The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-12-23
PROBE DEMANDED By BYRNES.
Congressman Offers Resolution Di-
rected at the Congressional Union.

A resolution asking an investiga-
tion of an alleged suffrage lobby" in
behalf of the Susan B. Anthony
amendment, and directed particularly
at the Congressional Union for Wo-
man Suffrage, was offered in the
house today by Congressman James
F. Byrnes, of South Carolina.
The South Carolina member later
issued statement asserting that
"since the opening of this congress
the house Office building has been
visited by so many women lobbying
in the interest of this legislation that
the corridors have resembled the
shopping district in the days of mil
linery openings
Mr.. Byrnes said it is currently re-
ported that a fund of $4,000 has
been raised in behalf of the Susan B.
Anthony amendment, and he would
like to have the house investigate
how this money is being expended.
His resolution calls for complete
house investigation of the activities
of the alleged Suffrage Lobby
Time of Members Consumed.
lone of the arguments in favor of
equal suffrage" said the statement is
sued by Mr.. Byrnes, has been that it
would tend to purify politics, and
among other things stop the use: of
money for the purpose Of influencing
legislative bodies and the electorate.
I'm view of this contention of the
advocates of equal suffrage, it is butt
fair to them to have the house in7z
vestigate and ascertain whether it
is true that more than $4,000 has
been raised and many more thousands
are to be raised to influence the ac-
tion of congress upon the suffrage
movement"
Mr.. Byrnes says it is not to be pre-
sumed that the $4,000. is to be spent
for literature, and that if any of the
money goes to employ agents to
lobby, congress ought to know it. He,
continued:
"The time of members is being
taken up by women who visit their
offices and lobby for this amendment,
and congress is entitled to know
whether they are paid agents or vol
unteers in, the service. When the
MuIhall Investigation was ordered
there was much less evidence of lob
bying and buttonholing of congress
men in the interest of tariff legisla-
tion than there is today in the inter-.
est of the suffrage amendment
Blacklist of Congressman.
1T is true that a blacklist of con-
gressmen was prepared by the Manu-
facturers' association for the sup
posed purpose of intimidating con-
gressRen, but it is reported that this
is also being done by the Congression-,
al Union, and an investigation will
disclose whether the money being
raised is to be used for sucht a pur-
pose. Even if this money be used
legitimately, it is unfair for the coun-
try to receive the impression that the
advocates of the suffrage having con-
fidence in the merits of their pro-
posed legislation, yet find it neces-
sary to raise $4,000 to 100000 to-
induce this congress to consider it. > +.
Congressman Nolan. of California,
asked the house today to take a 20
minute recess that Miss Frances
Jolliffe and Sara Bard Fields, two
Western suffrage leaders, might ad-
dress the house on woman suffrage.
This plan, which required unanimous
consent, was promptly nipped when
Congressman Page, of North Caro-
lima, objected, and the suffragists did
not come on the floor.-Washing
Times.