South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-01-04
Special Session for RatifiCa-
Ion Scheme Breaks Faith
With Franchise
League.
A4cIai 70 me News Times

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. Jan. g.
Gov. GOodrich's proposal TO call
special session Of the legislature
when the women Of Indiana assure
him that the legislators will act on
nothing except the ratification Of
the wOman's suffrage amendment
viii not result in an immediate
meeting OF the general assembly.
The Woman's Franchise league.
which Mrs. Helen Benbridge of
Terre Haute. said would obtain the
pledge OF the legislators 20 comply
with the Goodrich made conditions
will not be able 10 obtain such a
pledge and may split it's own organ
ization in the attempt
The conditional session which
Goodrich proposed will fail Of ma
terializatiOn for two reasons:
l. The women OF Indiana will
not be a unit in any attempt 70
pledge the legislators TO the Good
rich plan.
2. The legislators OF Indiana
= will not, unanimously, be bound by
any gag rule which Goodrich and
his friends may propose or endeav-
or TO promulgate
Goodrich's proposal. made after
conference with VIII Hays and
other republican organization lead
ers is beginning TO react. 1t did not
get scross' for the reason that it
was 20 palpably a "frame-up" TO
protect Goodrich from the things he
most fears in Indiana.
W. -. T..
Shortly after the proposal was
made 10 the committee Of four
women who visited the governors
office Il became known that the Wis
IL OF the women and the announce
ment OF the governor had been
framed" sometime before It took
= place. The women were brought to
the governors office from the head
Quarters Of the state committee at
the SEVERN hotel. When they ar
rived they were handed the letter
which Gov Goodrich addressed to
AIRS. Benbridge. and which obvious
ly was not prepared while she was
on her way from the hotel TO his
office.
IL was noticeable that the COM
mittee OF women who received IL
was packed 1or that purpose. Mrs.
Benbridge, as the head Of the fran
chise league, was Of course, includ-
ed in the party. Miss Betsy Ed
wards of Shelbyville has a connec-
ton with the national organization
OF tho republican party which is
presided over by Will Hayes. Mrs
Charles A. Butler is the paid repre-
sentative OF the republican state
committee in Indiana. Mrs. John +.
Barnhill. a vice president of the
franchise league, has always been
friendly TO the Goodrich organiza-
ton in the state and is an enthus-
iastic worker for suffrage above
, everything else
Some Workers Left Out.
Noticeable for their absence from
the gathering at the governors of
hce where these four women at
tempted 20 pledge the franchise or
ganization to the governors pro-
gram We're the other members OF
the leagues executive committee.
Mrs. Alice Foster Mccullough Of
Fort Wayne. Mrs Richard Ed
wards of Peru. Mrs +. A Gould of
Peru. and Miss Julia Landers of In
dianapOlis
The announcement by Mrs Ben
bridge. Immediately after the gov
ernor had presented his proposal to
her, that the franchise league would
attempt TO pledge the legislature 10
his program was an announcement
on behalf OF the league made by
Mrs. Ienbridge without the sanction
or knowledge Of the executive COM
mittee Of the league and wholly on
her own authority.
It has now become known that
Mrs. Benbridge will not have the
support OF the entire league in any
such an effort. There are memb ers
of the league who will not fall for
Goodrich's schemes or become the
active Catspaw which he seeks TO re
trieve himself from his promises 10
the women Of the state as a whole.
Muzzling Attempt Fails.
But even I'm event the women OF
the franchise league unites as an or
sanization in an attempt TO muzzle
the legislature the effort is doomed
20 failure. The senators and rep
resentatives OF Indiana will not be