Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-04-06
First Vote Ever Cast by a
Woman in American Con-
gress Recorded Against
War by Jeanette Rankin
of Montana.
WOMAN APPLAUDED
FROM BOTH SIDES
Vote on the War Resolution
Came at End of Long and
Turbulent S ession in
Which the Peace Group
Fought Hard but in Vain.


Washington, April "a woman fur
nished the most dramatic scene OF
the most dramatic session in the his
tory of this nations house of repre-
sentatives.
The woman is Miss Jeanette Ran
kin, of Montana, the first woman ever
to sit in either body of the country's
legislature.
The house passed the historic reso-
luton that says Germany has warred
upon this government, amid stirring
scenes, at sos O'Clock this morning.
The vote-375 to 50--was not unex-
pected, after the thrilling declaration
of Representative Kitchin, North Caro-
lima, Democratic floor leader, in the
afternoon, that he could not bring
himself to vote the country into war.
kITCHIN SWUNG MANY.
Kitchin's speech swung a dozen or
more votes to the ranks of those OPP
posing the resolution.
When the long but always thrilling
debate had at last been concluded,
stiffness that seldom marks house pro-
cedure, settled over the chamber. Then
there was a stir in the galleries. The
members, 100, peSdh W SILL aoo"I
moment.
The clerk drawled out the list of
names, recording members votes. Sol
EMMY they answered. Some voted
hrskily. Miss Rankin's name was
reached. The first woman was to
vote on war.
STORM RACED OUTSIDE.
Amid an embarrassing silence,
weeping, she advanced half way down
the aisle from her seat in the rear.
A storm that had ripped through
Washington like a noisy horde Of cav
airy and that equalled even the in
tensity of the storm that continued
throughout the presidents address to
the joint session Monday night was
on.
Even in the close packed chamber
and galleries, the intermittent rum
bling OF thunder could occasionally be
heard.
Il want to stand by my country"
said this woman. choking, "but- /
can't vote for war"
HYSTERICAL APPLAUSE.
Thunderous, hysterical. applause
from pacfists and pro-war sides of
the house alike greeted this frank ad-
mission-woman's first official voice
in the house.
Ono had to yell and to applaud to
Jam down the lump in the throat. But
the lady from Montana had slipped
out side door. grief stricken, and
she heard but little of the ovation.
For II hours they had been in ses-
sion. weigl ing. debating almost fight
ing, over the momentous question be-
fore them.
Two hundred and twenty-five mem
bers had addressed the house.
Peace advocates had met war advo-
Gates, man for nan. until midnight.
Then the tension almost reached the
swapping point.
CALLS FOR THE VOTE.
AS Good Friday was ushered in the
house seemed as far from vote
as at 10 o'clock Thursday morning,
Cries of vote vote" arose from all
sides Debate had been limited to
five minutes but names of those who
wished to speak kept piling on the
list.
At 1920 a. m. Representative Britten
Illinois, introduced an amendment to
the bill that would have prohibited
use of American troops in Europe. De-
bate, which had been repeated two
and three times during the day,
switched to this.
At 2:05 O'Clock, after speeches had
been repeated and repeated, the break
came when Representative Niece
New York, announced:
THE house is ready for a vote.
shall ask that my remarks be ex-
tended to the record, instead of read
ing them and thereby save time"
PARLIAMENTARY MOVES.
A dozen followed suit Majority
Leader Kitchin asked that it lay over
until Saturday. The motion was de-
feated.
Britten demanded the ayes" and
noes" He grinned as groans arose
from all over the chamber. 1t takes
from 45 minutes to an hour to call
the house roll.
Speaker Clark put the question as
to ayes" and noes" vote to vote
and it was Overwhelmingly defeat
ed, viva voce moment later the
Britten amendment was defeated like
wise.
Not satisfied, Britten moved that the
resolution be. referred back TO the for
eien affairs committee and reported
put with an amendment identical to
the one just failed. Once more he
led in an attempt to get the ayes
and noes"
Another motion for reference back
20 committee was killed also.
The pacifists. realizing themselves
defeated, died hard and at 2:37, Rep
resentative Sloan, Nebraska, offered a
similar amendment which failed in
the same manner.
FINALLY THE ROLL CALL.
At 3:0S the roll had been called IN