The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-09-04
$1,000 ALABAMA
WOMEN REGISTER
Thrilled With New Found
Right They Throng Office
Election Commission.
EXTRA CLERKS EMPLOYED

birmingham, Aha, Sept. with 5000
women registered final details were
completed today for victory parade
| OF ncwly-made voterE.
The office Of the county registrar was
besieged all day yesterday and remained
open until midnight to accommodate
the throngs OF women who Joined the
Jefferson county electorate, Female
rtgistrants far out numbered men and
the latter had difficulty In working
their way through to the clerks desks.
The parade was 10 start at 4 o'clock
this afternoon and end with a mass
meeting In the city park.
The lists were officially closed last
night, but Mr.. Morris stated his belief
that the special session OF the legisla-
ture, Sept. II, will provide for the con-
tingeDcy by extending The period for
registration. lie has employed force
of twenty extra clerks who were as
SISTED this afternoon by Probate Judge
]. u. Stiles with his office force.
Thronging the courthouse corridors
and practically swamplng the dozen
clerks detailed by Election Commits
sloner Morris to care for their appllca-
tidns. Jefferson county women tostled
each other all day Friday In frantic
lists OF the county on the last day on
which registration Of prospective voters
IL permitted under existing laws,
Statutes now in force prohibit the
registration Of toters within sixty days
before the holding Of n general election
which IL Nov. OF this year. and the
| books will close Friday night and reg
| istration will cease unless the leglsla-
| ture at it's special session, beginning
Sept. IL. passes additional laws allow
| Ing the election commissioner to reopen
| them.
Approximately 5000 women had reg
istered by Friday afternoon and hun
l Mt i'm IN l.
| ify for the coveted FRANCHISE privilege
| with new additions coming In faster
| than those on hand could be accommo-
date, resulting In "A steady lengtheninE
| OF the line, which at one stage nearly
reached to the Twenty-hTst street en-
trance OF the courthouse.
| In order to take care OF as many Of
| the fair applicants as possible, the
| registration will BIO continued until mid
| night Friday, the last minute allowed
under the present laws of the state.
Mere man stood no show 20 register
Friday, the throngs OF women sur
rounding the registration table preclud-
ing any possibility Of one OF the male
gender getting within shouting dis
lance. much less near enough 10 reg
lister,
Need Little Advice.
A number Of male relatives appeared
with the women of the family to aid
them In the registration, but on the
whole the fair sex went over the top
on their own responsibility and began
their political careers by demonstrating
that they are amply able to take care
Of themselves In any situation.
Tho number OF applicants became SO
great that early In the morning H. was
necessary to call In additional help
and Judge j. =. Stiles and several OF
his clerks In the probate office were
pressed into service where several hun
dred OF the women were taken care OF
during the day.
with the registration OF thousands Of
women within the past few days since
official proclamation OF the passage OF
! tho Nineteenth amendment. the quail
| fed voting strength OF Jefferson county
| Friday had reached an approximate
strength of $4,000. counting the 2S,00(
| male voters who were on the list al
| the time OF the democratic primary II
| May and the registration OF severa
i thousand men who have come of ag,
or moved to the county since tina
time. 10 Ia expected that the leslsla
turo at It's forthcoming special session
| win pass further Legislation allowlnG
| the registrar to reopen his books II
time 10 give tho remainder of tho
women of the county who did not gel
their names on the lists before Friday
night additional time In which &c
| qualify for the suffrage 80 they car
vote In tho Forthcoming presidential
| election, Nov. 2.