Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-10

Washington, Jan. s-President Wil-t son tonight threw his support to the l federal amendment for woman suf- l frage.
 On the eve of a vote on suffrage in | the house, twelve democratic members called at the White House with word | that many of their colleagues WE nted advice from the head of their party | as to the position they should take. There was conference of forty min utes, the result of which was describ- ed in this statement, dictated by the president himself and made public by the delegation:
 Statement Dictated.
 "The committee found that the pres- ident had not felt at liberty to volun- teer his advice to members of congress in this important matter, but when we sought his advice, he very frankly and earnestly advised use to vote for the amendmen. as an act of right and jus tice to the women of the country and of the world.''
 Suffrage Champion Jubilant. In these few lines suffrage cham pions saw certain victory where few days ago most of them privately were conceding defeat. A large majority 1 of the republicans in the house have been counted upon to support the amendment and enough democrats are committed to assure close vote. With the weight of the presidents influence to swing doubtful democrats, Repre- sentative Baker, chairman of the suffrage committee. iubilantly pre-. dieted tonight that the necessary two thirds wesfstls be exceeded by. fifteen or twenty votes. c.S-!,.s ...s: s:zii ey7s ..
 sas ospansats Not Discouraged. | Opponents of suffrage were claim l ing a safe margin against the amend
 ment during. the day, in spite of inti ! nations from the suffragists that a | trump card yet was to be played. There were no formal predictions from the opponents tonight but a tremendous light is promised.
 The news of the presidents action came as complete surprise to near ly everybody in the capital, though some of the suffrage leaders, have in sisted for a long time that the presi- dent was with them and would tell anybody who asked him. Until now in all public utterarces the president has
 held to the view that suffrage was a
 question to be determined by the indi-
 vidual states and not by federal ac-
 ton.
 No Statement From White House.
 No statement was forthcoming from
 the White House tonight to explain his
 present stand. Members of congress
 who participated in the conference
 however, said the president told them
 he still believed the proper and or derly way of dealing with the ques- ton was to permit each staate to take ] IA c
 .ions now existing ill the United States and the world eener.HIy, he fcli
 free to advise submission of a fedIra | amendment to the states.
 , In emphasizing this view, he is saic to have declared that the United States as a leader in the great family
 of nations cannot disassociate itsel
 from the family and cannot be reac- l tionary on any great world question When his callers talked of the states rights issue. the president is said t( , have told them he dids not feel tha
 this complicated the situation at all
 that suffrage was a policy and not { principle. He pointed out that the fed eraT constitution now deals with thu qualifications of electors and pre- s scribes the qualification of thG5e en
 titled to. vote for members of con
 gress.
 g All Were Democrats.
 i All the members who went to thu g White House were democrats and thu y most of them supporters of the amend
 ment, but they were still uncommitted
 In the delegation were Representative Q Raker, California; Taylor, California f Barkley and Cantrill, Kentucky s Hayden, Arizona; Gregg and Jones o s Texas; Ayres, Kansas; Caraway, Ar
 kansas; Mayes, Utah; Linthicun
 Maryland; Brumbaugh, Ohio.
 h After MT. Raker had explained tn d object of the call each member toll n the president of the situation in hi d state. One said the presidents ad = vice would aid him in determining tn y question and that many other member
 were similarly situated.
 The president is said to have replie n that while he had felt it was not prop = CT to send for members or to voiun e teer his advice, he was glad of the op h portunity that the visit of the delega e tion gave him He indicated that : had not felt at liberty to go beyon
 the party platform which had declare
 woman suffrage to be a state issu' = until changed conditions made it nee l, essary.
 - Representative Taylor spoke of tn | King of Belgium's advocacy of woma e suffrage, and how England was pledg a ed to it and probably France. Tn X. president. said the governor general ( Canada, who had luncheon with hi1 K today told him Canada was going 1 IS have woman suffrage.
 l. Any member of congress opposed 1 'e woman suffrage under any ,circum " stances, the president said, ought nt l. to vote other than his convictions bl n his own opinion was that this was tt
 time to vote for the amendment.
 While the president was talking or p. of the members made note of win; le he said The president took a penc la and said he would put it in writir 7- himself and the statement later ws l. dictated to a White House stenograpl le CT.
 S. Woman suffrage leaders, elated ov