Evening star., 1918-01-10
SURE OF VICTORY In
HOUSE, SUFFRAGISTS
TURN TO SENATORS

WI - -
TURN TO SENATORS
Continued from First Page)
for amendment. He said he expected
| the vote to come between and {
! bench in the gallery for officers of the
National American Woman Suffrage
Association. These guests included
DR.. Anna Howard Shaw, Mrs. Carrie
Chapman Gait, MRS. Helen H. Gardiner
Mrs. Maud Wood Park and Miss Rose
Young.
Scattered through the crowded gall
leries were suffragists of both factions
from all parts of the country, and
many members of the anti-suffrage
ranks Leaders of the woman's party
were there in force, hailing the occa-
sion as a victory for the White House
pickets.
On Senate Calendar.
In the Senate, where the resolution,
favorably reported, is now on the cal
endar awaiting action, an early vote
Is expected. but with present prospects
unfavorable.
Recent polls taken by Senators Curtis
New Hampshire, democrat, both favor
ing suffrage, indicate an extremely
close Senate vote. with the antis ap-
parently in the majority.
Senator Jones of New Mexico. chair
man Of the Senate woman suffrage
committee. said today, however, that if
the resolution passes the House an ef-
fort would be made to bring it up for
consideration in the Senate with the
least possible delay.
1.-The Presidents action in coming out
in support Of the suffrage resolution,
/ think, will have a material effect in
securing the passage of the resolution
through the Senate" said Chairman
Jones.
Asked Presidents Advice.
When Representative Cantrell of Ken
conference last night, at which the
President approved the amendment, the
House broke out in laughter, applause and
Jeers. He was not ashamed he declared,
to ask the advice Of the President.
This House win follow absolutely his
Nothing doing" shouted Representa-
tive Ragsdale, democrat. Of South Caro-
lima
Representative Moon, Tennessee, DEM
oerat, spoke against the resolution.
Representative Clark's Speech.
The speech in opposition to the fed
eral amendment for woman's suffrage
was made today by Representative
Frank Clark of Florida, a member of
the recently appointed woman's suf-
frage committee of the House.
In his speech he discussed the differ
ence between amending the Constitu-
ton of the United States in regard to
prohibition and amending it in regard
to equal suffrage. He Ncontended that
turning this resolution over to the state
Legislatures for ratification would be
in. a0 yu2 rA0fatRrtnr fhA ;r7n
of the people throughout the United
States.
He said in part: -
Our sunragist friends demand the
ballot as right and in all their Iitera-
ture and public addresses they refer to
are absolutely wrong IN both Of these
propositions. Suffrage for either man
or woman Is not right but il
simply a privilege to be conferred or
withheld at the pleasure Of the state.
Highest Judicial Opinion on Right
The Supreme Court Of the United
States. the highest judicial tribunal in
all the world. has SO repeatedly de-
clared this principle that 1t does seem
as though even the suffragists would
cease to designate suffrage as a
right
Neither are women disfranchised. To
say that a person Is 'disfranchisef is
to imply that they were once enfran-
chised, and that the franchise has been
taken from them. Women never were
enfranchised. and. therefore. they are
today as they have always been
simply Northumberland the question
should be considered free from any
idea that women have been deprived Of
something which they formerly pos
sessed and, therefore. that an Injustice
is to be righted.
MY position II that the bestowaI of
the privilege of exercising the franchise
will be extremely detrimental to both
a class. and l believe I can convfnce
any reasonable and unbiased person
that am right
Both of these propositions may be
considered together. because anything
which is detrimental to the country il
detrimental to women, and anything
which is detrimental to women is det-
rimenta1 to the country. If women are
to take an active part in the politics OF
,, the country, and in managing the gov
ernment they must Nndoubtedly neg
lect some of the duties now imposed
upon them by nature and by society.
TT occurs to me that this proposition
is absolutely urassailabie. for the sim
ties of such great Importance now I'm
posed upon the good women of the land
! constitute a burden entirely sufficient
for them to carry. To add to the bur
den already placed on them would not
be an injustice, but would 50 increase
their responsibilities as necessarily to
result in the neglect Of some Of, them
and thus the country would suffertloss.'
World Changed Toward Women.
Miss Alice Paul Of the NationahVyom.
ans Party declares:
How completely the political anti.
tude of the world has changed tows\r6
women is shown by the congressionA
support of the suffrage amendment no,v
compared with the vote on the amend
ment four years ago. A man who stood
publicly for us at that time risked rtdf-
Guile and political punishment