Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-22

all the suffragiStS and sprlnkhhs OF
the opposition members were in the1l
seats. The roll call showed ntty-nin
members present, or seven snort Oh
quorum.
Speaker Walker declared a recess
for an hour, and ordered the sergeant
alarms to arrest and bring oeIoTt
the bar of the house such absentees
as can be found"
The sergeant-at-arms coulo mo-
make a round trip to Alabama IN at
hour, and. in addition. had no antnor'
ity to arrest any one outside the sLa.e
SO all he could do was to report ina
none of the missing members appear
ed to be in the city.
T. K. Riddick, suffragist floor leader
declaring that action on the sunrage
amendment was not state but 1ed-
eral matter and that the state laws
as regards a quorum OF the mouse
did not apply. moved that the walker
motion for reconsideration be called
from the journal and acted upon.
Speaker Walker requested him to
put the motion in writing. that II
might be spread on the journal.
A recess Of q few minutes followed
while Riddick was preparing his mo-
ton. and in the meantime the 1njunc-
served on the speaker.
Motion Ii AmCD0e0s
Riddick finally offered the motion in
writing, but so amended as to provide
that the house reconsider its ratifica-
ton of the suffrage MEASURE. At the
same time he declared that the attor-
ney general OF the state had ruled
that action on the amendment was
political and not Legislative; that
since it was q federal and not 4 state
m after the state constitutional quorum
was not necessary, and that the men,
bers present had a right to act.
Walker ruled the motion out of
order on the ground that the house
lacked q quorum. that the attorney
general had ruled that q majority OF
the members constituting a quorum
was necessary before action could be
taken. and that the Injunction Just
served upon him also stood in the
way.
On an appeal from the speakers
ruling. the house failed to sustain It.
1t was the first time in Walkers ca
reer as speaker that one of his rul.
ings had been overturned. Walker
thereupon declaring that as speaker
OF the house he was enjoined from
Representative Joe Odle. suffragist,
to the chair.
Defeated ~ Vote Of 50 to o.
ode ordered q roll call on Riddick's
motion for reconsideration and
Walker made a point of order that
there was no quorum, at the same
time requesting that 1t be entered on
the journal. Odle paid no attention to
suffragists defeated the motion to re-
consider by vote of SO to 9.
Riddick then moved that the house
transmit to the senate in the usual
manner the senate Joint resoltion
ratifying the amendment
Again Walker made a point of Or
der that no quorum was present and
speaker pro tenn to put any motion
relating to the amendment in view of
1.-The Injunction restraining the
speaker of the house" from acting in
any way.
Again odle ignored Walker. order
ed the roll call ana the motion car
ried. SO to Q. the "antis' not voting.
Adjournment until Monday afternoon
then was taken.
Not taking into consideration the
attack on the legality Of ratification
in the courts, on tho ground that q
provision of the state constitution in
hibited action by the legislature .t
procedure of the suffragist majority
today in killing the Walker motion
for reconsideration could not be held
legal.
Speaker Walkers Contention.
Speaker Walker later said that II the
procedure Of the suffragists were cor
rect, he would be within his rights If
he organized an automobile party of
the boiling "antis' at Decatur, crossed
the state line into Tennessee and. de-
claring the few members q quorum.
held q session and rescinded the ac-
ton Of the house in ratifying the
If action by this legislature is not
governed by the state laws. as con-
tended by the sunragfsts, he declar red,
it was not necessary tt hold the SEES
sion in the Capitol, neither would II
be necessary to have q constituoonai
quorum of sixty-sfx members. which
was not the case today. This. he
said. was not contemplated, but he
pointed to 1t as an example OF what
he believed 1t would be possible to do.
Walker declared no power on earth
would force him to sign the ratifica-
ton resolution under the present cir
cumstances. Speaker Todd. Of the
senate. said the resolution needed nc
signatures, and on this point the two
speakers sharply disagreed.
Walker said nothing could be done
by his forces at this juncture, but
gave notice that the FIRST time the
anti-suffragists were in the majority
in the house, II such should be the
case before the session adjourned, he
would adopt exactly the same tactics
pursued today by the suffragists and
rescind adoption Of the ratification
resolution.
The sunragists frankly expressed
pleasure at what they termed theil
steam roller tactics: declared the leg.
islative battle was over, and that M
move on the part Of the minority coulc
throw the measure back into the house
This belief was shared also by Gov
| Roberts and Attorney General Thomp.
son.
Service Of Injunetisn.
The Injunction issued today wa.
served on the defendants immedi
ately. Gov. Roberts receiving the frs
process. News that the writ had beer
issued spread rapidly through thu
Capitol, and the anti-suffrage elemen
regarded it as the beginning Of tn,
end Of ratification by Tennessee. Tn,
~