The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-01-10

sure close vote. With the weight of
the presidents influence to swing
doubtful democrats. Representative
Raker, chairman of the suffrage COM
mittee, jubilantly predicted tonight
that the necessary two.thirds would
be exceeded by fifteen or twenty
votes. ..-
Opponents Claim Margin.
Opponents of suffrage were claim
ing a safe margin against the amend
ment during the day in spite of in
timations from the suffragists that a
trump card yet was to be played.
There were no formal predictions
from the opponents tonight but ire.
mendous fight is promised.
The news of the presidents action
came as a complete surprise to nearly
everybody in the capitol though some
of the suffrage leaders have insisted
for long time that the president was
with them and would tell anybody who
asked him. Until now in all public ut
terances the president has held to the
view that suffrage was a question to
be determined by the individual states
and not by federal action.
No White House Statement.
No statement was forthcoming from
the white house last night, to explain
his present stand. Members of con-
gress who participated in the confer
ence, however, said the president had
told them he still believed that the
proper and orderly way of dealing
with the question was to permit each
state to take it's own action, but in
view Of conditions now existing in the
United States and the world gener-
ally he felt free to advise submission
Of q federal amendment to the states.
In emphasizing this view he is said
to have declared that the United
States as a leader in the great family
of nations cannot disassociate itself
from the family and cannot be reac.
tionary on any great world question.
When.h his callers talked of the state
rights issue, the president is said to
have told them he did not feel that
this complicated the situation at all;
that suffrage was policy and not a
principle. He pointed out that the
federal constitution now deals with
the qualifications of electors and pre-
scribes the qualification of those en-
titled to vote for members of con-
gress.
Envoy All Democrats.
All of the members who went to the
white house were democrats and most
Of them supporters of the amendment,
but there were several uncommitted
In the delegation were representatives
Raker, California; Tayor, Colorado;
Barley and Cantrill, Kentucky; Hay
den, Arizona; Gregg and Jones, Tex
as; Ayres, Kansas; Caraway, Arkan-
sas; Mayes, Utah; Linthicum, Mary
land; Brumbaugh, Ohio.
After Mr. Raker had explained the
object of the call each member told
the president of the situation in his
state One said tie presidents advice
would aid him in determining the
question, and that many other mem
bers were similarly situated.
The president is said to have re-
piled that while he had felt it was
not proper to send for members or to
voluntees his advice, he was glad of
the opportunity that the visit of the
delegation gave him He indicated
that he had not felt at liberty to go
beyond the party platform which had
declared woman suffrage to be state
issue, until changed conditions made
it necessary.
Taylor Speaks.
Representative Taylor spoke of the
king of Belgium's advocacy of woman
suffrage, OF how England had pledged
to it and probably France. The presi-
dent said the governor general Of
Canada, who had luncheon with him
today, told him Canada was going to
have woman suffrage.
Any membe Of congress opposed to
woman suffrage under any circum-
stances, the president said, ought not
to vote other than his convictions, but
his own opinion was that this was the
time to vote for the amendment.
NATIONS WATER POWER.
Nnya ASu~%nr Ton S0-.A ru10 direct.