The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-08-05
PARTISANS HURT
WOMAN'S CAUSE IN
SUFFRAGE FIGHT.
Chances Favor Ratification,
But Ants Are Making Most
of Every Weakness in
Ranks of Advocates.

81
Leaders in the fight for the rautica-
ton of the Nineteenth amendment to
the federal constitution giving women
the right TO vote are admittedly AIS
tressed over the turn taken IN the past
few days. They are still insisting that
they have enough votes in both houses
of the legislature pledged TO ratfiCH-
ton to secure the adoption OF the
amendment, but nevertheless they are
sending out appeals 10 Gov Cox ana
Senator Harding to use their influence
TO bring the legislators into line.
The partisan ratification committees
which the leaders substituted for The
cordial advocacy of men and women NJ
all factions and elements. genuinely in
terested in securing suffrage, has had
the effect Of irritating sumo Of the
legislators, In some instances II has
been pointed out that local raultca-
ton leaders in some communities are
so hostile to the members Of the legis-
lature that their appearance and solicit
tation will have the reverse effect from
that intended The opponents Of the
amendment are making the most or
every opportunity presented
Letter to Mrs. Gait.
A letter from Mrs. James $, Pinckard
OF Montgomery, Ala, president OF the
Southern Woman's League for the Re
lection of the Susan Il, Anthony
Amendment, addressed to Mrs, Carrie
Chapman Gait, Of New York, head
OF the suffrage organization, has been
most effective. The letter Is as follows;
MY Dear Mrs. Gait Southern wom-
en- ahhor political combat for their sex
That Is one of the reasons they deeply
oppose the campaign of your organiEa-
tion to plunge women into perpetual
political turmoil.
we have no desire to mako your
campaign unpleasant, but we must in
slst at any cost that 1t be honest
you are quoted in a morning news
paper as saying There is nothing in
the past quarter OF a century that would
be so indicative or the traditions Of
the Old South as would the ratifica-
ton of this amendment
In view OF this remarkable state
ment, | must ask you what your as
Eociation meant when II passed for
NAL resolution, printed In the Crisis
official negro organ, November 1917
page IL, five months after that paper
had Endorsed the intermarriage of races
as follows
THAT all American men or women.
white or black, shall share equally in
the privileges OF democracy
Again. what did you mean when, In
a signed article In the same issue OF
that official negro organ. you wrote
Suffrage democracy knows no bias
OF race, color. creed or SEX
again, what did you mean when, IN
a formal address before 4 convention
OF your association at Washington, Dec
8, 1918. you declared:
Our cause can walt no longer. II
the constitution stands in our way,
say let us tear il to shreds and make
= new one. We must train our guns on
the South
'Once more, when you wrote n letter
TO Senator PoindeXter CONCENTRATING
him on the introduction of force bill
to rob the South Of it's representation
in congress. were you under the i'm
precision that such a measure would be
Indicative of the traditions Of the Old
South"
TN Tennessee, as you know, ratfica-
ton cannot be accomplished without
the violation OF solemn oath OF office
by every legislator who votes for your
amendment Even Northern newspa-
pers that make no preteuso of 'elevat-
ing the morals OF politics such ms the
New York Journal OF Commerce.
strongly condemns this Tennessee prop
osition as "A matter of plain perjury
do you dare intimate. however Iudi Is
rectly, that the commission of perjury
by public officers Is indicative of the
traditions OF the Old South"
I'VE intend 10 be as courteous to
you as possible in any political cam
paiRn, but we must demand that the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth. be stated in this mat
ter Of life or death to our beloved
CnmFhlnu nd -