Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-16
DATE Of SUFFRAGE
VOTE IS UNDECIDED
An Immediate Ballot and De-
lay Both Are Being
Urged on Senate.
MAY LOSE ITS POSITION
AS UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Many Communications Presented
From All Parts of Country.
Thomas and Bryan Clash.

10 vote or not to vote on the resolution
proposing a constitutional amendment
Tor woman suffrage was the question
which stirred the Senate today Tele-
grams were read to the Senate from
woman suffrage organization in all parts
OF the Union, some of them urging a vote
Immediately and others requesting that
the vote be delayed until after the big
demonstration the suffragists are plan
ming for May 9.
The Senate finally agreed by unanimous
consent to allow the resolution to go
over today because of the absence of
Senator Thomas Of Colorado. chairman
Of the woman suffrage committee and in
charge Of the resolution.
1t was made evident however that
either vote will have to he taken at the
close of the debate on the resolution or
that 1t will be displaced as the unfinished
business of the Senate. Senators have
other measures of Importance which they
wish considered by the Senate. and they
do not wish to have them obstructed 10y
luton in the strategic position due TO its
being the unfinished business of the SEN
ate.
Many Communications Presented.
Among the kilograms and letters pre-
sented was one from Mrs. Ruth Hanna
Mccormick. chairman Of the congress
sional committee of the National
American Woman Suffrage Association.
with headquarters in this city. other
communications were from woman
suffrage associations in Massachusetts.
Oregon. Illinois, Kentucky. Texas. Ari-
Zona, Mississippi, North Dakota, Ne
vada and Rhode Island. While the
majority of them asked for a postpone
nf 70 after =. a
number of them asked for an immedi-
ate vote, among them one from North
Dakota. calling for vote before ao-
journment today.
ported the resolution to the Senate
from the committee on woman suffrage
and who has had charge of the resolu-
tion on the floor. WAS asked point blank
by Senator McCumber whether he IN
tended to bring about a vote on the
resolution at an early date. or whether
| he intended to have the resolution re-
| tain its position as the unfinished busi-
ness of the Senate until after May 2.
In reply Senator Ashurst said:
ST do not believe that a single vote on
\ the question of woman suffrage will be
| changed between. now and May 2. / am
| to vote in May" He admitted that he
did not believe that the resolution could
receive the necessary two-thirds vote IN
the Senate at this time to carry 1t
through successfully.
Says Mr.. Thomas Is In Cnarge.
Senator Thomas Of Colorado. chair
man of the committee, is in charge of this
resolution said Senator Ashurst.
Does the senator mean to say that lie
! has resigned the control of this resolu-
tion in the Senator" asked Senator Bryan
of Florida.
IT haven't resigned nything. retorted
Senator Ashurst.
But / do not understand said Sena-
tor Bryan. THE senator from Arizona
surely has been in charge of the resolu-
ton on the floor since it was reported.
He had it made the unfinished business
of the Senate
There are great many things the
senator from Florida does not under
stand,'' replied Senator Ashurst. But
if he had had the experiences which l
have had during the last two weeks, ne
might understand this
Senator Ashurst insisted that Senator
Thomas, being chairman of the Senate
committee on woman suffrage rightfully
was in charge of the resolution.
II know that Senator Thomas is not
urging a delay in taking the vote. said
Senator Ashurst, land 1 know that
myself am not asking vote before
May"