Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-25
EASY VICTORY IN
TENNESSEE, CLAIM
OF SUFFRAG|STS
Wonen's Party Leaders Say They
Are Confident Legislature
Will Ratify.
NEW DRIVE ON VERMONT

Washington, June 25-Fheir long
battle for the right to vote will end when
the Tennessee Legislature meets i'll special
session to consider the suffrage amend
ment, suffrage leaders claim, and 10000
600 will participate IN the coming PrcsI-
dental election.
Miss Alice Paul, chairman of the Ma
tional Womans Party, declared today
she is confident the Tennessee Legisla-
ture will act favorably, basing her opn-
ion on canvasses she said were recently
made among members of both the Upper
and Lower Houses.
\ legal obstacle which stood in the
way of action by Tennessee, 1t Is held,
has been removed by the decision OF
the Supreme Court in the Ohio refer
endum case where the validity OF the
Legislatures ratification of the l'rohl-
bition amendment was attacked after n
popular vote had decided against ratl-
fication. Tennessce's ; constitution con-
tains clause that an election OF Legs
lators must intervene between the time
a proposed amendment is submitted and
the time the Legislature acts on 1T. The
Ohio decision, however, in the opinion
of acting Acknowledgement Frierson, IN
validates the section of the Constitution
which interferes with the method of
amending the Federal Constitution pre-
scribed In that instrument itself, namely,
by State Legislatures.
FRIERsoNs RULING.
Frierson gave his opinion in response
to letter of inquiry from President
Wilson. He said:
The ruling of the Supreme Court in
the recent Ohio cases and the consldera-
tion which | gave to this question in pre-
pairing those cases for hearing leaves no
doubt in my mind that the power of the
Legislature to ratify an amendment to
the Federal Constitution is derived solely
from the people of the United States
through the Federal Constitution and
not from either the people or the Con-
stitution of a State. The power thus de
rived cannot be taken away limited or
restricted in any way by the Constitution
OF State.
The provision of the Tennessee Con-
stitution above referred to. If valid. un-
doubtedly would be a restriction upon
that power If the people OF a State, through
their Constitution, can delay action on an
amendment until after one election, there
is no reason why they cannot delay it
until after two elections, or five elections
or until the lapse of any period Of time
they may see fit, and thus practically
nullify the article of the Federal Con I'll
tuition providing for amendments.
/ am, therefore, confident that if the
Tennessee Legislature is called in session
it will have the clear power to ratify the
amendment notwithstanding any provi-
sion of the Tennessee Constitution.
1t is expected favorable action in Ten
nessee would be attacked in the courts by
the enemies of suffrage But SutfraClsts
are confident such an attack would fail,
Miss Paul lost no time today in mar
shalling her forces for the drive on Ten
nessee. She is sending Miss Sue White,
of Nashville, State chairman for the
Woman's Party, down TO her home State
tomorro to lead the campaign.
Another woman who Is to push the
cause along in Tennessee IS Mrs. Florence
Bayard Hilles, of Wilmington, Del,
who is prominent among Democratic
women. Other officers and organizers of
the Noman's i'arty sill be sent at once
into the doubtful region.
A result of the Tennessee suffrage ac-
tivity has been to renew Republican ae-
tivity on behalf of ratification by Vermont.
Mrs John Gordon Battelle. of Column
bus, Ohio. vice-chairman for her State
of the National Republican Ways and
Means Committee, contributed 81 900
today 10 spur the campaign IN Vermont
after hearing of Governor Roberts de-
cision TO call the special session in Ten
nessee She pledged herself to raise s. 900
for the Vermont campaign and accepted
the position OF chairman of the ways and
means committee for Vermont of the
National Woman's Party.
She was IN almost constant touch with