The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-09-22
ANTS HAD THEIR
FEELINGS HURT.
Seth Walker ct al. Open Walls
of Their Red Rose Wrath
on Colby.
COLBY WOULDN'T SIGN UP
Antiis Indignant at Claim
They Wanted to Save
Their Faces"

| Icy JOHN D, ERWIN.)
washington. Sept. 22--The delega
ton OF antlsuffragists from Tennessee,
headed by Speaker Walker were headed
Tor home Tuesday night feeling tina
they had been badly treated by Score.
tary Of state Bainbridge Colby.
They took sharp issue with a state.
ment made yesterday afternoon by Mr.
Colby TO the effect that he had beer
requested by the Walker delegation ID
strike Tennessee from tho list Of state.
which have ratified the amendment In
order to save their faces" politically
After reading Secretary Colby,
statement last night. the delegation
Consisting OF Speaker Walker r.. w
Frank stahlman. Issued a statenent
setting forth their side OF the matter:
The delegation came to Washington
70 request that the secretary OF state
issue q statement showing the truth OF
the action taken by the lower house
the Nineteenth amendment because we
beleved truth always permissible, and
because we thought legislatures which
were soon 10 take action on this mat
TER were entitled to know what Ten
nessee had done or had failed to do.n
reads the statement.
I'VE called upon Secretary Colby yes
terday and made this request. II was
repeated at another conferences today.
The proposed statement In substance
was an acknowledgment OF his receipt
o. Gov. Roberts certificate OF ratifica-
from the governor showing that the
lower. house had reconsidered its action
ana. by vote OF AZ to "a, with twenty
members present ana not voting. had
rejected the amendment.
Claim Colby Forgot Promise.
The secretary assured us yesterday
that he would gladly issue such state
ment at once In order that II might
appear IN the morning newspapers OF
today. He took our room number at
the hotel. declaring that he would tele-
phone US In the early evening and that
one member OF the delegation would be
given his written statement. The sec
rotary failed to do as promised and
this resulted In the conference today
when the proposed statement, In
for signature. he said he knew of no
reason why he should not sign II, but
would refer II to his solicitor and
would announce tomorrow what action
he would take.
Not Asked TO ReseInd.
Secretary Colby was not requested
to rescind his action In .proclaiming
ratification on the basis of favorable
action by the Tennessee legislature, as
he was reported to have declared to-
ptecedents had been established for
such action, n reference to which was
left with him Mt his request.
Neither was It suggested that the
secretary issue new proclamation
based on ratification by Connecticut.
ticle to this effect attributed to former
President Taft and published In news
papers of yesterday"
All Legal Points Cleared Up.
The action today OF Connecticut In
again ratlfying so as to remove doubt
ms to the legal status OF the states
action n week ago cleared the atmos-
phere OF all legal complications. Gov
eminent officials generally express
ton was disposed Of in this way way 20 as
to obviate the possibility OF the situa.f
ton becoming further tangled by court
decisions.
Representative Percy Sharpe. of
Nashville, was especially indignant ut
Secretary Cotby's statement given yes
"Secretary Colby seems TO think we
want to be taken care OF In Tennessee
That was not the purpose OF our visit,
as we feel that 30 per cent. Of the
that we have been raped by lot OF
cheap politicians"
Who sharpe 10.
Sharpe and Bratton we're both mem
bers OF the Davidson county deleEa-
tion 10 the house. They had heend
elected on n suffrage platform and hadl
given many pledges TO suffrage leaders
that they would vote for ratification.
A day or two before the vote was
taken they Topped" and from that
time forward have been among the most
virulent OF the antis sharpe claimed
10 have changed his decision on rati-
ncation because OF the fact that South
OF laughter was occasioned In the house