Evening journal., 1918-01-08
House sure TO PUT
D. k. ON Suffrage
Poll, 270 to 100, Shows
Amendment Will Pass
Thursday
DEMOCRATSSCRAMBLE
TO GET INTO LINE

WASHINGTON, Jan. S.--The House
will pass the woman suffrage amend
ment on Thursday a confidential poll
taken yesterday by leaders showed 20
for TO i2O against.
With this fact facing them and their
realization that Republicans IN Con-
gress are determined 10 make the most
Of their support of The amendment, a
general scramble 10y southern Demo-
Gratis to align themselves with the suf-
frage forces is expected.
A conference Of Democratic leaders
in the House was held yesterday after
noon. Speaker Champ Clark, Floor
Leader kitchin and others of prOmi-
nence were present, and 70 was decided
to support the amendment as q party
measure. With the strong Republican
support for the amendment, the sunra-
gists are assured Of a bis victory.
A number OF western Democrats in
the House, at a conference earlier in
the day. made it clear to southern
members that the women Of the West,
who aided Woodrow Wilson in 1916.
would turn against the Democrats II
the amendment is passed through Re-
publican support and despite southern
votes.
The general sentiment of the Demo-
cratic leaders is that the Republicans
are playing shllful politics with the
suffrage question, and that so Ions as
the amendment is certain TO pass Demo-
Gratis might as well play the same kind
OF a game. Il Is possible TO say also,
that many Democrats in the House be-
lieve that their present embarrassment
would not have been possible with able
leadership.
The poll, which was taken by lead
ers, whose poll on the nationwide pro-
hibition amendment was within four
OF five votes Of the actual rollcall,
shows a majority of southern members
aligned against suffrage. Sevenly-nine
southern Democrats announced their
purpose to vote against the amendment,
while thirty-one said they would vote
for it. it Is considered certain this
ratio viii be altered considerably on
Thursday.
10 was announced that BILLY" sunday
would "stsrl the ball rolling" for the
suffrage amendment on Thursday. He
has been invited to open the session
of the House with prayer on that day.
The Rev. Henry H. Couden, the blind
chaplain OF the House will Yield 10
Mr.. sunday.
The last words before the suffrage
amendment goes before the House were
said yesterday at the final hearing be-
fore the House Committee on Woman
Suffrage. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait,
chairman Of the National American Wo-
man Suffrage Association. said the last
word for the sunragists Joseph W.
Bailey. former United States senator
from Texas said the last word Tor the
antis.
The last words were. to a great ex-
Tent an expression Of the oratorical
Texans disbelief Of the political intelh-
sence and judgment Of women and an
attempt by Mrs. Gait TO show how far
behind the times she considered Mr.
Bailey's attitude 1T Is just forty years
behind, she said on one OCCASION al
though on another she likened the for
mer senator's address DO one delivered
several years ago by Mr. Asquith in
the British Parliament, then she said,
''They both seemed TO spring from a
common source, the source being Cato
The Elder"
Mr.. Bailey gave many reasons for his
opposition 20 woman suffrage. He said
Suffrage is a privilege. not q right
lt io a privilege which carries with 10
a duty And it is the duty imposed
that moves these women ,the ant-suf-
fragists) to come here and protest
against its being imposed upon them
No one who cannot perform an the
duties Of citizenship is entitled TO the
privilege Of suffrage. And. therefore
woman has no right 90 vote. There
are three supreme duties of citizen,
ship
They are military service. sheriff
service and. jury service Woman is
physically unfit to perform the first
two, and she Is emotionally unqualified
10 perform the other"
Following are some striking sem
fences from Senator Bailey's address:
II would strongly advise every young
woman never 10 marry a man whom
she could not trust TO govern The coun-
try"
think Of women doing jury SER
vice It's a moral impossibiity for
them 20 do 20. Under the influence of
a skillful counsel for the defense In a
criminal case, would not be surprised
10 ilnd that a jury OF women had turn
I'd around and convicted the prosecut-
ing attorney"
II you keep mp this business Of
making women Ike men and making
men like women. there won't be any
married women In this country before
long"