The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1915-01-23
WOMEN LOSERS
IN HOUSE VOTE
Equal Suffrage Am2n1m3lt Is
DGf9d.ad, 204 10 "a
SPIRITED OE84TE fnEoft]ES


to Settie-Suffragis Appear We'll
Satisfied With First Test Vote and
Announce That Fight Will Cont nue.
Washington, Jan. 13-The Mondell
resolution proposing an amendmcAt to
the federal constitution grant, to
women the right to vote in al the
states was defeated in the house by a
substantial vote.
Of the 378 members present 204
voted against the resolution d la
for it. Woman suffrage, therefore,
polled just 16 votes less than a ma
jority Of the full membership of the
lower branch of congress.
The resolution lacked 78 votes OF
the total necessary for it's adoption,
two-thirds of the house being required
on an constitutional amendment.
Woman suffrage did not make as
good showing in the house as the
prohibition amendment, which was de-
feated in that body month or so ago
by 81 votes. The prohibition amend
ment pOlled three more than ma
jority of the members present.
The defeat for woman suffrage did
not cause any surprise in Washington.
1t has been known for week that the
resolution would be rejected by an i'm
pressive vote. This was confidently
claimed by the antis and conceded by
the spokesman of the suffragists.
With the exception of the Progress
sives in the house there was no
partisan line on the resolution. Re-
publicans and Democrats divided on
the proposal without regard to their
political affiliations. Many of the lat.
ter though refused to follow President
Wilson's view that woman's suffrage
was state not a national issue. The
Democrats from the south voted
against the resolution almost to man.
They were held in line in opposition
by the cry of states rights.
The suffragists are not cast down
by their defeat. They insist that the
battle has only begun. DR.. Anna
Howard Shaw, who sat through the
''Women's suffrage will be an issue
IN the presidential campaign Of 1916.
This is assured by the vote and de-
bate. Suffragists rejoice even though
the vote is adverse because it means
that politicians can no longer ignore
this question"
OF the 174 who voted for suffrage 85
were Democrats, II Republicans and
Is Progressiyes. The 204 who voted
against giving the ballot to women
were made up of 169 Democrats and
35 Republicans
In the principal speech for suffrage
Representative Mondell, author of the
resolution, said:
"The stupid and threadbare argu-
ment that the exercise of the elective
franchise will have an unfavorable ef-
feet upon the character of women, eX-
pose them to undesirable contact, de-
stroy the finer fiber of the sex and put
in jeopardy their natural charm has
been utterly refuted by the experience
Of every state and nation which has
enfranchised its women. If political
methods anywhere ale brutalizing and
communicating they ought to be
remedied in the interest of all the peo-
pie and the most effective remedy Is
to be found in the enfranchisement
of women"
Majority Leader Underwood op-
posed federal woman suffrage on the
ground that it would interfere with
the rights of the states.
"The Democratic party has not been
silent on this question" said Mr.. Un-
derwood. at has not attempted to say
what should be done in California, or
in New York, or in Alabama. 1t has
not been said that women of any state
in the Union should not have the right
to exercise the right of the privilege
of the franchise, but it has been said
that this question must be settled by
the individual states and not by the
national government.
y This right of suffrage is going to
move just as fast as the conditions of
the people who seek this privilege war
rant them in exercising it. If you try
disaster and the wreck and ruin Of
some portions of the country"
Progressive party support was
voiced by Representative Kelly of
Pennsylvania.
There is no reason" he said, "why
the woman suffrage problem should be
met piecemeal and fractionally. There
is no reason why it should be decided
in forty-eight different places. 1t
should be decided once and for all here
in Washington. The blackguard, the
thief, the unconvicted scoundrel of
every kind walks up and casts his bal
lot, but the American woman must
stand aside"
Evangelist Arrested.
~ r.