The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-23
WELL SATISFIED WITH SITUATION.
 DECLARE SUFFS
Say Only Thing Holding Up Certification Is Injunc- tion, Which Restraints
 Such Action
By Associated Press

Nashville, August 22,-There was no change today in the situation arising oil. of the bitter legislative contest over rat- lncatlon ef the woman suffrage amend ment by Tennessee.
 The thirty or more anti-suffrage mem bers of the lower house of the assembly who journeyed to Decatur, Ala, early saturday, in order to break quorum and prevent suffrage majority from taking from the journal and defeating the Walk CT motion to reconsider ratification by that body, still were in Alabama, and. according to reports received here, were determined to remain there the next few days at last
 The suffragists, who held session yes- terday in spite of the lack of the legisla- i've quorum of siXty-six members called the walker motion from the journal and defeated 1t. then ordered the senate joint resolution of ratification transmitted to the senate for engrossing, appeared to he perfectly satisfied with the state of af- iairs. They held the session on the gem eral ground that action on the suffrage amendment was not a legislative but a political matter, and that the state law as regards the quorum of the house did not apply because they were acting as agents of the federal government They also eontended their action was in con formity with general parliamentary rules, which hold that the will of the ma ajorit- shall prevail
 IDENTIFICATION HELD UP
 The only thing now in the way of cer- tificaton of ratification to Washington, according to suffrage leaders. was the temporarY writ of Injunction issued yes terday by Judge Langford. restraining the governor. the secretary of state and the speakers of the senate and house from taking such action on the plea that rati- hcation by this legislature was illegal
 The writ is returnable at any time within five days upon which the parties to the action agree In some quarters it was believed hearing would be held tomorrow or Tuesday
 message addressed last night to the governors or Vermont. Connecticut. Ala bama, Florida, Louisiana, Delaware auI South Carolina, declaring Tennessee had not ratified the amendment, was made public today by the Tennessee Consti- tutional League, which is fighting rati- ficaton by this legislature on the groun1 that the state constitution inhibited this assembly from acting
 The constitutional league is an organi- ration Of attorneys pledged to uphold the state constitution. and according to Judge Joseph Higgins of Nashville, it's president. includes in it's membership beth suffragists aysd suffrage oppo- nents.
 TEXT OF MESSAGE
 The message follows:
 Tennessee has not ratified the suf- frage amendment The resolution has not legally passed the house. The mo- ton to reconsider today was defeated by less than the legal quorum.
 The governor and other state off cials have been enjoined against at tempting to certify it's ratification No women will vote for a year and half at least on account of Tennessee's ac- tion today, as the injunction will be car ried to the highest court. Any state off, ficial who attempts to certify will be att tackled for contempt of court, and Sec retary Colby has already been warned that action in Violation of the niunc- tion is invalid under our laws
 Secretary Colby will alsJ be ei.- joined by amended bill filed by Charles S. Fairchld and the American Consti- tutional League at Washington
 There is no reason for any stampede in other states on account of Tennes- sees alleged action today, and press re- ports assuming the ratification as com pleted are entirely misleading
 Therefore we earnestly ask you to make careful examination of ratification status before doing anything that might have tendency to complicate the com. ing presidential election and the election
 tContinued Page Two)
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