating or
not"
Mrs. Dodge In Charge.
The hearing of the national association
by the committee was under the control
Of its president, Mrs. Arthur NJ. Dodge.
of New York. who said in introducing
the speakers:
.T arrived here in time this morning
to hear some of the threats Of political
vengeance hurled at this committee by
the suffragists. I think members Of the
COmmltte6 Cdu We'll 10 uisTcSAiu
these threats. They cannot be taken as
serious or grave because the suffragists
have failed to agree among themselves
on so many points that they probably
could not agree on how to carry out a
threat even IL they had the power.
Among the speakers introduced by Mrs.
Dodge were Mrs. Henry White, Of the
executive committee Of the Massachu-
sctts State association; Miss Alice Hill
Chittenden, president Of the New York
State association; Miss Marjory Dorman,
secretary OF the Women Wage Farmers
Anti-Sufrage League OF New York. and
John Matthews, Of Newark, N. J., and
John R. Dos Passos, Of New York.
Our fundamental claim before you,"
Miss Chittenden began her remarks, .is
that each State has a right to decide this
question for itself. The women of New
York. whom I represent, do not want
the legislatures Of other States to man
age the electorate Of New York State."
Asked why she opposed giving the priv
ilege Of the vote to women. she ex-
planned: TN the final analysis. the real
responsibility Of maintenanee and oper-
ating the State-in war or n peace-re.ts
upon the courage Of men. We are told