The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-05-21
Question Before House Today
is First Business Of Sixty
sixth National
Congress.
SEEMS SURE TO PASS
Ants intend to Fight and VIII Pre-
sent Minority Report and Claim
Resolution is H.
legal.
[By l.. C. Martin, United Press Staff
CoreSnondent

[By L. c. Martin, United Press Staff
Correspondent
WASHINGTON. May 21.-Woman
suffrage was before the house today
as the first legislative business Of
the sixty-sixth Congress.
Urged by President Wilson in his
message and included in the legisla-
tive program of house republicans,
it's passage was declared by suffra-
; gists to be certain with more than
the two-thirds majority required.
Ants, however, planned to fight.
Representatives Clark, Florida, and
Saunders, Virginia, were to present
minority report Clark also was
prepared to raise the point the reso-
luton was Illegally reported. He
claims the suffrage committee from
which the favorable report came rad
not been completely organized when
meeting which reported the :esolu-
tion.
Mann said today he did not fear
this move and hopes to get a vote
late today after four hours general
debate.
With favorable house action be-
lieved positively assured, suffrage
leaders plan to speed up the senate,
so that the United States may beat
France in the reform. The Paris
chamber of deputies approved woman
suffrage yesterday by wide margin.
Changes in the senate have pro-
vided the necessary votes there, suf-
fragists say, to pass the resolution
at any time.
Senator Hiram Johnson, California,
who is slated to head the senate suf-
frage committee, said he would call
the committee as soon as 1t has been
created. Fixing of an early date for
a senate vote is anticipated.
Resolution Called UP.
WASHINGTON, May 81. With
Representative Mann, suffrage lead
er, warning "antis" that he would
not "be held up" or obstructed, the
woman suffrage resolution was called
up in the house shortly after it met
today. /
While crowded galleries looked on,
friends and foes of suffrage engaged
in a preliminary tilt over the time
for debate 1t resulted in limitation
OF QlSCuSSlou 10 ohe Houl ioi oe'S
side.
Representative Moore, Of Pennsyl-
vania, an opponent, demanded wheth-
er hearings had been had before the
suffrage committee at which both
sides of the question had been con-
sidered.
There was applause when Mann
replied:
Hearings have been held on this
question for more than fifty years.
No hearings have been held on this
resolution in this congress, but there
is nothing new to demand hearings"
Moore asked Mann il he did not
think it would be fair ito let this
matter stand over for few days to
let those who object be heard.
at would not be fair to u.s." re-
piled Mann.
mann yielded ten minutes to Lit
tie, of Kansas, who formally opened
debate.
Kitchin, of North Carolina, pre-
sented the names of the democratic
members of the woman suffrage COM
mittee just elected. Kitchin then
opened opposition to the measure,
declaring that minority members of
the suffrage committee had no part
in framing the report to the house
made yesterday.
Kitchin congratulated the repub-
licans on their quick response" to
President Wilson's message recon-
mending immediate adoption Of the
amendment within less than TWEEN.
ty-four hours of this recommended
ton" said Kitchin, "the republicans
Loyalty carry out the presidents bid
ding. also want to congratulate