The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1920-04-10
BATTLE ROYAL TO
Be STAGED In THE
LEGISLATURE SOON
SUFFS AND ANTI-SUFFS TO OC,
cUPY CENTER OF STAGE ON
RATIFICATION ISSUE
FIREWORKS AND oRAToRY
When GaveI Falls in Both House,
just a Month from Today, Stage
Will be Set for the Great Fray

Just one month from today both
houses of the new legislature viii be
called to order in Baton Rouge, and
after the formal work Of organize
ton is over and the legislative wheels
begin to turn slowly, about the first
big thing to attract the attention of
the people of Louisiana and maybe
the people Of the entire union will be
the ratification or rejection of the
proposed woman suffrage amendment
to the federal constitution.
It promises to be a mighty though
bloodless fight, and both sides-the
pros and the antis-are girdling their
Joins in preparation for the contest.
In fact. SO tense is becoming the stu
alton, that it threatens to overshadow
many important subjects which should
claim the attention of the general as
sembly.
At this time t~hirty-five states have
ratified the amendment and the
'.suffs'' only need one more state to.
take favorable action and then they
will be clothed with the dignity Of
the mere males and can walk up to
the polls, make out their ballots and
place them in the mysterious ballot
boxes, and also, Incidentally and as a
matter of general politics, they will
have the dear privilege of being elects
ed delegates to al the conventions and
if their dear feminine hearts deem it
quite wise and also quite .'mannish"
and in keeping with the spirit of the
times, they 1.-THE female delegatesl
can smoke big black cigars, chew the
horrid, filthy weed, make political
diekers and every one of the thousand
and one things usual with the male
persuasion engulfed in politics.
Quite eddifying. enlightening and
uplifting, of course, but strictly in
keeping with the times, they all say,
and perhaps for once 'they-alF may
be right-everlastingly right and cor
rect and proper.
But, dropping the ridiculous and
getting down to the serious and sub
lime, the prospects for female suff
rage in the state is still wrapped in
the gloom of the future and there is
no political prophet or otherwise who
can read and decipher the stars and
tell US correctly just what is going
to happen.
The fight is going to be a bitter
one to be sure; and if either side
wins it viii be a victory well bought
and dearly paid for-by and with
something.
In Louisiana as in many if not all
other southern states, there is n eIe-
meat who is opposed to the ratifica-
ton Of the amendment though they
might vote f~avorably for suffrage as
a state measure. They contend that
the ratification of the federal amend
ment would be a slap at the time
honored doctrine Of states rights, and
for this reason they are unalterably
opposed to ratification.
Then there is the radical element,
composed principally Of women who
desire to vote, which is for suffrage
in any manner. shape or. form, and
they are ready and willing to overturn
heaven and earth and SIT the ele-
ments on the eternal edge Of nothing
ness in oredr to attain their ends.
Governor-eleet Parker, while fav-
oring suffrage, has stated publicly
that ne is hands off-that It is 3 mat
ter strictly up to the legislature and
he viii not Interfere in the proposed
ratification o. rejection.
The m~arshaIing of the clans has al
ready begun, and the militant and
near militant" suffs have arranged
their plan of battle, appointed their
generals, field marshals, and other
fighting officers, and announce they