New-York tribune., 1914-12-21
Defeat Believed in Store
for constitutional Amend.
ment Resolution.
SAID TO VIOLATE
STATES RIGHTS IDEA
Woman Suffrage Issue To Be
Postponed Until Some
Time in January.

Washington. Dec. :0-The Hous. q,
Representatives IS within forty.ei,b,
hours Of a vote on the prohibition
issue. The Rules Committee will e,U
up on Tuesday a soecia, rule eiyire
privileged status to he Hobson B,tiog,
wide prohibition re3olution, and FOL.
lowing eight hour, Of debate. ,ss
House will determine whether Con.
stltutional amendment 10 bring about
a dry nation is to b, submitted to the
states.
Indications now aie chat the resolu.
ton viii have Majority, but not the
required two-third& Representative
Hobson declines 10 Gve out his figures
although the prohiEtionists claim "a
good majority Majority Leader In
derwood and other. who oppose the
amendment on the ground Of states
rights do not even coucede that the
resolution will hav, a majority. The
prohlbltionists are rot so sanguino as
70 claim the adoption Of the resolu.
tion, and their uncertainty lies In the
fact that many frightened members
have not yet fully determined hcw
they will vote.
approximately fourth Of the House
membership is uon-conmittal. Dozens Of
of members are still exchanging views
with their COLLEAGUES and waiting 10
hear from home Oilers are debating
whether the states rights argument
will suffice as an eNWse for their op-
posing a resolution which the prohibi-
ton element has been endeavoring 10
get before Congress for years.
Representative Ho5son, one Of the
skilled debaters of the House. will
open and close the argument for his
resolution. The leaders of the opposi.
tIon will comprise NJ Underwood, Mr.
Fitzgerald and Mr. sherley, who are
less spectacular oraDrs, but profess
20 have the logic of the situation with
them.
The present plan OF the House lead.
eIs cOntemplates that only one Of the
two bothersomc resolutions before that
body will be put forward TO harss,
members on the eve If the Christmas
holidays. The Rules Committee has
completed a rule 20 alI up the Brs.
tow Mondell resolution providing foi
woman suffrage amendment, but Il
Is now the programme 90 postpone the
vote on this measur, until early N
January This resolution, too. will be
fought on the ground OF tate's rights,
and it is improbable hat the required
two-thirds majority viii be mustered
for II. The Democmtic caucus last
summer went on record against suf-
frage, adopting a resolution offered BY
Representative HeAh that suffrage
was a question 70 be determined sole
IS by the states.
Since that time tie President has
come out against the suffrage move
ment on the same Argument, and ne
President is also known % oppose me
Prohibition resolution because be be-
lieves each state has right to deelae
this matter for ITSELF
Nevertheless, the House debate on
Tuesday will be a spectacular snalt
The galleries will be crowded WIZ,
white ribboners and II the background
will sit the alert vatchmon Of ine
distilling and brewing interests. A.
though IL is believed that not rev
uneasy members will find it conyen,,'
cnt TO dodge a vote by pairing WIN
an equally frightened colleague, or Uy
remaining away from the House Vl
the plea Of illness OF business, tAe
attendance on the floor viii be abo'Ss
the average, and battle royal WIZ
be staged.