The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-06-25

The request of President Wilson that |
Governor Roberts of Tennessee call |
the legislature of that state in special
session to act upon the ratification of
the woman suffrage amendment is
Il very shrewd political move, in
tended to promote the interests of the
Democratic party. President Wilson
apparently saw the opportunity to beat
senator Harding in interfering with the
state government of democratic state
and jumped for it. "Allow me to urge
this very earnestly by President Will
son smacks of an order to this Dem
ocratic governor and is in strong con-
trast to Senator Harding's reply to the
militant suffragists: t"I could not,
with propriety, attempt to force any
state executive to hasten action in VIC
alton of his own sense of duty"
The political value of this move is
recognized by the Democratic women
1t San Francisco who have turned
Del him to call a special session. They
argue that if the final state to ratify
the amendment should be Demo
ratio one, il would greatly enhance
he chances of Democratic success in
November Undoubtedly it would, but
it should be remembered that of the
thirty five states which have ratified
he amendment twenty-nine are Repub-
lican states, so only seven Democratic
states can possibly claim credit for
granting woman the right to vote. The
,nly Republican states failing to ratify
IRE Connecticut and Vermont, whose
legislatures have not been given an op-
portunity to act upon the matter.
Governor Clement has the opportun-
ity to forestall the Democrats in this
suffrage fight. If he only would, he
could call a special session of the Yer
mont legislature, which is known to
favor ratification of this amendment,
and allow it to act before Tennessee
takes action Governor Clement owes
his to the Republican party which has
given him all the political honors he
has ever held.
That his position is recognized
throughout the country is shown by
ditorial comment of papers of national
influence. The Manchester Union in
discussing the situation says in part:
The Republican, record, save in two
particulars. is clean on this issue of
transcendental Importance. These two
England states of Vermont and Con
neeticut. and failure in each of these
commonwealth to ratify is not due
an adverse legislative majority but
to the stubborn refusal of Governors
Clement and Holcomb to afford then
legislatures an opportunity to com
oletc this great act of justice. They
are by their refusal to call special SEES
lions of their legislatures, although Re
| publican state conventions in both
,tates have asked them to do so, not
only temporarily Withholding the ballot
| from approximately eleven million wo-
men but they are deliberately offend
| ing the sense of justice of thirteen mil
lion women who are already enfran
chised and who will have a vote i'll the
elections this fall 1t is no exaggera
| ton to say that these two self-willec
| individuals are deliberately imperillins
| Republican success. 1t is easily pos
| sible that the women voters of thos'
| states where women are enfranchiset
viii hold the balance of power in thu
election. 1t is a terrible responsibility
| Governors Clement and Holcomb in
cur, and it is the clear duty of Repub
leans in these two states to make then
understand its full proportions.
An automobile accident which oc