New-York tribune., 1917-12-11
Suffrage Leaders
Planning to Fight
Congress Foes
Opponents of the Federal
Amendment May Face
Opposition
New National Move
Members of Convention Pre-
pare for Conference with
State Delegations
New National Move
.[Staf Corrsspondencol


WASHINGTON, Dec. lO.-At an e%-
ecutive meeting Of leaders OF the Ma
tional American Woman Suffrage As
5ociation tonight the proposal TO carry
the suffrage fight into the districts o.
those members Of Congress who vote
against the Fedora amendmcn; vas
earnestly discussed.
Delegates 20 the convention poured
into the city to-day. and tomorrow the
regular sessions viii begin Ut the VII
lard Hotel.
Tie proposal 20 carry the fight 20
the Congress districts is considered
ne-y so far as the national association
Is concerned. though at the last two
elections the other factlon-the Con
gressional Union-attempted 20 make
the Democratic party responsible for
the failure to grant the ballot 20 WON
en-. This is not the plan Of the na-
tional association leaders, vho are
anxious. however. 20 put up plainly TO
the constituents Of the Representa-
tives wlp vote against suffrage Jus'
where their Representatives stand.
Antis Also Out in Force
Some of the women to-day Visited
the rooms Of the House judiciary Com
mitt,e and talked to Chairman Weob
and r.embers of the committee. They
urged that the suffrage resolution
should be referred 70 the new suffrage
committee, instead Of being handled by
the Judiciary Committed. The "antis
were also out i'm force. They insisted
on an immediate report Of the Fedora
amendment resolution, declaring that
It would fail of passage in the House.
Hanging over the members. however
will be the knowledge that their votes
against the suffrage amendment VIII De
used against them at the Congressional
election next fall.
Among the most optimistic as 20 the
fate of the amendment is Mrs. Carrie
Chapman Gait, national president. who
cannot believe. she says. that tne
Mother of Democracy" vii allow itseli
70 be outstripped by Europe in the
movement toward the enfranchisemen'
of women.
."For fifty years We haze been auay-
ing fears. meeting objections, arguing
educating, until to-day there remain no
fears. no objections in connection WIN
the question Of woman suffrage tnat
have not been met and answered" she
SAYS. "The New York campaign may
be said 20 have closed the case. Il car
ricd the question out of the stage OF
argument. 1t is as political issue Tat
the Federal amendment must now be
dealt with by Congress"
With the arrival of nearly 100 men,
ber- of the executive council and OF
most of the state. Congressional chair
men. ARRANGEMENTS we're completed for
one of the principal events OF conven-
tion week. II consists of = series OF
hearings before each state delegation
in Congress.
The Rhode Island women. for eX-
ample. will assemble tomorrow morning
in the office cf Senator Colt, 10 meet
She entire Rhode Island delegation in
Congress and ask their support for the
suffrage amendment. The senior
Senator from every state has been
asked 10 hold a hearing in his office.
All the hearings. except that for Rhode
Island. will be held Wednesday NOM
ing.
Every delegation will be armed with
its own particular arguments, but cher
of these in every case will be the polit-
ical onrortunity and likewise the polit-
jcal disadvantages that exist for the
RESPECTIVE parties between now and
the 1913 elections.
Tomorrow will be occupied with 2
Congressional conference at Polls The
atre, while the evening convention ac-
tivities will begin tomorrow night
with a large reception at the Willard.
The convention will end Sunday with a
mass meeting, at which former Ambas-
sador Gerard, DR.. Anna Howard Shaw
and Mrs. Gait are scheduled TO speak.