The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-09-03
Election Officers Liable to
Prosecution II They Deny
Women Right to Vote.

New Yor. Sept. s.--'Women have
the right TO register and vote In all
states under the Nineteenth amend
ment to the federal Constitution" said
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait in a state
ment issued today at the headquarters
Of the National American Woman Suf-
frage association.
"The federal amendment In ratified,
all anti-suffragists to the contrary not
| withstanding," said Mrs. Gait Every
woman in the land not disqualified by
any discrimination other than sex has
n right to vote under the federal Con-
stitution. IL any state authority denies
her that privilege It is her right 10 de-
for a thief TO declare that a diamond
ring is his because II Is in his posses
sion. II Is sometimes necessary for the
owner to prove his rlghH OF ownership
in the court. This is parallel now
with the woman's vote. No honorable
Mrs. Gait called attention to the
statement OF Charles Il. Hughes that
"the amendment will be Immediately
self executing and will render invalid
and therefore ineffective. any existing
provision in any state constitution OF
fication solely upon the ground OF sex
Mrs. Gait also called attention to the
recent statement by william Howard
Taft: at follows from this authorita-
tive construction OF the Fifteenth
amendment that the Nineteenth amend
, ment as passed does not need any ar
frmative action by tho states to give
women the right to vote at once. II
is self-executing. 1t, by its own force
amends every election law OF every
state so as to include In the state cleo
torate women as. well as men. where
only men were. given the right to vote
before. or course, a woman cannot
vote who, II she had been a man, could
not have voted under the laws OF the
state where she lives. She must IN ~
men voters must have under the cleo
ton laws, but n she fulfills these re-
Quirements she can vote ana the state
cannot prevent her so doing. ana nc
delay OF the state In recognising OF
acting on the new amendment can
prejudice her right to vote.
ELECTION officers of the state VINO
impede or deny her right to vote expose
themselves to prosecution under sta
tutes, whether federal or state-enacted,
to protect citizens In heir lawful right
to vote. 1t may well be that the doup-
ling number OF voters In every state by
this amendment will require for the con-
venence OF voters amendments 10 the
election laws OF the states, but such IN
convenience cannot be made any excuse
for preventing women from exercising
the frapchise."
BY officiar statement from the state
department in Washington to Miss
Caroline I. Reilly. headquarters secretary
OF the National League or Woman Vot-
ers. assurance OF the legality OF the
women's vote is established. This state
ment given Miss Reilly is that 1.-THE
secretary of states proclamation COM
pleted the ratification. and that nc
further notification Is necessary. All
the women OF all the states have now
| the right to proceed with their registra-
tion. If any objection is raised by any
officials in the states, the women should
| telegraph direct to the state department
at Washington and receive official as
surance."