The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-08-26

az u " SAO1h
this morning at his home.
Washington, Aug. 26.-The suf-
fraae proclamation Of Secretary
ef State Colby recounts the process
by, which the new ArtIcie\ XIX Of
the Constitution was presented and
q ratified. naming the ratifying states
and continues:
"Ncw, therefore, be II known
that J., BaInbridee Colby. secretary
Of state Of the United States, by
virtue and In pursuance Of section
2o5 Of the revised statutesi of the
United States, do hereby certify
that the amendment, aforesaid
has, become valid to all intents and :
purposes as part Of the .constltu-
tion Of the United States"
The document was signed at the Colby
" home when the certificate from Gov.
Roberts that the Tennessee Legislature
had ratified the arnendmnt was received.
VI A delegation Of suffrage leaders was
Y waiting at the state department when
Secretary Colby Rarrived. The secre-
tary Immediately informed the delega-
VI tion that the suffrage proclamation had
been signed and their enthusiasm was
Il somewhat dampened by the fact that
q they had not been permitted to be pres
Y ent at the signing.
a t Game at Am.
Secretary Colby announced that the
Tennessee certificate had been delivered
to- him at his home at o'clock this
Morning and that he had immediately
turned 1t over to. Soliciior. Fred *. Mel
stiT of the state department.. for lex-
amination Solicitor Nielsen returned
the certificate and the proclamation
early this morning, and at > o'clock
In the presence Of Solicitor Nielsen and
Charles Cook, of the dialomatic bureau
oil the state department, the proclama-
tion had been signed.
Secretary Colby stated that he had
promised he, would sign the proclama-
tion as soon as possible after receipt
Of the Tennessee certificate and for
that reason he had affixed his signature
at his home before going to his office.
1t was generally believed that Sec
/. retary Colby had acted to save en-
barrassment by signing the proclama-
tion at his home, as there. had been
some evident conflict between suffrage
leaders as TO who should arrange for
the ceremonies.
~ think 1t very great pity that on
an occasion, so momentous to millions
of women, that no women should have
been with Secretary Colby, when he
signed this proclamation" said Mrs
abby Scott Baker, of the national
womans party. Representatives OF
all the suffrage groups should have
been present.
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait. who was
due to have arrived in Washington this
morning, was not even at the state
department when Secretary Colby an
nounced his signature.
AntIs Confer In Nashville.
Nashville, Aug. 26.--Seth NJ. Walker.
speaker of the Tennessee house of rep.
resentatives and other leading OPP
ponehts of ratification OF the suffrage
amendment by Tennessee, went into
conference this morning following the
receipt of the news that Secretary OF
state Colby had signed the proclama-
tion, proclaiming the Nineteenth
amendment part OF the United states
Constitution.
Despite the news the leaders indi.
Gated thai the plans, to have mass
meetings throughout the state Satur-
day and allow the people an opportunity
to express themselves on the subject of
ratification would go forward
The announcement disappointed
group of militant suffragists who had
gathered at the state department, hop
ing TO be present when Mr.. Colby at
tached his signature to the proclama-
tion. Miss Alice Paul was among the
number.
1--WE are confident that the signature
of Secretary Colby completes the suf-
frage struggle In this country, she
said "In spite OF every obstacle that
our opponents coulu p.H III oui way
women have won the right TO an equal
voice In the affairs of this government,
The womans party will not relax It's
vigilance, however, until 1t Is satisned
that no further attempts will be made
to wrest from the women OF the united
States the political equality which they
have won"
Miss paul planned 10 go today 10
New York to call n meeting OF the eN-
ecutive committee OF that party, at
A. I,Na 1fN hn N n
lion to fix future policy viii be de-
sided.
Efforts will he made, antisuffrage
headers declared. TO have the United
states supreme court pass on the legal
Nv of Tennessee's ratification. Suffrage
opponents predicted the court would
hold that the legislature had no au-
thority to act.
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait, president
Of the National American Woman Suf-
fraEe association. was expected to arrive
in Washington from Nashville in time
for a suffrage jollifcation which viii he
held here tonight IN a theater.
Secretary Colby later sent word 10
the woman's party headquarters that
he would see the suffrage leaders at
his office n they desired. Word was
sent back that Miss Paul was prepar-
ing TO leave for New York: that the
other leaders already had returned 70
their homes and the Invitation could
not he accented
Seeretary's Statement.
Another partv of suffrage leaders ap-
reared headsd hv Mrs Carrie Chapman
Gait OF the National American Woman
Suffrage association. They accepted an
Invitation to hear a statement which
Secretary Colby had planned TO read
20 the womans party delegation.
Secretary Colby's statement follows.
- The certified record Of the action Of
tho legislature Of the state OF TenneE-
see on the suffrage amendment was re-
ceiVkd by mail this morning. lnlune-
diatelv en- ts receipt the record was
brought 10 my house This was IN
compliance with my directions and In