Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-09-02
SUFFRAGE ACTION
RECONSTRUCTED BY
TEN|VE SSEE HOUSE
Conflicting Views Are Held
by Leaders as to
Probable Effect of Action
Tuesday

HARTFORD, Conn, Sept. 1.-The
Connecticut legislature, on special
call of Governor Holcomb. will con-
vene here September IA. >-..
The call originally was intended
to consider measures for handling
registration and balloting of women
voters, but if ratifica ton of the suf-
frage amendment by Tennessee still
is undetermined at that time, it was
believed suffragists would endeavor
to make the first action of the legis-
lature ratification so as to place the
amendment beyond any legal en-
tanglement.
TENNESSEE RECONSIDERS
ITS ACTION ON SUFFRAGE
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Sept. L.
Conflicting views were held today by
leaders in the Tennessee legislature
as to the probable effect of the
houses action yesterday in expung-
ing from it's journal all record of rat
tfication of the federal amendment
and voting not to concur with the
senate in ratifying the amendment
A number of the members of the
legislature, and state officials ex-
pressed the opinion that legality of
Tennessee ratification would be de-
cided not on the action taken by the
house yesterday but on the record
certified by Governor Roberts to
Washington. Governor Roberts de-
clined to comment on the situation
while States Attorney General
Thompson expressed the belief that
reconsideration of the ratification
resolution was impossible since it
had been adopted by both the house
and senate and their action already
had been certified to Secretary of
State Colby.
Anti-suffragists refuse to say
whether an attempt would be made
to have the senate reconsider it's rat
ification vote also.
After voting to expu1ge record of
ratification from the journal the
house voted AZ to "a to non-corcur
with the senate's action in approving
the amendment Twenty house mem
bers did not vote.
Early this morning the leading op-
ponents of ratification of the suf-
frage resolution by the extra session
of/the Tennessee legislature had not
held conference to discuss the ac-
ton of the house Tuesday.
Judge Joseph c. Higgins, presi-
dent of the Tennessee Constitutional
league, said this morning that the
effect of the houses action was to
reject the suffrage amendment, as
it was the contention of the anti
Nratiflcationists that the motion o
reconsider the houses original ac-
ton was still pending, and that when
the house finally did get down to
a vote on the resolution, it recon-
sidered it's former action and rejected
the ratification resolution. His eX-
pectation was, however, that the
whole proceedings would be thrown
action would be substantiation of
the position of the opponents of rat
ification
After the adoption of the suf-
frage amendment by the Tennessee
legislature, Attorney General Frank
First, that 1 think the vote of the
house was final and that said. pro-
posed amendment is now d part of
the federal constitution; and,
Second, that the motion to recon-
slider has, and can have, no pplica-
ton to said action or effect upon the
same.
my. reasons for these positions are
as follows:
81, The power OF the legislature
Of the state of Tennessee to partici-
pate as one of the states of the
union in amending the federal con-
stitution by ratifying this amend
ment, exists only by virtue of Ar
ticle V of the federal constitution.
"2. :iiis power tC vote either for
ratification or rejection of this
amendment is not a legislative pow
er or function, but is a political
function and duty imposed upon the
Legislature by the federal constitu-
ton and which it performs outside
of and without regard to the state
constitution