New-York tribune., 1918-01-11

seemed to have crouch. He received
Twelve minutes in which to speak
against the amendment, and he made a
sour speech. He said: "We are de-
termlned to win the war. We know
our men are for war. We don't know
anout the women. Therefore, | am en-
phatlcally against introducing a ques-
uonable factor into the present situa-
tlon. Our one woman member. when
we were voting on the war dcc]ara-
to help in the prosecution of this war;
now, gentlemen, would you like to have
half the seats in the House filled with
such Representatives ?"
Faith in Democracy
In closing Miss Rankin said:
Deep down in the hearts of tho
American people is living faith in de-
mocracy. Sometimes it is not expressed d
IN the most effective way. Sometimes
1T seems almost forgotten. But when
the test comes we find it still there,
cropping and aspiring and helping men
and their common need. 1t is our ma
tlonal religion, and it prompts in US
the desire for that measure of justice
which is based on equal opportunity
equal protection, equal freedom for all.
In our hearts we know that this de-
sire can be realized only when those
who submit to authority have voice
in their own government
To-day there are men and women
in every field of endeavor who are
bending all their energies toward a
realization Of this dream of universal
justice. They believe that we are
waging a war for democracy. The
farmer, who knows the elements Of
democracy, becomes something of an
ldealist when he contemplates the pos
sibility Of feeding the world during
this crisis. The woman who knits all
day to keep from thinking Of the sacri-
fice she is making wonders what this
democracy is which she is denied and
for which she is asked to give. The
miner is dreaming his dreams of in-
dustrial democracy as he goes about
1000 feet under the ground, bringing
forth from the rock precious metals
to help in the prosecution Of this war.
"Can we afford to allow these men
and women to doubt for single in
stant the sincerity Of our protcstatons
of democracy? How shall we answer
their challenge. gentlemen; .how shall
we explain to them the meaning of
democracy, il the same Congress that
voted for war to make the world safe
for democracy refuses to give this
small measure of democracy to the
women of our country ?"
Representative Caleb Powers. Of
kentucky, mountaineer, once tried with
others as a slayer of Governor William
GOebel, got one minute from Miss Ran
kin to speak in favor Of the amend
ment. Representative Powers. long
since freed from the charge. is lean Of
body and narrow of face, but with a
we'll modulated voice, and by reading
rapidly he got through with most of
his manuscript speech
representatives Trcadway. of Massa-
chusetts, and May, of Utah, followed
MIR. Powers, and then the debate con-
tnued on in the dry belt until Repre-
sentative Tom Heflin, of Alabama, took
the floor and made q ringing speech
against the amendment. punctuated
with the best gesturing exhibited dur
ing the whole Of the debate.
Called 1t Burden on South
The burden of Mr.. Helms argument
was that the Northern states ought not
to force upon the Southern states an
amendment to the Constitution which
would give the people Of the Southern
states. additional burders in solving
the negro question. Mr. Hehin got
much applause. and while he was pro-
ceeding to his seat representative Perl
d. Decker. of Missouri. was recognized
II. too" said Mr.. Decker. "like the
gentleman from Alabama. am a Demo.
crat, And I am as proud Of my Democ-
racy as he is of his. l am that kind of
u Democrat who believes in state
rights. who believes in the rights Of
the state to exercise every right which
by the Constitution has not been con-
terreu upOn the Federal Cnyernmant