The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-10
EQUAL SUFFRAGE
MEASURE GIVEN
THE APPROVAL OF.
The PRESIDENT.
Throws His Full Support
To The Proposed Fed
eral Amendment
"ACT OF RIGHT AND
JUSTICE TO WOMEN"
States His Position When
Twelve Democratic Mem
bers Seek Advice
tRy Associated Press.>

Washington, Jan. 10.-President
Wilson last night threw his support
to the federal amendment for woman
suffrage.
On the eve Of a vote on suffrage in
| the house, twelve Democratic mem
bers called at the White House with
word that many OF their colleagues
wanted advice from the head Of their
party as to the position they should
take. There was a conference Of 40
minutes, the result of which was de-
scribed in this statement, dictated by
the President himself, and made pub
lie by the delegation:
THE committee found that the
President had not felt at liberty to
volunteer his advice to members OF
congress lin this important matter,
but when We sought his advice he
very frankly and earnestly advised
us to vote for the amendment as an
act Of right and justice to the women
Of the country and Of the world".
See Certain Victory.
In these few lines suffrage champ
ion saw certain victory where a
few days ago most of them privately
were conceding defeat. A large
majority of the Republicans in the
house have been counted upon to
support the amendment and enough
Democrats are committed to assure
a close vote. With the weight Of the
Presidents influence to swing doubt
full Democrats, Representative Baker,
chairman of the suffrage committee,
jubilantly predicted last night that
the necessary two-thirds would be
exceeded by Is or 20 votes.
Opponents Of suffrage were claim-
ing @ safe margin against the
amendment during the day, in spite
Of limitations from the suffragists
that a trump card yet was to be
played. There were no formal predic-
tions from the opponents last night,
but a tremendous hight is promised.
The news Of the Presidents action
came as a complete surprise to near
ly everybody in the capital although
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 utterances the President
has held to the view that suffrage
was a question to be determined by
the individual states and not by fed
eral action.
No statement was forthcoming
from the White House last night to
explain his present stand. Members
of congress, who participated in the
conference however, said the Presi-
dent had told them, he still believed
that the proper and orderly way Of
dealing with the question was to per-
init each state to take its own ac-
tion, but in view Of conditions now
existing he felt free to advise sub
Of a federal amendment to
the states.
Cannot BE Reaetionary.
In emphasizing this view he is said
to have declared that the United
States as a leader in the great family
Of nations cannot disassociate itself
from the family and cannot be re-
dictionary on any great world ques-
ton. When his callers talked Of the
state rights issue, the President is
said to have told them he did not
feel that this complicated the situa- |
ton at all; that suffrage was policy |
and not a principle. He pointed out |
that the federal constitution now |
deals with the qualifications of elect |
ors and prescribes the qualifications |
of those entitled to vote for members !
of congress.
All of the members who went to |
he White House were Democrats and |
most of them supporters Of the /
but there were several |
In the delegation were |
representatives Baker, California; /
Taylor, Colorado; Barley and Can
.rill, Kentucky; Hayden, Arizona; /
Gregg and Jones, Texas; Ayres,
Kansas; Caraway. Arkansas; Mayes,