Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-08-11
SUFFRAGISTS
WIN OPENING
TENN. FIGHT
Lower House Motion for Post
poning Action Is Tabled
so to 81.
GOVERNOR IS JUBILANT

OunTdSlSlS WOu Tue AISI uSAI III AoSA
fication of the federal amendment in
the Tennesessee legislature today.
A resolution introduced in the
. house providing for postponement of
action on the ratification resolution
was tabled.
Suffragists declared the measure
was backed by the antis, who are
seeking to delay action. -
The vote on the motion to table the
resolution was 80 to 81.
During the debate Gov. Roberts sat in
the rear of the house and addressed
notes to members, advising them on
strategy and urging defeat Of the reso-
luton.
1.-THE fight is won," Roberts declared
after the resolution had been tabled.
''Victory for suffrage is certain"
The vote in the senate on the question
of referring the resolution for ratifca-
tion to a committee was also considered
an indication of favorable suffrage send-
ment
Anti-suffragists attempted to send the
resolution to the judiciary committee.
while suffrage proponents insisted on the
committee on constitutional amendments.
The pro-suffrage senators won, IA to L.
suffragists attached Importance to the
work of Gov. Roberts in behalf of rati-
fcation.
He has been using his influence to
swing the democrats into line, it was
said.
An effort may be made during the aft
ernoon by the pro-suffrage leaders to cali
up and dispose Of the question at once
without having committee hearings as
had been planned.
1t is argued the test Of strength shows
they can do this.
1t is believed that Speaker Walker Is
now looking more kindly on suffrage
again, following an afternoons consul
= tation with the governor.
DON'T EXPECT
VOTE THIS WEEK.
No vote may be expected this week,
in the view of leaders.
It seems to have been decided to force
the opposition to show their hand frst;
the longer delay the better, in view OF
democratic leaders here from Washing
ton, who are taking every opportunity to
show TO the legislators the desire OF the
democratic national committee.
George White late Tuesday night tele-
graphed Miss Charles William, chairman
Of the democratic womans steering com
mittee, that he wished she would ''em
phatically state to the democratic mem
bers Of the senate and house the great
interest that the national committee, re-
fecting the sentiment OF the democracy
of the nation, has in--the~Tesgltz .ef-athea
vote on ratification by your state Of the
nineteenth amendment"
In event the Tennessee legislature rati-
fes the amendment, a legal contest will
ensue, according to the announcement OF
Judge Joseph Higgins of Nashville, pres
ident of the Tennessee constitutional
league, a recently organized association
of lawyers, which is a subsidiary to the
American constitutional league, whose
president recently tried to stop Secre-
tary of State Colby from announcing
West virginia's ratification. but had his
request refused by the District Of Co
lumbia supreme court.
IF the legislature ratiies the amend
ment the league viii feel constrained to
90 into the courts to inhibit the secre-
tary Of state from certifying the amend
ment," Judge Higgins declared.
Speaker Seth Walker declared that
when the resolution comes up he will
refer It to the judiciary committee. Sen
ate action will be similar.
These committees viii hold public hear
ings tonight or Thursday night, and re-
port back 10 their respective houses.
The hearings are expected to develop
the fireworks of the session.
BATTLE GROUND
SHIFTS TO HOUSE.
The battle ground has shifted from the
senate to the house. as the senate. which
heretofore had been considered the scene
OF the bitterest opposition. is presenting
a more favorable appearance now
This is largely due to a caucus of the
democratic senator's with democratic
women this afternoon, in which the
leadership of the fight in the senate was
turned over to the senator's by the state
suffrage leaders.
Senator Haston, VanBuren county, was
chosen chairman of the democratic
steering committee in the senate. Miss
Williams presided
.'The eyes OF the world are on Tennes-
see" Senator Haston declared, "in ac-
eepting, I feel that victory is already
certain
Twelve democratic senator's attended
the caucus. Several suffrage advocates
were absent.
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Cats confidence
fl victory remained unimpaired by the