The Washington times., 1917-04-06
By THEODORE TILLER.

Miss Jeanette Rsnkin voted
against the war resolution-and then
she cried.
Never before in the history OF this
Government has a woman, sitting IN
the halls OF Congress, faced a duty
which came to Miss Rankin at
o'clock this morning.
-Four times the clerk of the House
called Miss Rankin's name before she
responded. She was evidently labor
ing under the deepest mental dis
tress Her appearance was that OF a
woman on the verge of nervous
breakdown. She clutched at her
throat repeatedly. Her hands were
alternately wrapped around .one an
other. She sat upright, then drooped
forward in her seat. Occasionally
she threw back her head and looked
fixedly at the white lights shining
through the stained glass ceiling OF
the House OF Representatives. She
stroked her forehead tiredly.
Present, But Silent.
The roll Is called twice in the
House. The second call is to give
the absentees on the first roll call an
opportunity to record themselves.
But Miss Rankin was present when
her name was first called.
miss Rankin" droned Patrick 7.
Haltigan, reading clerk.
There was no response. Nearly
every member looked around to see IL
Miss Rankin was present, and they
found her in her seat.
The galleries, too, turned eyes upon
the lady from Montana
Miss Rankin" called Haltigan
again.
The woman member started as
though she would speak, then looked
rather helplessly about her, and Hail.
tigan passed to the next name.
A murmur ran through the cham
ber and the galleries. 1t was the
first disturbance OF a roll call thar
had proceeded amid unusual silence
in the House.
"The clerk will call the names OF
those who failed to answer on the
first roll CALL" said Speaker Clark.
Haltigan began all over again.
There were less than a dozen names
to be called. Most of the absentees
came into the chamber and respond
ed
o Miss Rankin" said the reading
clerk.
AEnin shows Agitation.
The woman member from Montana
was again clutching at her throat
as one would when nearing suffoca-
tion. Again she looked upward, first
at the ceiling. then at the galleries; !
then at the men who surrounded her |
and had responded "aye."
Miss Rankin" called the clerk ]
orce more.
Slowly Miss Rankin arose to her
'eet. Every eye in the chamber was |
liked upon her. There was no sound. !
As she came fully to a standing I,
posture Miss Rankin threw back her
read. and looked straight ahead. Her
lands groped for the back Of the seat |
before her. They found 1t and she |
yripped II hurriedly. nervously.
Il want to stand by my country
but 1 cannot vote for war;" she said.
Vote, vote. vote" came the cries
rom both sides OF the chamber.
Possibly a score of men called |
Ipon Miss Rankin to answer AYE"
,r no." not understanding that she
Intended to vote mo" without actual
y using the word.
Vote Usually Unexplained.
It Is not customary. in the House
or one to explain a vote. Roll calls
ire not presumed to be interrupted
~ any member. Nothing is in order
when a roll is being called, but an
affirmative or negative response as
he name Is called. In the Senate,
members sometimes avail themselves
Il the privilege OF saying why they
Tote this way or that
Probably Miss Rankin did not know
Il House precedent. Probably II
vas apparent the woman felt she
must say something.
After utterIng the thirteen words
hat so eloquently revealed the
truggle within her heart. Miss Ran
I'm sat back in her seat
Congressman Good OF Iowa had eat
'eside her during the long roll call. He
whispered something TO Miss Rankin
n a reassuring. sympathetic way.
PacIhsts Show Pleasure.
There was a spasmodic outburst OF
pplause from the pacinst group in the
louise. The galleries. warned .-ated-
' during the day they must ap-
laud, suppressed an inclination to talk :
r manifest approval or disapproval
till. hundreds of undertone comments
dded 20 the thrill OF the moment Mem
ers who did not applaud Miss Ran