The Washington times., 1915-12-08
DEBATE IN
SUFFRAGE HEARING
Pros and Ants Exchange Per-
sonaIities and Kisses Before
Democratic Committee.

Women from both the suffrage ana
the anti-suffrage camps packed inc
ball room of the New Willard Hotei
yesterday afternoon for the hrst heal
ing ever granted by the Democratic
national committee on the suffrage 9
question.
Today found both the "suffs" ana
the "antis" explaining some or the
lively incidents that occurred at the
meeting, including the Kissing OF one
OF the "anti'' speakers, and the al
legation. made in loud tones by n
woman wearing the suffrage colors,
that Mrs. Arthur Dodge, president
of the National Association Opposed TO
Woman Suffrage, came down here
to speak for S75."
The doors OF the committee room, in
the New willard ball room, were thrown
open at 4 o'clock for the hearing. Wo-
men from both the suffrage bodies, the
National American Woman Suffrage AS
ISOLATION and the Congressional Union
for Woman Suffrage, promptly hled into
the room, and they were followed by
large delegation of "antis."
Champ Clark There.
Speaker Champ Clark was in a front
row and he was invited to sit on the
platform during the hearing.
"I'll stay right here" he replied,
amid laughter from the delegates.
The women filled up the hall in such
hurry that many OF those whom
they had come to address. includ-
ing members of the national com
mittee, and members of both houses of
Congress, were left standing outside.
Two of those who tried to get in were
Col. John Temple Graves and Con-
gressman Rainey of Illinois. Colonel
Graves was seized by a stalwart mem
ber Of the committee, and in football
but Congressman Rainey's bullIieT
figure was not amenahle to such efforts
and he walked away after vain efforts
to get through the crowd
Each Given Is Minutes.
Chairman Mccombs announced that
the national association, the Congress.
sional Union. end the ''sntis" would ht
allowed fifteen minutes each Mrs
duced Mrs. Sara Bard Field. Of Ore.
gon; Miss Frances Jolline, OF Califor.
MIA. and Mrs. Mary Wolstenholm. Q
member of the Utah legislature. for tho
union. Mrs Antoinette Funk and Mrs
Ida Hustled Harper spoke for the Ma
tional American Association.
Then came Mrs. Arthur Dodge. who
read a brief statement. in, which she
pointed out that the Democratic partN
stood for States rights, and that PTesi'
dent Wilson had said that suffrage was
a State. not a national. Issue.
AS she sat down the trouble began
A suffraGist sitting near her said:
you were paid SIS for coming dowT
here and doing that"
Mrs. Dodge flushed. then replied:
"I am a woman of independent means
and not only have not received a ceni
for my services. but / have financed
the work of others"
Kisses For "Anti."
Nv this time the second ''anti" speaker
had begun to talk. She was Mrs. A. }
George, of Boston. She said the ONLY
States which had shown Democrati'
gains in the last election were States II
which the Congressional Union haC
been working against the Democrats.
At this she was hissed and Mrs.
George remarked:
Sometimes we have the fitness o
women to go into politics illustrate
while We wait"
The Kissing subsided.
Miss Alice Paul. chairman Of the Con
gressional Union. last evening state
the woman who made the remark I
Mrs. Dodge was unknown to her an
was not a member of the union.
The hearing before the committe
was most satisfactory. and. on a da
when two suffrage bills were introduce
in the Senate. and a national commit
tee heard us. and we were given dat
| for a hearing before a Senate commit
tee. we feel suffrage has taken Ion
| step ahead"