New-York tribune., 1920-08-11
w omen Fear
Loss of House
In Tennessee
Speakers Des ertion of
Cause Fills Suffragists
With Gloom; Fate of
Amendment Is Doubtful
Mrs. Gait Is Confident
Situation in Senate Be-
comes More Favorable
After Democratic Caucus
SpeciaI Dispatch to The Tribune

-fN~'NN A|fSp|tCB 70 lfc Tribune
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Aug. 10.-The
fate OF the Federal woman suffrage
amendment is now officially in the
hands of the Tennessee General AS
sembly. What this body will do with
IL mas never been as uncertain as it is
tonight. The second days work of the
special session, called to ratifv or re,
Ject the Susan B. Anthony amendment.
was marked by the presentation of the
ratlhcatlon resolution in both the
House and Senate, the shifting of the
battle-ground from the Senate to the
mouse and the detection of Speaker
Seth Walker of the House from the
RANKS OF those pledged to ratification.
MRS carrie Chapman Gait, president
OF the National American Woman
shaken from her belief in victory bv
the happenings of the day, although
off1clals of the Woman's Party issued
a statement full'of gloom.
Mrs. Gait Sees Victory
Our poll is unshaken," Mrs. Gait
declared. when | came to Tennessee
Z I announced that a majority of the
Senate and House were pledged to the
Tennessee women of their own districts
10 vote for ratification. No develop
ment has overturned that majority. |
nave absolute confidence in the in
tegrlty of the Legislature and believe
that the members will stand by their
Pledges to their own constituents.
Mrs. Gait has not stirred from her
quarters in the Hermitage Hotel. She
is IN the position of consulting spe-
clallst and not an attending physician
to the Legislature. She is keeping an
open door for the men and women
hour, but is taking no hand in the
active lobbying at the Capitol.
AS soon as the House and Senate
were called to order ratification reso-
lutlons were introduced. In the SEN
ate Speaker Todd himself offered the
resolution, while in the House the
Shelby County delegation, six solid
ratification votes, presented it. This
was the announcement to suffrage
workers that Speaker Walker, of the
House, had changed his attitude on
ratification, as he had been expected
to introduce the resolution there him
self.
According to Miss Betty Gram, he
mad week before pledged himself to
vote for ratification and to introduce
the resolution. Miss Gram questioned
him as to- his change in attitude. fol-
lowing which he actively arrayed him
self with suffrage opponents, much to
the dismay of ratficationsts
Anti-ratification HEADQUARTERS are
jubilantly claiming that thew have
hfty-three Representatives pledged to
vote no. This is four more than a
majority in the House. State suffrage
leaders, however, declare their original
poll stands and that the "round robin
is not authentic.
Senate Swings to Cause
:. While the House was changing from
favorable to extremely doubtful on rati
hcatlon, the Senate situation changed
markedly for the better A caucus OF
Democratic Senators was held at which
leadership was assumed by Senator
Haston, of Van Buren County. He was
mainly responsible for passage of the
partial suffrage bill in the Senate dur
ing the regular session of the present
Legislature. He declared that "the
eyes of the world are on Tennessee. ,
and that he felt certain of victory
Twelve Democratic Senators attended
the caucus, which seemingly gave rati
hcatloh good assurance in the Senate
Six of the eight Republican Senators
Will vote aye. The Democrats will give
twelve Senate votes, which gives one
over the necessary majority
Under the rules no consideration OF