New-York tribune., 1919-08-04
Ants Will Demand
Jersey Referendum
On Suffrage Issue
Both Sides to Open Cam.
paign This Week For
and Against Ratification
of National Amendment

TRENTON, N. j.. Aug. 3.-Wom men
on both sides of the suffrage issue
Will meet this week to lay plans for
and against ratification Of the ma
t'onal amendment by the New JERSEY
Legislature. The ants, in fact. are
planning to call for popular refer
endum not only in New Jersey but
also in those states in which suffrage
was beaten when the issue was last
submitted to the electorate.
The antis will meet first on Tues
day, in New York. where conference
Will be held by National Association
Opposed 10 Woman Suffrage. The
Pro-sunrage women expect to gather
large numbers of supporters at As
bury Park. August 13, for which date
the New Jersey Suffrage Ratification
Committee has called rally to i'm
press candidates in the next elections
with the necessity Of promptly ratifv
ing the amendment. The attitudes
OF various candidates 3or governor
VIII be discussed and plans arranged
for vigorous primary campaign
Would Learn It's Status.
Inc women opponents of suffrage.
according to an announcement issued
to-day from the headquarters of their
organization, purpose to convince the
lawmakers of the state, if they can.
that IN view Of the fact that the New
Jersey electorate defeated suffrage bv
$4,000 the last time it had an oppor
tunity to vote on the subject it would
be only just and proper to learn the
present status Of the issue with the
people before the amendment is rati-
fed.
nti-sutfragists in Newark, refer
ring to the activities of the ratifica-
tlon committee to attain ratification
without another referendum, issued
the following statement:
The people are being aroused bv
the injustice of the manner in which
woman suffrage is being forced upou
them by the Legislature without a
referendum and in some cases even
after the people have voted against
suffrage. The important question
now is whether the Legislature is
the master or the servant OF the
people.
Massachusetts Case Cited.
IN Massachusetts the Legislature
ratified the Federal Suffrage Amend
ment, although the people voted
against it. Now the sufrragists
are asking for a referendum there to
determine whether the ratification
resolution should not be repealed. but
legais obstacles are being placed in
our way. We arc told that such a
course is illegal, but we contend that
the question involves fundamental
and constitutional principles of rep
resentative government, and we Will
Tight all the way to the United
States Supreme Court, to settle it.
We hold that the spirit of the initiative
and referendum permits the people
the right Of petition on all matters
except those specifically excluded. and
woman suffrage is not one of them
Down in Texas, where the will o.
The people in voting against suffrage
vas ruthlessly ignored within a
N cnth by their legislative represent
a.ives, VIC see an aroused electorate
that intends to place an anti suffrage
ticket in the field this fall from Gov
ernor down. The leader in this move
lncnt is Former Congressman r. S.
Henry, who will in all probability be
one Of the candidates.
eve also demand a referendum on
the question here in New Jersey and
will fight for it,"