The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-01-10
SUFFRAGE Bill
OUTLOOK BRIGHT
With Hard-Fought Goal IN
Sight, Attention Already
Turns to Senate.

Washington, Jan. 10.-With
President Wilson's unexpected
support and the eleventh-hour in-
dorsement of republican caucus.
the woman suffrage amendment
| came up in the house today un-
der agreement for final vote be-
fore adjournment.
When the house convened at IL
o'clock suffrage advocates were
certain of victory. With the weight
of the. presidents influence to
swing doubtful democrats, Rep
resentative Raker, chairman of the
suffrage committee declared, the
necessary two-thirds' would be
exceeded by at least fifteen votes.
AS the house met, among those op~
posed to the amendment, there was q
franl<ness that the presidents declara-
ton, had probably changed enough
votes to insure adoption. although
some of the opposition still contsTdsa3
it would be hard to break the align
ment against 1t In the south.
Speaker Clark said he exrected the
vote to come between S and o'clock.
Billy Sunday on Hand.
The session Of the house was opened
with prayer by Billy Sunday, the
evangelist, who invoked Divine mercy
on the president, the cabinet, the al
lies, and American soldiers. He re-
ferred to the world as sim cursed. de-
nounced the Germans as a "wolfish
pack of Huns" and prayed for peace.
In the senate. where the resolution,
favorably reported, sis now on the cal =
endar awaiting action. an early vote is
expected, but With present prospects
unfavorable.
Today's debate furnished spectacu-
lar scene The house was in happy
mood and heard the arguments with
applause and laughter. Women packed
the galleries. 1t was a field day for
the suffragists and buoyant with the
expectation of victory they made the
most of the occasion.
Foster Opened Fight.
Representative Foster, of Illinois.
opened the fight by Offering the spe-
cial rule which fixed four hours for
general debate and reading of the bill
for amendment to begin not later than
o'clock.
Representative Parker, of New Jer-
sey, republican, led Off the debate,
opposing the amendment.
When Representative Cantrell, of
Kentucky, told Of going to. the White
House conference last night at which
he president approved the amendment.
he house broke out In laughter. APP
'lause and jeers. He was not
Ishamed, he declared, to ask advics Of
he president.
This house will follow absolutely
lis advice" said Cantrell.
Nothing doing" shouted Repre-
entative Ragsdale, democrat, Of South
Carolina.
Representative Jeanette Rankin, OF
Montana, spoke for the resolution.
"Nation Needs Its Women"
I'VE are facing a question of politi-
al revolution, question forced to an
ssue now by international circum-
tanceS," she said. Every great
women to serve more effectively the
as asked the government to permit
1omen to serve more effectively, the
ational welfare. Today as never be-
ore, the nation needs its women"
Uses Miss Rankin's Words.
Representative Gray. of New Jersey.
pposing the resolution, recalled that
liss Rankin, when congress voted for
'ar on Germany, said:
Il love my country. but cannot
ote for war"
How would you Ii Ike to have conl
ress made up of majority of woA
len before the war is over? he de-
landed. The function of women
nould be the rearing of children, he
aid.
For the anti-suffragists, Represen-i
Itive Clark, of Florida, democrat, an-{
ounced he purposed offering an
providing for conventio.ls
| the different states for the -s1press
lrpose of passing on the amendment
Antis Gain Courage.
As the debate wore on the antis
'emed to be getting up fresh cour-
ye over NV poll of the house. Some
the leaders Of the opposition de-
ared that on basis of 40S nenl-
srs present they thought they had a
lance to beat the resolution by four
: five votes. The suffragists, how
yer, were little disturbed and re-
aimed confident
Votes Pro and Con.
Representatives Treadway, Mas
sachusetts, and Powers, Kentucky,
ivored the amendment
Representative Small, North
Carolina, invoked states rights in
his opposition to the amendment.
Representative Dyer, Missouri,
favored it, and Representatives
Slayden, Texas, and Burnett, Ala
bama, assailed it.
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