Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-20
LEGAL OBSTACLES
BEFORE SUFFRAGE
Reluctant State Officials
Have Power to Prevent
Qualifications.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Assuming the ratification of the suf-
frage amendment by Tennessee or
other states, there are some legal OBJ
stacles that must be overcome before
women everywhere will be permitted
to vote in the presidential elections
this year.
While the women leaders co not an
ticipatc much difficulty and believe
that the public official who dares TO
prevent women from voting TINS time
is merely committing political SUI
eide, nevertheless it is possible Tor
reluctant state officials with a grudge
against woman suffrage to manipu-
late matters in such a way as to pre-
vent the qualification of woman vot-
ers this year.
qualifications Up to States.
The nineteenth amendment to the
Constitution merely declares that
women shall have the right to vote,
but another article in the Constitu-
ton gives to the states the full right
to determine the qualifications OF Vot-
crs. Anticipating just such trouoie,
the National Woman's Party made
canvass of all states where 1t seemed
as if special legislation were neces-
eary to enable women to vote TINS
year if the federal amendment We're
ratified. Minnesota, North Dakota
Missouri Massachusetts. Virginia ana
Maine passed such legislation at the
same time that their legislators We're
in special session to ratify the federal
amendment. Georgia, Rhode Island
and West Virginia have not done so.
though in two instances the day Tor
registering voters has already passed.
Florida. Vermont and Connecticut
have had no sessions of their respec-
tive legislatures, so nothing could
he done in the way of enabling leSls-
lation. On the other hand. 1t is fully
expected that the governors OF the
last three states now will call special
sessions to permit women to qualify
as voters.
Attorney Generals Reluctant.
The question has been a difficult
one to determine, for in most cases
when the national woman's party
has appealed to the attorney gener-
ais of the several states for a ruling
these officials have been reluctant to
say what their opinion would be.
Usually they did not want to inter-
fere in the suffrage controversy be-
cause of tA division of sentiment
among party leaders. Now. however,
the question is no longer hypothetical
and the attorney generals Will be
forced to render a final Judgment. If
it is adverse, all the pressure which
the women can exert Will be applied
to obtain special sessions of the leg
islatures even in midsummer in order
to permit the enrolment of woman
voters The leaders have in each
case been asking for a simple piece
of legislation to the effect that the
same rules shall apply to the new
woman voters as cover the male vot-
ers who reach the age of twenty-one.
Usually evidence of residence in the
state and citizenship is all that is re-
Quired.
Interesting Phase in South.
The southern states present an in
teresting phase of the question, for.
while very little is said about it at
suffrage headquarters here, no one
believes the southern states will
permit negro women to vote any more
than they do men. The usual OBJ
stacles, such as the payment of poll
tax and educational qualifications. are
expected to be used. In fact, the
suffrage workers used to tell the
southern legislators that their fears
prove groundless because of this very !
power to determine the qualifications !
of voters which lies in the hands |
of the several states.
Although TenneSSee's verdict has |
remained in doubt for the last two |
exhibited considerable nervousness |
about the prospect of a reconsidera-
ton by the Tennessee legislature of
her vote of Wednesday, all hope was
by no means considered gone II the
ratification by Tennessee did not ma
terialiZe. Florida was selected as the
next battle-ground. In that state
special session of>the Legislature has
been expected. Moreover. a majority
of the members of the state legisia-
lure signed a petition urging the two
United States senators from that state
to vote for suffrage when the federal
amendment was last voted upon.
Copyright, 1920.