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.

Mean platform on the ethical ground of
equality of opportunity and political OK
pediency for cnfranchising women h.;
constitutional amendment. The "antis"
argued for tho right of the states to
decide for themselves and expressed
confidence they would vote against
woman suffrage. as in Massachusetts.
Pennsylvania, New York and New
Jersey.
For almost an hour the members OF
the committee listened to and applauded
reasons both for and against action by
the committee on the question. AS ono
member put II, the women put square
~ up to the committeeman whether OF
not they will G:ve consideration to the
women voters of tho country in the
construction of the Republican platform
in Chicago next June.
Chairman Hilles accidentally drcw what
seemed to be the sentiment of tho Com-
mittee at the conclusion of the hearing.
in the volume of applause which greet
cd his remark that the House of R"p-
resentativcs did not know good thnG
when it saw it-referrinG to the refusal
OF the House to hesr the suffrage dele
gates yesterday.
Delay In Starting.
The feminine plcadcrs had been told
that their cause would be heard at i:%
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 suffragisis with digni-
fed and scholarly nrasentation Of tho
cause Of women and the history of their
work or siXty-aeven wears for euual
lowed by Mrs. Walter McNabb Miller;
of Missouri. secretary Of the national
organization. and president Of her StatH
organization who presented .thc elhica'
side Of the case. Both speakers re-
fcrred to the fact that this is the first
time in the history of a political party
that the women had been gircn hear
ing. and that the women of the country
were deeply apgreciative. -
Mrs. Arthur NJ. Dodge. president OF
the National Association Opposed TO
Woman Suffrage. followed the suffrage
speakers. Mrs. Dodge also thanked IN"
members OF the committee for , ,hear
courtesy in granting tho hearing.
which. she said. WAS attended nv her
party through force Of circumstances
and not because they peiicvct tn" 'ue"-
tion was germanc to any or the discus
siors Of :he committee.
Mrs Dodge introduced Mrs y. j.
George. Of Massachusetts. to make me
principal argument in opposition to SUI ,
committee Mrs George declared that
the liberation that had been shown TO
the views of women by the. members or
the committee was sufficient guarantee
Of the manner In which! the American
man can be trusted by them. ."
Opposes Plank In Platform. -.
She urged that no; aotiSn be taken by
the committee toward Disappointing
plank in the platform y the Republic
cans for the teasonn that suffrage was
q matter that the states could very we'll
take care OF themselves and that the
States had shown a disphsition to fake
care Of with unmistakahlc emphasis.
Her own state. Massachusetts she de"
clarcd, had defeated suffrage prop
ostion by a greater ma jprity than had
ever been given, a public question III
the State. New Jersey, New York, and
Pennsylvania had shown the same dis
position with regard TO the question,
she pointed out
The representatives, Of tho conhreS-
sonal Union then were Introduced. They
Frances Joliffe, Of California. and Mrs.
Sara Bard Field, Of Oregon: Miss
Younger, chairman of the dcleGation
announced that they spoke as the rep
rcsentatives Of 1000 900 women voters Of
the twelve free" States of the Union.
Her two compa mons. she said, had been
chosen at a mass meeting in San Fran.
cisco to carry the practical message OF
it had survived the hardest practical
tests. Ito the Eastern states that have
not yet felt it effects. 5he then intro
dgSed Mss J9lliffe who , preface, peIo her ie
man IIilcs' address introducing the Con-
Grssional Union delegation as having
asked for ''the last word" which, she
said she wanted to emphasize. -r,.e.
"Wc have the last word" Miss Jolliffe
said deliberately and earnestly be-
cause. gentlemen, We have the votes
Not With Any Party.
Miss Jolliffe's address was the ad,
dress OF a practical surfragist in 3
state where women are voters to 4
gathering of political leaders to whoa
those votes can be OF use. She tOlc
them that the women voters of tHt
country have agreed not to aIi=r
themselves with any political party
until the suffrage amendment to th,
constitution has been adopted SEt
said she probably was q DcmOCrq
in politics as nearly ,as she Coul,
claim any political regularity, bU
that her,,Yote was for the party tEd
could help-the cause of women.
was a matter for the committee tt
decide whether or not the Rcpubli
cans would try TO be that party.
Mrs. Field. when. introduced as t.
last of the Cong Rtsssi ional Union SPEAK
ers, told Of the visit she and her con,
panions made to the House and of tn
refusal of the House to give them
hearing. She expressed confidence il
the ability of the practical politica
workers of the Republican nationa
committee 10 listen to praCtic
proposition. She declared thai tn
amendment TO the Constitution woul
he adopted and "it Is up to Nou Ecr
ttemen to sec~whether or not YOU viii
BE the ones to help US"
She CulOcized DR.. Anna IIowar
ShSw and the great workers for su(
fraFe, and declared that she was nc
using an academic argument. beCaUs
the time has come for practical work.
I'VE have gone into the pnliticG
game" she declared. I've have 1000, C
votes here in our hands-do you wan
them"
The, areument for the women wa
closed with an address by DIR. Mar
Walker as tho representative of tn
Nomans Constitutional Association
DIR. Walker announced that she was OF
posed TO an amendment TO the Constitu
uon giving women the vote. for tn
reason that she had made a study {
the Constitution. and that no furthC
amendment was necessary. Prior to tn
adoption Of the Constitution she dC
clared. women voted. II was nC
tbopEht nscessarv for that rec sou. I
nut spHciiC provision for women in IN
C1EEtitutioh Itself She declared sh
nav been seHkine for years tn Sai