The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-06-22
HOPE OF EARLY EXTRA
SESSION IS DOOMED
Gov. Roberts Virtually Tells
Women He Will Not Call
Legislature ...-...-A..-s

Nashville, June 22--That they might
not expect a special session OF the leg :
islature any time soon was the virtual
message of Gov. Roberts yesterday aft :
ernoon to about forty members OF the
Tennessee League OF Women Voters.
who called upon him at the capitol to
ask that he convene the general assem-
bly, at once in order to ratify the fed :
eral suffrage amendment.
or course, the governor admitted the
question OF ratification was an "impor- :
tant one, that 1T concerned the
women of the entire country, as well as
Tennessee" that he had given the
he wished ito do nothing that was not
valid or that might embroil Tennessee
In needless litigation"
Finally, when 1t was put up TO him
squarely that the women Of Tennessee
most probably would need special ses-
might be able to vote In the August
primary the governor admitted he
could promise no specific time for
convening the Legislature. He said he
was still waiting for an opinion from
Atty. Gen. Frank Thompson In the Ohio
case and did not know when Il would
be ready.
No Action Soon.
The ladies came away thoroughly con.
WINGED. however. there would be nc
special session until after the August
primary. when the governor haainished
his race for tho democratic nomination
and when the danger of the woman vote
in the primary is past.
The spokesman Of the ladies was Mrs
John M. Kenny chairman Of the League
OF Women Voters from the Sixth con-
gresslonsl district. She made an ap-
peal for early ratification OF the fedora
suffrage amendment by the Tennessee
legislature, stressing the honor thai
would be this states II II became III,
thirtysfxth TO ratify
I'VE are not asking this with any po
litical aim.H said Mrs. Kenny. There
is no politics In our motive. We merel,
want Tennessee to 20 down In histor,
as the state which gave universal SUI
fraRe IN the women sof America. WI
want Tennessee to beat North CarolinS
to ratification. The women OF thil
state would be the happiest In the worlt
II they could wire the San Francisco
convention that II was a southern dem
ocratlc state which enfrancbised th'
women"
Mrs. Kenny called on several womer
nresent for short talks along the sam,
line. Each OF the speakerg representet
some phase OF the work iuewhich womei
are particularly, interested.
Mrs. Leslie Warner, former stat
president. OF the old suffrage organlza
flon. said
1--WE have never faltered In our wnrl
for the acknowledgment Of our sex. W.
come now with The hope that what W.
did during the dark days off suffrage
may find its fruitlon IN these briEhte
times. II will be great pity u Norti
Carolina ratines before We do. thu
proving the truth OF the Aesop fahl'
about the tortoise and the hare tn.
ratification by a democratic state VIII
believe. mean a democratic victory Y
the presidential race"
Mrs James S. Beaslev. head OF tn
republican women OF the state: Mrs
Claude u. sullivan, chairman OF chit
! welfare work for the League OF Womei
| Voters. Mrs. L. r. McGiil. on the par
| ~ the w. 9. r. ": Mrs. + y. Kuhn
for the mothers Of America Mrs. Hor
| ace Smith, prominent war worker Mis
| Mafv Penn Thompson. on behalf OF m
| teachers and the citizenship school
Mrs. Alex Irvine. for the parent teach
ers' associations; Mrs. James y. Ez
| zeIi. member Of the democratic exeeu
tive committee from the Sixth district
| Miss MARY Peasants Jones. for IN
| hnEiness women. Mrs Arch TraMick
for the Y. w. &. A.; Mrs. -. T. kim
brourh. county chairman Of the Beagu
of Women Voters: Mrs. lee Fox, chair
man Of the Fifth district Of the leagnf
All these added their pleas for carr.
ratification.