Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1920-10-06

ing Winneshiek County when I voted
for this Amendment, and the DEBORAH
Journal denounced all the legislators
who voted for it as Legislative
Benedict Arnolds,' very compli-
mentary term, you will observe. But
let us see as to this terrible crime,
for Benedict Arnold, as you recall,
sold himself to the British Govern
ment when that government was at
war with the Colonies of this coun-
try, and thus was guilty of TREAS
ON. Let US see if was guilty of
treason.
In 1916 an Amendment to IOWA
STATE constitution was submitted
to the people to be voted upon, in
the following language: Repeal
Section l of Article 2 of IOWA
STATE Constitution and adopt in
lieu thereof the following Section
One:-Every citizen of the United
States of the age of twenty-one years
who shall have been a resident of
this state six months next preceding
the election, and of the county in
(which he or she claims his or her
vote sixty days, shall be entitled to
vote at all elections which are now
or may be hereafter authorized by
law" This Amendment was initiated
in Iowa, was to amend Iowa State
Constitution in 1916. This . is the
Amendment upon which the voters
of Winneshiek County then voted.
The Amendment to the UNITED
STATES CONSTITUTION upon which
voted was not passed by Congress
until 1919, the Resolution proposing
its submission to the states was pas
sed by the NATIONAL HOUSE of
Representatives on May 21st, 1919,
where more than 81 per cent of the
Republicans voted for it, and 8 per
cent of Republicans against it, while
more than 40 per cent of the Demo-
Gratis voted against it; the Resolution
passed the Senate of UNITED
STATES5June 4th, 1919, 81 per cent
of the Republicans voting for it and
10 per cent against it, while but 55
per cent of Democrats voted for it
and as per cent against 1t, and all
Iowa members of Cong
ress voted for its adoption.
its adoption.
This Amendment was submitted
to the Special Session of the Iowa
Assembly July End, 1919, and in the
House it received So votes for its
adoption, and against adoption,
with absent, while in the Senate OF
Iowa it received 45 for adoption, 0
against, and 8 absent. This is the
upon which l voted, and
it is not the thing upon which you
voted in 1916. .
There is another phase of this
matter that deserves attention at
this stage of the discussion, and that
is the World War, and WOMAN'S
PART therein (and the last Cong
ress-a Republican Congress
quickly placed itself squarely on re-
cord in favor of Woman Suffrage as
above shown, for that Congress did
not meet until March 4th, 1919,
for, no matter what might have
been the feeling among many-even
a majority of the voters-before the
war, after the women. during the
war had SO wondrously
organized themselves into so many
different essential working bodies to
carry on Red Cross Work, Home Ser
vice Work, Thrift Work. Food Con-
servation Work, First Aid Nursing
Work, and the thousands who went
across the sea to carry the Red Cross.
Salvation Army, and other Keller
and Recreationai activities to the
men at the front, and after the hero
ic other thousands who bore heir
poignant griefs, and labored on day
and night to keep the stream or
sweaters, helmets, socks, and band
ages constantly flowing to those who
were in constant need OF them in
barracks and trenches at the 'front.'
after this magnificent display OF cap
.acity for accomplishing necessary
things in an emergency, this exhibit
ion of efficiency in organizing and
Carrying into effect. movements OF
extraordinary magnitude. there was
no one who could question rwoman's
having proven herself worthy ana
G. mpetent to be accorded full right
of participation in that government
which she had so effectively served
and SAVED. | was fully aware OF all
these activities and accomplishments
of the women during the war, and
when voted for the adoption OF the
18th Amendment TO the UNITED
STATES Constitution thought J
/ was doing what was morally right,
what was plain justice. and what
was a deserved. though delayed re-
cognition, and l assuredly did not
feel that was committing TREAS
ON.
A further discussion of the major
offenses" of which l have been
charged will be given next week
Very truly yours,
ELLIS ). HOOK.