Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-07-08
EQUAL SUFFRAGE
ASSOCIATION NO MORE
fcrmont League Of Women
Voters Succeeds 17-Year-Old
Observation-Disclosures Taken
Because Of Expected Early
I-
Ratification of Amendment

AT $50 D. m. J move that the YER
nDpt Equal Suffrage association BIO dis
utvCd," said Mrs. Annette w. ParTnalee
n .Enosburg Falls, Oldest member OF the
A0ociation present at the annual conveE'
dor In st. Albnns. Friday. July 2. Tie
vote to dissolve WIS carried, tho delegates
feeling f1nt, with ratification of the fec.
Mal suffrage amendment about TO be con-
WnumAted, the work OF the association as
mca was finished. Following the formal
nRspi1Ifion Of tho organization. which has
1cur1Bhed stnco 132. Miss Katherine I.ud-
Mgt0n n Connecticut. regional director
n h League Of Women Voters, guided
Ae-Ounen in forming tho Vermont League
y Wonen VotarsA a brief constitution
~ adopted. subject to amendment, by a
majority vote Al future meetings, and
Z vas decided 70 bold a deferred meeting
Arfy in September. at which time dele
gates from every womAn's organization
n the State would be invited to partic-
SHts with full voting privileges.
Thc.delesatas prcseru voted unanimously
!orhffs. Dhan II Ol1endam as chairman
" the league with power TO select FIVE
Arectora The other officers will be elected
N September. Mrs. Olzendam will finish
thu work of ratification, n will then
Ersdur a two months vacation in Canada,
aftcr which the deferred meeting OF the
league WIN be called. organization per-
fscted and the work launched under the
cffairman's direction. This action ends
ono chapter in the hfstOry Of the suffrage
movement IN Vermont, and opens the new
chapter IN line with the work of the
National League OF Women Voters. The
organization is non-partisan. but its slogan
Is eget into the parties" and. AS individ-
uals, the members are expected to work
with the party Of their choice Mrs.
Olzendam will have q program for the
league ready when the next meeting is
held, and political activities in vermont
may be expected to take on n new impetus
and new viewpoint from that time.
DOES FAVORABLE ACTION IN YER
MONT OR TENNESSEE CLOSE RATI-
F1CAT1oN CAMPAIGN?
Mrs Carrie Chapman Gait, president Of
The National American Woman Suffrage
Association. wired the congratulations of
the national to its Vermont auxiliary,
the Vermont Equal Suffrage Association,
IN annual convention at st. Adams, over
the vermont prospect of ratification
which has developed following the con
ference Of Governor Clement and Sena-
tor Harding. Headed by Mrs. Liliar
Ofzendam. chairman Of ratification, the
Vermont Equal Suffrage Association has
been working for months to induce the
governor III call the special session. One
deanonstrat1n made to convince him o,
the keen interest of the women of the
State took form. it will be recalled. ir
the delegation of 400 women from ever,
corner of Vermont who, under the lead
ership of Mrs. Olzendam, waited upon him
In the early spring to present the cast
for A special session. Mrs. Cats tele
gram read: Heartfelt congratulation.
to, the Vermont Equal Suffrage Associa
ton. For Governor Clement to call specia
session will have effect of a gloriou.
crown to top the effective work for ratifi
cation done by the Vermont %Suffragists.
Mrs. Ohendam has reported to the Ma
uonal Suffrage Association that. basin,
m a poll Of Vermont Legislators, Their,
Is no doubt that the Legislature will
radfy when the governor gives it the Cd
p%ortunity.
To the question, Does favorable actio
fn-Vermont or Tennessee close the ratif
cation campaign Mrs. Gait had this [
say:
The ratification campaign will be clos
ed whenever and wherever the 36th Stat
.ratfies the Federal Suffrage Amendment
True, there must be a PRONUNCIATION G
tue amendment Oy the secretary OF STATE
but according to reliable information tn
promulgation is not in itself the crlIx {
ratification. 1t is merely a matter {
form. For all practical urpose ratifca
ton ends with the Seth State. When tn
18th State ratifies the women Of the Unit
ed State will be enfranchised. w al
not aware that the political opponents {
suffrage, acting through women anti-su
fragists, may try to block the ~operatio
of the amendment, even after &c State
have ratified. Unfortunately. our pro-
esses of government are delicately poise
and lend themselves readily to litigatiot
1t may be, therefore. hat some inhibiti,
program Of litigation will be projecte
~We, however, are resting confident {
the assumption that any such litigatic
will come to immediate grief on the roc
OF the Supreme Courts decisions. AS
lmatter of fact, that courts decision,
already recorded, discounts in a al
program of interference which me
contemplated. 1T has been a long. loI
trail, but always victory has been inevi
able: To-day it is not only inevitabl
bat immediate in prospect"