Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-08
DEMOCRATS CONFRONT
A. BIG POKER PROBLEM
Minority Party in Congress Assigned the
Task of "Playin' a Pore
Hand Well."~ +.

anu, lIh0 LILO AIdUs DIS SLIGHTLY o@SA
away, to seek new pastures of en-
deavor. The question now goes UP to
the states for ratification of the
amendment to the Constitution. The
sanction of the legislatures of thirty
six states is required to ratifY, and the
suffragists claim they have twenty
six sure in sight. Their first object.
now, is to secure ratification before
the presidential election of November,
1920. SO that 100000 women; accord
ing to Mrs. Carrie hCatman Cats
estimate, can then have the ballot. In
order to accomplish this, special ses-
sions of legislatures must be held In
many states, called for the purpose OF
acting upon the amendment, and the
national managers Of the woman SUI
frage movement will seek to have
these special sessions summoned.
Michigan is likely to be the first state
to ratify, the legislature being now in
session. Gov. Sleeper has wired to
Washington for a certified copy of
the amendment to be presented to the
legislature.
The experience of the country with
the prohibition and the woman SUI
fr 6 e
PLAN FOR POPULAR con sti-
VOTE ON AMENDMENTS. tutional
m end
ments has already led to a movement
to change the method of amending
the Constitution of the United States.
Bills have been introduced in both
House and Senate providing for the
submission of proposed amendments
to the Constitution so as to require
that amendments shall be ratified by
some form Of popular vote and not by
state legislatures. The fact that
Arizona, with a total population less
could have equal voice with the state
of New York, through it's legislature,
in imposing prohibition upon the
millions Of the country who might
not want prohibition, called attention
to the situation, and probably caused
many people to study the Constitu-
ton who had never read it, believing,
possibly. with the late Tim Campbell
of Tammany Hall, that between
frinds" tho Constitution was a neg
ligible document.
Senator Borah called the attention
OF the Senate to the subject Of ratid-
cation by legislature instead of by
popular vote. in connection with the |
woman suffrage amendment. He
pointed out that though in the re-
cent election in Texas the popular
vote against suffrage was overwhelm-
Ing. the Legislature, when 1t meets, II |
1t chooses. can ratify the amendment,
despite the popular will. He did not
think such an opportunity to over
ride the popular Judgment should be
permitted. ]
The popular vote as a whole has
been against suffrage" he declared.
THE women who have been playing
politics around the city of Washing
ton for the last five or six years have
learned their lessons well. They
much prefer to reason with members
of Congress and reason with mem.
bers Of legislatures than to UNDER
take to control the citizens vote when
he enters into the secrecy Of thu
voters booth"
y 4
1t looks as II the people are to set
action soon on the railroad questions
Bills are already
RAILROAD BILLS out of comr,,t.
ON WAY EARLY. tee and on the
Senate calendar
taking up some of the minor and pre-
liminary questions, looking to restora-
ton of the control Of the interstate
commerce committee over railroads
and the right to make rates; powers
ASSOCIATED from the commission by
the war exigencies. These will 20
through promptly, and in the mean
time the big work Of restoring the
roads to private ownership will pro-
coed with due consideration.
Chairman Cummins of the Senate
committee on interstate commerce.
which will have Jurisdiction over this
bill, has made public his ideas as to
what shall be done. While he does
not control the committee nor speak
for the Senate, his opinion. consider
ing the fact that he is recognized as
one of the great leaders of thought !
on railroad control, is Of importance.
Senator Cummins has announced
series of principles which he thinks
should be accepted in the enactment
of fundamental legislation. They are:
First, the return upon capital in
vested in railways should be made
certain through a government under
taking.
Second, the railways should be con-
solidated into comparatively few sys-
TENS. not more than eighteen.
Third. the railways should be OPP
Grated by private corporations under
an act of Congress.
In this connection Director General
Hines Of the federal railway admins
tration has also recommended the
concentration of all the railroads into
about eighteen systems.
Cheer up, if you think you are be-
ing taxed too much. II there is any
truth in the
sRiTisHERs WORSE saying that
OFF ON TAXES. misery loves
company, salts
faction should be obtained in the
fact that at any rate we are not be-
ing taxed as much on account Of the
war, by at least one-half, as Great
Britain. Chairman Fordney of the
ways and means committee is authori-
ty for the statement that the English
taxes will be seven and one-half hill