Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-04
WOMEN PUT VOTE
ISSUE SQUARELY
UP TO NOMINEES
Will Not Hesitate to Place
Blame if Tennessee Does
Not Ratify.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, August A.
Women are sometimes supposed to ar
rive at conclusions by intuition. but
whatever is at the bottom of it the fact
is several suffrage leaders, who are
keeping a close watch on Gov. Cox and
Senator Harding. openly say the repub-
lican and democratic candidates for the
presidency. either separately or together
can furnish the necessary state to make
valid the nineteenth amendment en-
franchising the women of the country.
The suffrage leaders make out a cir
cumstantiai case tending to show that
they are the victims of political chican-
cry. And if Tennessee doesn't ratify
the amendment next week, they Will NOT
hesitate to place the blame where they
think it should be placed. The women
have expressed suspicion about the sin
cerity of both Of the republican and
democratic efforts to get the sunrage
amendment ratified. Complaint is made
that the republicans in the Senate could
have furnished the extra Vote to get
the amendment through the session OF OF
Congress in which the democrats last
exercised control, and that more time
would have thus been available to get
the approval of state legislatures before
the presidential election. 1t is declared.
for instance, that Senator Hale OF
Maine republican, could have voted for
suffrage as easily when the democrats
had control as when the republicans
came into power a few months later.
Quarrel With Managers.
But the quarrel of the suffrage leaders
but with the republican campaign man.
ayers this year. who. tits charged, have
been able whenever they wanted to say
the word to get ratification through
either Vermont or Connecticut legisla-
lures. but have feared the woman vote
on the league of nations issue mlgn'
swing to Gov. Cox.
To some extent, the same sort of talk
is heard among democrats, who say
the republicans have it in their power
to ratify the suffrage amendment. But
the women are not altogether positive
that there isn't some adverse influence
among the democrats, too, some ol
whom might rejoice if the Ten
nessee legislature or any other, for tina,
matter. failed to furnish the necessary
vote. 1t is whispered. for instance. that
the democrats are afraid the women
might oppose Gov. Cox for his alleged
views in favor of a modification Of the
prohibition laws. On the other hand, the
women are voting in New York state
for President and Charlie Murphy was
more than eager to have a wet candi-
date on the presidential ticket this veal
and is said to be cocksure of carrying
New York state for the national ticket
Camp on DoOrsteps.
The suffrage leaders have camped
on the doorsteps of both the republi'
can and democratic nominees for the
presidency. They insist that Gov. Coz
can control the democrats in the Ten
nessee legislature and that Senator
Harding can influence the republican
members. Thus far the woman lead
ers say the effort has been more or
less perfunctDry. What they would
really like wDuld be for the two pres
idential candidates to play the same
old fashioned, prewar politics which
they believe will be played to get the
masculine support in vital states,
namely. promises of reward later on
and all that sort of thing. Presidents
not hesitate to use patronage to get re-
suits, and the suffrage leaders. while
scorning such tactics as highly dis
tasteful, nevertheless recognize those
methods as the effective ones in prac-
teal politics. The suffrage leaders are
tired of resolutions. pledges and pub
lie statements assuring them of support
for the nineteenth amendment. What
they want is the old practical politics
and if the two candidates for the presi-
dency together don't succeed in winning
sufficient number of legislators in
Tennessee. there will be loud murmurs
and pointed fingers of disapproval with
respect to Gov. Cox or Senator Hard
ing or both before another week has
passed.
Copyright, 192O)-