The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-26
BOTH PARTIES GAVE THE SUFFRAGETTES AVERY ROUGH DEAL What Was Termed a Victory Is Now Chased as a
 Lemon"
LEFT THE QUESTION
 TO SEPARATE STATES
Senator Lodge Played With the Gen tie Ladies" in ChicagO-His But" Was Fatal to Hopes of
 Suffragettes
By HUGH. w. ROBERTS.

Washington. June 25.-6Special)
 The suffragettes. who rejoiced in Chi
 cago and St. Louis over what they
 termed their victories" have at last
 realized that at both conventions they
 were handed nothing more or less than
 a 'Temon.''
 President Wilson. asked to interpret
 the suffrage clause of the democratic
 platform-and that clause. in every es-
 sential respect, is identical with the
 suffrage clause of the republican
 platform-replied that it means simp- . ly that the party stands for the ex- - tension of woman suffrage by the ac-
 tion of the several states in effecting g
 changes in their respective constitu-
 tions.
 This interpretation by the President
 enraged the women who have for
 months been storming Congress in an
 effort to secure the passage of the
 Susan B. Anthony amendment, and the
 latest announcement from their press
 bureau is to the effect that "very
 calmly the women are marshaling their
 forces in preparation of battle" : In a Dilemma r Inasmuch, however. as the women 7 can consistently support the republican ticket no more than they can support : the democratic. and as the progressive : ticket in all probability will be with :. drawn, the wonder Is where in their ! dudgeon they will land. There is the prohibition camp and the socialistic camp, true. but it is doubtful if they 7 would be content in embracing either :. of the "second raters." Y Senator Underwood asked to express his opinion regarding the democratic and republican suffrage attitudes, re- piled that for four years the women .swould be forestalled in their efforts to secure the submission of a federal amendment.
 ss The platforms of the two parties," < said he, specifically refer the ques- tion of equal suffrage to the several states. One of the two parties will r~be in power for the ensuing four-year period. Neither. consistently, therefore, - could submit the Susan B. Anthony
 Amendment When the ladies come all 7 that can be said is: We are committed . formally and irrevocably to the policy of submitting equal suffrage to the states"
 Like the Democrats The suffragettes. despite the atti tude of the democrats. should feel more . kindly to them than to the republicans. !. For the democrats did behave more : chivalrously. Senator Lodge, while reading the republican platform, which . he had written, played on the heart : strings of the women. "We believe" he read. in the ex- tension of equal suffrage" He dramatically paused. In the galleries, the women precip- . itated a colorful and well sustained demonstration.
 Lodge, turning to Senator Harding, . smiled cynically. And then while the l. ladies were still demonstrating, he de- liberately winked into the face of Mel vile Stone. manager of the Associated . Press.
 And, clearing his voice. and smiling significantly. he continued: But -"
 And down went feminine hearts into white kid boots. For the women knew the but" was fatal.
 But" read the senator we be- lieve that the matter should be treated . by the separate states { The anti-climax cannot be described