The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-30
Topeka STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
BURE AU
FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Director.
Wa shinufnn n q
WOMAN SUFFRAGE UP AGAIN
Washington. d. c.

Washington, d. c., Nov. 2I.-lt
looks now as if very determined eff
be made to bring woman suffrage to
a vote again before the present con-
gress comes to an end. #
When woman suffrage was defeated
in the senate a few weeks ago, the
general public believed, and the poll
ticians hoped that that troublesome
issue had been put to sleep for long
time But already it shows signs of
renewed activity.
The status of the federal amend
ment is this: 1t passed the house many
months ago. but after it's first reading
in the senate early in the year. was fill
mustered by a few senators who pre-
vented it from coming to a vote before
it was pushed aside to make room for
more urgent measures of the war pro-
gram. Late in September it came be-
fore the senate again, President Wilson
favor of it, to the extent of writing to
a senator from his own state, solicit
ing his vote. A vote was taken and
the amendment defeated by a narrow
margin, The suffragists-Yith the ex-
ception of the militants-made as II
to abandon the fight for national leg
islation. The ants held meetings of
jubilation and considered the fight was
over-for some time.
The recent elections have put
somewhat different shade on the is
sue. The temper of the new congress,
particularly of the new house in re-
gard to suffrage is an unknown guam
tity. Now, the present congress has
little less than hundred days of life.
Unless the amendment can be brought
to a vote and passed by the senate be-
fore March 4, its sponsors will have
the task of pushing it thru the house
all over again.
The alignment of sentiment on wom-
an suffrage in the senate, at present.
is considered more favorable than ever
before. Thru conversions and thru the
appointment or election OF pro-su1-
frage senators to places made vacant
by the death of anti-suffrage senators
the faction supporting the amendment
is said to have gained nine votes. II
this is SO, but one more vote is needed
to make the two-third majority neces-
Sary to pass the amendment. This
single vote, suffrage leaders are con-
fident, can be secured easily, If it has
not been secured already. The chief
difficulty, however, will be in bringing
the measure to a vote in the short
time remaining. 1t is whispered here
in Washington that on the day that
President Wilson read the terms of the
armistice to congress, the anti-suffrage
forces of congress met and promised
themselves there would not be an-
other vote on woman suffrage this ses-
sion"
The National woman's party, the
most militant of American suffrage
organizations, was the first to make a
direct move to bring about another
vote. Immediately after the defeat
Of September they sent the veteran
picketS of the White House campaign
to the capitol. Whatever effect this
had on the senators it had. in a milder
way. the same effect on the people
of Washington as the previous cam
paigns. Two or three times the pick
cts were assaulted and their defiant
| banners torn from their hands. A
number of the women were ARRESTED,
but the country was too much occupied
with other things to give it much at
tention.
| But there is no doubt that picketing
will be resumed and continued until
| the amendment has been brought up
or until the present congress passes
| into history. Miss Alice Paul, chair
| man of the National Women's party,
recently defended these measures as
mot only useful but necessary alto
gether."
The only way to make the senate
act" contends Miss Paul, sis to make
| it most uncomfortable for 1t not to act
The one way to do this is to attract
the attention of the country to the
| lat lidt ScII-SOVeTuInenl, VICTORIOUS
| turnout the rest of the world, is de-
layed and obstructed by the United
States senate. If a thousand women
| would protest before the doors of the
capitol, the battle for their enfran-
chisement would be won"
| 1t must be remembered that the
members of the National Women's
party more than half believe that
| President Wilson's sudden reversal
i from being opposed to the amendment
| to being for it, was due to their pro-
longed picketing in front of the White
House and the stormy scenes which
occurred there. This has added
another element to the schism be.
tween the party and the National
Woman Suffrage association. The
president was good enough to an.
nounce his endorsement of the amend.
ment thru a letter to Mrs Carrie Chap.
| ter organization has chosen to regard
him as more or less the leader Of tAs
suffrage movement in this country
Next to forcing vote in the senate
| the job of putting over the amendment
| before March 4, lies in securing the
single vote necessary to clinch mat.
tiers. A fund of fifty thousand dollar.
has been raised for the purpose. ant
it will be expended in making appeal.
to state legislatures to force theil
| senators to take action, and in arous
ing public sentiment in behalf Of thu
amendment.
Senator Borah of Idaho is regarded
by the suffra gists as the most promis
ing possibility. Mr.. Borah votet
against the amendment, but since tina
time he has been reelected on
. decidedly favorable platform Idah,
is suffrage state. and the Non-Parti
san league, to which Senator Borah i
said to owe his reelection, is in favo
of extending the franchise to al
women of the country.
The suffragists have hopes. also o
Senator Gay of Louisiana. who sue
ceeds the late Senator Ransdell. Nj
; Gay strongly supported woman sui
frage in an election in his own state
and the fact that 1t was defeate,
there, coupled with the presidents en-
dorsement, MY induce him to alig
: himself with the friends of the amend