The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-01-12
NOTE OF WARNING
HAS BEEN SOUNDED
Says Democrats Jeopardiz-
ing Control of Important
Committee Craftsmanship
Warrington Bureau
The Pensacola Journal
BY GEORGE n. MANNING.


Washington. u. G.. Jan 1.-THE
southern Democrats are jeopardlzing
their control of the important com
mittee Chairmanship in Congress by
, any sustained opposition of the fed
er;h woman suffrage amendment, ac-
cordinE to congressman James {. Can
triu Of Kentucky.
That the south would like TO keep
this control goes without saying. But
the South won't he able To do il in
face OF the appoSition il will encounter
if these ten Southern states vote al
most solidly AGAINST the federal sun
rage amendments. says Mr.. Cantrill-
/ ''Thrs., ten southern states have but
] ll0 electoral votes AZ against 1873 cleo
/ that have given woman the suffrage
: toTaI votes possessed by The IS states
! for presidential elections
! Now for these ten southern states
/ to vote almost sulidly against the suff-
/ rase amendment. as il was shown
i that they intend doing, would in my
| opinion he a very grave political mis-
! take. The South has everything to
| lose from such a short sighted policy
| The Is suffrage states have 81 sena-
tors, while thu ten southern states
the suffrage amendment have but 20
senators. The fact that the Congress
: is now almost evenly divided between
the Democrats and Republicans il
seems to mo should force Democratic
: members from The, south to give heed
To the situation. This statement is
IaSed ON the supposition that each
Democrat in Congress is looking to the
/ welfare Of his party in the nation,
! and that Ee viii not he governed by
! local conditions in his own district.
5 Conditions often arise where the
member OF congress must look beyond
the confines "f his own district and
! take "a stand for those things which
, are Tor the good ~ the Democratic
/ party in The uation. and for the good
/ uf the nation itself.
! The public discussion recently Of
the national woman suffrage amend
mcut has brought to the surface the
fact that the Republican leaders in
] CONGRESS are doing every thing in their
. power 10 line up the full Republican
vote in Congress for this amendment.
| sincerely hope that the Democrats
are alive - tn" situation and will not
permit the K. publitans to get any
political advantage.
Il speak a. Il southern Democrat.
who managed To VOTE for the suffrage
! Amendment. The Democratic party is
now IN control of all branches Of the
federal government Almost all the
committee chalrmanships are held by
southern Democrats. who thus prac-
ticaIly dictate the legislation Of the
nation. We have this control. as ev-
everyone knows. bcrause the woman
sufra sc states in the last presidential
election voted almost SoIidly for Dem
ocratic electors and candidates.
For the Democratic party TO vote
against the states that gave them this
I".ver would h" political suicide. For
The southern Democrats to say to the
millions "f patriotic women that suff-
. rage should not be given them would
bring down upon our heads sucrI con
demnation from the suffrage states
thar We would he driven from power
'NNhy should we not view the srrua-
tion aS our Republican friends are do
ing and line for The passage Of the
amendme Mt: II this plan is pursued
then The suffrage question cannot he
made a political issue. Dn the other
hand, the Democrati" party cannot go
! into the campaign next Year with any
hope Of success with a large Repubil-
can vn.e N Congress IN favor Of tae
suffrage amendment, ana Democrats
T agaiust-
How ran we Of the south expect
the confidence of the nation unless We
are willing t. trust millions OF citi-
zens who are asking us to show our
! confidence IA them ~ granting suff-
rag ge to millions Of sincere, intelligent
and patriotic women? The men who
are in the trenches carrying the bur
den OF this war. when they were
given the chance to vote on this ques-
ton voted two to one for IL. IL the
boys in the trenches are willing to
tdust the women to vote as TO their
welfare. certainly the men who are
fighting the war behind the mahogany
desks can trust the American women
withe ballot"