The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-13
Front of Alabama Delega- ton Stands Firm in Face
 of Attacks
MRS. GAIT, FOLLOWED BY MRS. JACOBS, WAS
 LEADER IN APPEALS
Notwithstanding Strong Arguments It Is Not Thought Members Were Moved to. Change Views
 on Question
By HUGH W. ROBERTS


 Washington, December 12.-tspe- cia1.)-AIabama suffragettes, led by Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the national organization, passion ateIy but futiIeIy stormed the Alabama congressional delegation today. It was as the warm sea breaking against its cold, gray stones.
 Mrs. Catt in addressing the delega- tion declared that she had accepted the invitation of Mrs. Julian Parke to appear before the members because of reports made to the suffrage conven- tion that Alabama alone of all states of the union had no equal suffrage vote in Congress. She assailed the theory of states rights on the ground of her contention that any theory was wrong which kept a country in respect to suffrage in the rear of all other countries of the globe.
 GREAT POLITICAL CRIME"
 She declared the enactment of the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the constitution. on which she stated the delegation based its oppo- sition, as the greatest political crimo in American history, but protested against the tendency to hold women responsible for the acts of their fore- bears.
 The attitude of American men,s she exclaimed. heaps upon American women the humiliation, the insult, of forcing them to beg of their interiors, ignorant foreigners and struggling ne- groes the inalienable right of express ing themselves in the government of the nation"
 MRS. JACOBS SPEAKS
 Mrs. Solon Jacobs of Birmingham followed with a pointediy vigorous speech, the sarcasm of which was di- rected against the Alabama legisla- ture. the existing situation and Repre- sentative Heflin in particular. She de- clared the Alabama legislature had gone on record as stating that 1t alone and not the people of Alabama must settle the question. and she urged the congressional delegation simply to re- fer the matter back to that legisla- ture.
 HEFLIN IS ASSAILED
 
 sentative Heflin to the effect that he would vote for suffrage when all the women of Alabama desired it, by ex- claiming, We are no longer to be num- bered among the hornbill birds and oth- CT extinct creatures of the Smithson- ian institute. We are women demanding the right of political speech. There will never be a time when all women vii think alike unless the time shall come when all men think alike"
 She followed by reciting the fact that four years ago. when Alabama de- clined to support the suffrage amend ment, they had excused themselves by stating that no Alabama women had requested them to do otherwise.
 No longer can you make that excuse,' she said. Since then we have gone to the legislature and have come to Washington. Behold us now in the role of applicants
 ISSUES CHALLENGED
 Mrs. Jacobs challenged anyone to con- trovert her statement that a majority of the women of Alabama wanted the right of suffrage and, although she paused dramatically for acceptance, no one an- swered. At that moment however, a telegram reached the delegation from the president of the Alabama associa- ton opposed to woman suffrage. It so flatly contradicted the contention of the women present that its contents at that time were not made public.
 TELEGRAM OF "ANTIS"
 Signed by Mrs. N " Baker, president, and Mrs. Will Roberts, secretary, both of whom reside at Selma, it read: "The vast majority of the white men and women of the entire south are bitterly opposed to the submission of the Am thony amendment. It's adoption would mean the enforcement of the fifteenth amendment bringing unrest. strife sand dscord throughout the south, particu- arly in the hundreds of counties with large negro population. The situation would become intolerable When Ala bama women want suffrage, Alabama will give it. You owe 1t to the great state you represent not to listen to th1n monstrous proposition at the request of little band of willful and misguided women whose political opinions are in direct opposition to those of 590,000 Ala bama white women,"
 Other interesting speeches in behalf of the amendment were delivered by Mrs Alice Baldridge of Huntsville and Miss Mary Parke London of Birmingham, both of whom served in the recent suc- cessful suffrage campaign in New York. nII1hNI 0liITn II0IIoT