Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-10
BALLOT OF WOMEN
MAY ALTER WHOLE
POLITICAL OUTLOOK
Suffrage Would Give Homer
Cummings Chance in
4. folsliecticut.
BY "A q. MEssENGER.

NEW YORK. August 1o1Both
party's national political headquarters
here are intensely interested in wheth-
er Tennessee ratifiese the woman suf-
frage constitutional amendment this
week. aud. If that state does not. in
whether Gov. Holcomb of Connecticut
calls special session of the Connecti-
cut legislature to act upon ratification.
If Tennessee raAifies. it will be i'm
material whether Connecticut Is called
upon for showdown or not. If Ten
nessee rejects the amendment, the
strongest kind Of pressure will he
brought to hear upon Conecticut's re-
iuctant governor to summon the :iegis-
leeu noe Nassembfed. 1t is believed
Connecticut would ratify.
II either state rattfies now, and in
time to give the vote to all women Of
the land in the coming presidential
election. 1t is admitted that Connecti-
cut VIII become q very doubtful state
in the elections With women given
the vote. it said that Homer S.
States sendtorship in Connecti-
cut against Senator Brandegee, who, as
a vigorous s/anti-suffragist, will be on
posed blythe women generally, 1t is
assumed and Cummings will give
SenatoH Brandegee a run for fair.
II woman suffrage is not granted, it
is regarded as doubtful whether Mr..
Cummings will conclude it worth while
to Jun against Brandegee, as the state
1S considered under normal conditions
fa1rly safe for the republicans. al
enough by no means certainty Gov.
Hoicomb, as is well known, has per
slstently refused up to this time to
Gail Ga special session of the legislature
MS reasons are presumed to be en-
tlre!y political. and possibly based to
a degree upon the consideration at
tending the senatorship.
Chairman Hays of the republican
national committee has taken a
broader position than Gov. Holcomb's
although he cannot be blind to the
political angle which the senator
ship presents. A delegation of Con-
necticut women. had a two-hour talk
with him few days ago, and he out
lined his attitude very frankly as
being favorable to ratification. let
the fnlps fall where they may, To-
cally His point was this:
Irefrain from advancing the usual
arguments in behalf of suffrage. 1
leave entirely out of consideration
the partisan advantage or disadyan-'
tage which ratification might entail
l urge ratification. first, in the hope
of thereby clearing the political
atmosphere; second. in the belief that
the suppression of effective 4 opinion
works harm to the whole body polite,
and, finally, in the conviction that
we owe immediate action as a meas
ure of simple justice to American
women. =.
Would Relieve Unrest.
present unrest is in large measure
due to the fact that so mary vital
questions are clamoring for stimuli
taneous decision. Amy one of. these
questions definitely settled is a big
contribution toward national stability.
The suffrage question is one that can
properly be settled soon. The sooner it
is settled. the better. 1t is really not
a party question. Its tendency merely
makes it more difficult for the public
mind to focus upon the issues of the
presidential campaign. A special legis-
lative session is a small price to pay
for a clearer political atmosphere
Relieve the American woman from
the necessity of claiming her constitu-
tional right and her sister from the fan
cied necessity of opposing the claim, and
you will liberate a body of public opinion
upon the campaign and its issues which
will prove itself to be one of our great
est national assets
'But there. is a deeper reason than
this for immediate action upon the suf-
frage amendment. Democracy in the
United States is really nothing but a
Sham unless election day gives all Amer
leans a chance to express their political
opinions. Casting the vote is the only
way to express opinion effective
ly.. To hold American women
bound by the results of an eIec-
ton, to train them in schools and COL
leges to think for themselves as we'll as
a man. to accord them freedom of ut
terance as constitutional right, and
then to attempt, to deny them the op-
portunity to stand up and be counted on
election day is a governmental blunder
OF the first magnitude.
Election Of First importance.
Both parties recognize that the ef-
fects OF the approaching presidential
election will influence our national
life for veal or for woe for at least
fifty years. There never was an cleo
ton at which it was more important
for opinion and sentiment to express
themselves. The action of Congress
and of thirty-f1ve legislatures has
given to millions Of American women
the right to hope confidently for this
great opportunity. Deny them the op-
portunity merely because the neces-
sary governmental machinery is not
set in motion, and you will produce
the unhealthy national situation
which always exists when masses of
citizens have burning convictions to