Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-11-12

into it whenever necesSary-ln other
words. that the law makes no distinc-
ton between he" and she
Constitution Wholly Masculine.
On the other hand. old-fashioned per-
sons, who forget that there are now
twelve states in which women have
the vote, and that they are q power
to be reckoned with on the floor of the
House. expressed the belief last nigh
that if the anti-suffragists who tn.nk
wOman'S place is in the home, wearing
a red ROSEBUD. rather tnan III the LII. X
of political fights on the floor OF the
House, should attempt to prevent MISS
Rankin from taking her seat on the
ground that the Constitution provides
for seating a he" and does not pro-
vide for seating a she" that the anti
suffraslsts NO. I'd haze a 5000 N.-.i e
of stirring up a first-class row, even
if they did not keep Miss Rankin from
her seat.
These old-fashioned persons took
the trouble to dig up another para
graph in the Constitution, with another
.'he" in it. as indicative. they SAID. OF
the general idea that the Constitution
does not allow any but he to be a
senator or representative. lhls
paragraph is as follows:
NO Senator or Representative shall,
during the time for which he was
elected. be appointed to any Civil Of
flee under the Authority of the United
States. which shall have been created.
or the Emoluments thereof shall have
been INCREASED during such time; and
no Person holding any Office under the
United States, shall be a Member of
either House during his Continuance
in Office
He" and Ills" Not "She" and Her.
That paragraph, it was pointed out.
not only has a he" in it, but has a
his in it. too, under which. with a
little Imagination, it might seem to be
made to "go double" especially as 1t
has not a single she" or her in it.
Also, these old-fashioned persons
around the hotel and club Hobbies tried
to prove that there is rule of the
House of Representatives which for
bids the presence of woman on the
floor of the House asserting that the
rules of the House would have to be
altered before Miss Rankin could take
her seat: but reference to the rule
book shows no such thing, although
Miss Rankin will have one certain
difficulty before her, and that is, under
the rules. her private secretary will not
be allowed the privilege of the floor
unless said private secretary is also a
clerk to d committee.
1t was believed in Washington last
night that there is very little likelihood
that Miss Rankin. as new member, will
receive committee craftsmanship
through which her secretary could be
appointed clerk to a committee. If she
did. under the rules. and her private sec
rotary is a woman. and made clerk to
Ihe committee. there Is nothing IN the
rules TO prevent her possible woman pri-
sate secretary from having the privi-
ieges of the floor.
Veteran newspaper men last night said
that If Miss Rankin comes to Washing
ton with the certificate of election from
her state there is very little doubt that
she will be seated. and that the ques-
ton of her sex will play no part. II
was pointed out that the Senate never
fails and the House rarely fails to ac-
cept certificate of election to Con
gress from one of the sovereign states
Of the Union.
Question of Sex Never Raised.
The question Of sex in the case of q
new member has never come up before
but If it comes UP in connection with
Miss Rankins arrival at the House OF
Representatives next March, when the
all