The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-14
Mrs. Gait Predicts Amendment
Will BE Ratified by
Then.
ANALYZES SITUATION
Declares Public Sentiment Re-
CARDS the ISSUE as Already
Closed.

thirty-SiX states VIII certainty nave
come into line by February l.
There Is no question In the minds of
those who have the campaign in charge
that st. Valentines gift to the women
this year will be the ballot. and as Mrs.
Gait says, the National Woman Suffrage
Association, In whose name she speaks.
claims never to have made a prediction
which did not come true, and prides IT.
self on making no pubic statement that
is not abundantly substantiated by over
whelming facts
In a statement issued yesterday Mes.
Gait gives careful analysis of the
situation and her reasons for setting
February, 1920, as the last milestone in
the century long campaign for political
equality.
Vital Work Already Done.
IF the suffragists were to close their
headquarters to-day and go their various
ways ratification would proceed and
the women OF the country be enfran-
chised," she said From East and West,
North and South, workers have reported
to national headquarters that public
sentiment regards the suffrage issue as
closed Already in every State In the
Union the political parties are seeking
- appoint chairmen and organizers of
women voters. regardless Of whether
the women Of the State have vote
or not. Leaders of suffrage have been
very generally invited to take positions
of Importance in the parties, and politi-
cal managers take II for granted that
women are to exercise the FRANCHISE.
Suffragists and antis alike regard the
things as settled and are turning their
faces to new tasks.
sixteen States have already ratified.
xsytH he qQVantRRnth.
Governor has called a special session
September 20 fer that purpose. Colo
raIo, California and Washington, three
full suffrage States, have promised spe-
cial sessions before January l. and two
of the Presidential suffrage States, In
diana and North Dakota, have done
likewise And in various States that
have not yet called special sessions the
legislators themselves Ae circulating
petitions asking the Governor to take
action that ratification may be speeded."
Rhode Island and Kentucky. Mrs. Gait
says, have pledged ratification the irst
week of their regular sessions. in Janu-
airy, and one legislator IN the latter
State is so anxious to please the ladies
and write himself on the side of political
equality that he offers to wave his mileage
and per diem for the suffrage session.
Mrs. Gait even is assured of ratification In
New Jersey. where James Nugent and
Newton A. X. Bugbee and other politi-
clans have fought the women's cause so
bitterly
1.-THE personnel of New Jerseys new
Legislature will not be known till after
the fall election, and the State Is the
! scene of a fight to the death between the
vets and the drys." Mrs Gait said. but
New Jersey is expected to ratify.
ut is believed that all the full suf-
frsge States that have not yet ratified
will call special sessions for that pur-
pose before January. and the Governors
OF various non-enfranchised States are
oil record with promises Of special ses-
sions. Two States, Tennessee and Flor
ida cannot call special sessions on Fed
eral amendments owing to their consti-
tutions and there are eight other States
which may lag. But thirty eight States
are counted on absolutely"
1t was not without hard work and
constant watchfulness|. that the SUITS
brought their campaign to its present
gratifying pass Once when they
thought they had almost won an S S
came from the workers in the West.
The cause had struck a snag.
No One Would Take Lead.
THE campaign we started immedi-
ately after the amendment passed was
moving smoothly" Mrs. Gait said
| Governors and legislators had been
duly approached; seventeen Governors
had promised to call special sessions
when enough other Governors had called
theirs to insure ratification; and then
they didn't act. 1t was clear that when
| each of the seventeen waited for the
other sixteen an impasse was created.
Therefore, even as Young LochnivaI
came out of the west, four suffragists
went into the West to labor with those
Governors. They saw them separately
and they saw them together at the Gov
errors conference in Salt Lake City
they started State campaigns anew
and the impasse was broken. The six
teen States which have ratified include
some of the most important, and they
| include the seven States which lead In
population, and those regarded as the
most difficult by the suffragists The
sixteen are Illinois. Wisconsin. Michi-
gan, Kansas, Ohio. New York. Pennsyl-
yania, Massachusetts,. Texas, Iowa. Mis-
souri,, Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska,
Minnesota, New Hampshire.
"Suffragists were rather amazed Ia
find States in the West where women
have had full suffrage for years lag
glng behind Massachusetts, and Penn
sylvania and Ohio in ratification. But
1t is not dimicult to see why. The West
Is the pivotal political section OF the
country, pretty evenly divided between
the parties, with each watching the
others. Suffrage is a matter Of course
there, and no Governor was afraid Of it,
but all hesitated to call special sessions
on account Of political hobgoblins that
might rise. The labor unrest. the high
cost of living, the holdup of railroads
and telegraphs and the impossibility oil
figuring on developments made them ali
fearful of any step.
THE Federal suffrage amendment has
been the storm centre of the Alabama
Legislature since II convened July s, and
some OF the Republican members advo.
cate ratification. The Democratic state
Committee haa Endorsed the amendment
and pledged support to its ratification
by Alabama, and Homer Cummings
Democratic national chairman. in an ad-
)