The Washington times., 1915-12-15
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
PUT UP SQUARELY
TO C. 0. ?. CHIEFS
Advocates Ask Plank for Con.
stitutionaI Amendment, Antis
Stand on States Rights.

to put suffrage plank in tho Repuh-
Mean platform on the ethical ground of
equality of opportunity and political OK
pediency for onfranchising women by
constitutional amendment The "antls"
argued for ihc right of tho States to
decide for themselves and expressed
confidence they would vote against
woman7 suffrage. as in Massachusetts,.
Pennsylvania, New York and New
Jersey.
For almost an hour the members o;
the committee listened to and applauded
reasons both foe and against action by
the committee on the question. AS ono
member put It, the women put square
ly up to the committeeman whether OF
not they will give consideration to tho
construction of tho Republican platform
in Chicago next June,
Chairman Hilles accidentally drew. what
sremed to be the sentiment of the COM
mittee at. the conclusion of the hearing,
in the volume of applause which greet
ed his remark that the House of Rep
resentativcs did not know good thing
when Il saw it--referrinG to the refusal
Of the House to hear tho suffrage dele
gates yesterday
Delay In Starting.
The feminine plcadcrs had been told
that their cause would be heard at 4:SO
O'Clock. but Il was almost an hour later
that their place in the order of business
was reached Dr. Anna Howard Shaw.
president. of the National Association
for Woman Suffrage, made the opening
address for the suffragists, with a diRnl-
fed and scholarly presentation OF the
cause Of women and the history OF their
opportunity at tho polls. She was fol-
lowed by Mrs. Walter McNabb Miller.
Of Missouri. secretary OF the national
Qrganization, and president of her state
organization. who presented the ethical
side of the case. Both speakers re-
ferred to the fact that this is the first
time In the history Of political party
that the women had been given II hear
ing and that the women of the country
were deeply appTeeiative.
Mrs. Arthur M. Dodge. president OF
the National Association Opposed to
Woman Suffrage. followed the suffrage
sneakers Mrs. Dodge also thanked the
members Of the committee for their
courtesy In granting the nearing.
which. she said was attended br her
party through force OF circumstances
and not hocause they believed the Dues
tion was germene to any of the discus
slors OF the co'nnttee.
Mrs. Dodge introduced Mrs. \. j.
George, of Massachusetts. to make the
principal argument in opposition to SUI
fraRe action OF any sort by the national
committee. Mrs. George declared thar
the federation that had been shown TO
the views OF women by the. neln9eTs .e OF
the committee was sufficient guarantee
of the manner In which, the American
man can be trusted by them. ''7'.s =
Opposes Plank In Platform. : &. 6
She urged that no, aotiJn be taken by
the committee toward Disappointing a
plank in the platform y the Republic
cans for the fnRss9nn that suffrage was
q matter that 1.-THE states could very. we'll
take care of themselvssI and that the
States had shown dispbsition to take
care of with uhmlstakSble emphasis.
Her own state, MassachuS uSekts, she de-
clared, had defeated suffrage prop
osition by a. greater imaj5rfty than had
ever been given. a .puhlic question, In
the State. New Jersey. New York, and
Pennsylvania had shown the same dis
position with regard 10 the question
she pointed out, ,s
The representatives 3f the Congress
sional Union then were. introduced. They
were Miss" Maud Younger and Miss
Frances Joliiffe. Of California, and Mrs
Sara Bard Field, Of Oregon; Miss
announced that they spoke as the rep.
resentAtiVes Of 1000 900 women voters OF
the twelve free States Of the Union
Her two companions she said, had been
chosen at a mass meeting in San Fran,
cisco to carry the practieRlGneasage OF
suffrage from the Pacific coast, where
it had survived the. hardest practical
tests. to the Eastern states ,h that ,,1" haze
dYced Miss Jolhffe. who prefaeed her
addrSs WITH Quotation from Chair
man Hillcs address introducing the Con-
asked for Athe last Word" which, she
said she wanted to emphasize.
1--WE have the last word Miss Jollffe
said deliberately and earnestly be-
tcauee, gentlemen, We have the votes"'
Not With Any Party.
Miss Jolliffes address was the ad
dress or practical suffragist in s
State where women are voters to 1
gathering of political leaders to WHOM
those votes can be OF use. She tolC
them that the women voters of th,
country have agreed not to aliSI
Themselves with any political part!
until the suffrage, amendment to III
constitution has been adopted. SEl
In politics as nearly as she coult
claim any political regularity, bu
that her,Yote was for the party tha
could help-4he, cause of women. I
was matter for the committee t
decide whether or not the Republi
cans would try TO be that party
Mrs. Field, when introduced as III
last OF the CongRhSsional Union speak
etS, told or the visit she and her COM
panions made TO the, House and of tn
Fefusal OF the House to give them
hearing. She expressed confidence /
the ability of the practical politics
workers Of the Republican nationa
Committee to listen to a practic
proposition. She declared that tn
aunendmenL 70 the Constitution woul
be adopted and at Is up to you ger
tiSfReR to see-whether or not you wi
Neithe ones to help US"
Sho culoeized Dr. Anna Howar
ShAW and i,the Great workers for sul
fraEe, and declared that She was nC
using an academic argument. becaus
the time has come for practical work
I'VE have gone into the politics
game" she declared; 1--WE have A.OOO,O
votes here In our hands-do YOU war
The argument for the women wa
closed with an address by DIR. Mar
Walker az 1.-The representative of III
Nomans Constitutional Association
DIR. Walker announced that she was OF
posed 70 an amendment TO the ConstitI
Qofl gtYtnR women the vote. for III
reason that she had made a study
the Eottstltution. and that no furtht
4TenQinept WAS necessary. Prior to n
Abortion OF the Constitution. she d,
elarod. women voted. II was n,
ebQtiEht NECESSARY. for that reason.
niit FpecinP provision for women in iii
fta-atlF.ttf...