The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-27

As result Of tho skirnish today. the
situation is one Of the most delicate
ever developed in tRe chamber Lead
rs an both sides of the question con
Tess themselves puzzled over the rival
claims
The administration and floor leaders
IN charge Of the proposed amendment
claim tonight that it viii pass the
senate with one or two votes to spare
They base their claims on polls and
pledges They are as confident as they
we're on last sunday. when a secret
poll showed more than sixty -fonr son
5tors. the necessary two-thirds ma
jortty. in favor OF the measure with
tho declarations of new senators and
some converts to the cause,
Tonight the anti-sudragc forces,
both in and out Of the senate, declare
they have a fawless list OF thirty
three senators enough to block the
passage Of the amendment, who Will
hold oht to the last against any pres
sure that may be brought to bear. and
point to the entire absence OF fiHoas-
ter or tactics of delay on their part as
proof of their confidence in their
strength. In fact. Senator Wadsworth.
-oc New York, an active eampaigner
against the amendment. challenged the
suffrage leaders to bring the measure
TO an early vote. and chded them be-
today
surprise May ne In store.
big surprise, therefore. must be
store for either one side or the
other when the amendment CONS to a
vote. At least one. and perhaps two
senatorial senator's are being counted
nv both sides, and although the anti
sunragists claim that their list Of
thirty-three senators against the meas
Qfe il absolutely hnmbpr9of, the sur
prise is more likely TO come for that
side than Cor the suffraEists who have
heen making converts while the other
side has been losing strength
There Is real menace to the adop-
ton OF the resolution at this session
Of congress II is part of the strategy
OF those who oppose il AS now drawn
to have il amended before adoption
hv the senate This would return tho
measure TO the house for concurrence
In tho senate amendment and IL would
be- weu-nigh impossible to get together
a sun icient number of members OF the
house TO constitute the required two
thirds majority Snator Jones, Of New
Mexico chairman Of the woman SUI
frare committee and in charge OF the
bill pointed out this danger today and
begged the senate to vote down all
amendments and con6ne the issue TO
tho adoption or defeat of the amend
tHEHF as IL PASSED 7lT il'17f.
Amendments Pending.
Two amendments are pending and
third is to be offered before a dnal
vote is taken One is by Senator John
SHARP Williams. Of Mississippi which
would make the amendment apply only
to white citizens. The second is ny
senator FreyGuehuYSen, Of New jer-
j sey. and would not extend the fran
fisc to am alien woman who hecomeR
4 citizen solely through her marriage
T to 4 citizen His amendment provides
that 10 become a voter the woman
I would have TO become naturaiized
through tire regular process Of law as
/ provided for men or unmarried "o-
men.
/ The third amendment. which will be
1 offered hy Senator Fletcher. of Florida
-, would reduce TIE amendment 10 u
I declaration that "Fhe right OF citizens
Of the United states Ia vote shall not
be abridged by the United States on
account Of sex
In this form the amendment would
in no way agect the rights of states
10 determine for themselves the quail
ncations Of their electorate.
Debate in the senate today turned
largely upon the subject Of extending
- IA -4nfrAAe "a the ne2ro women OF the
south. especially in states whore the
+ negro population outnumbers the
Avefftte--- Senators Williams and ARIA
fasn Of Mississippi and HardWick' of
Georgia. protested against the amend
rnent On TINS score. and senator Hard
wick predicted revival of the race
question with the return of thousands
If negro soldiers 10 Their southern
homes. fnUy enfranchised by their SER
vice in The army senators hahsHeli'
of Louisiana and McKeilar, or Tennes-
see. supported the amendment and said
ia would not bring up anew the race
question. as more white women of the