The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-02-10
women READY
TO DO BATTLE
FOR PRIMARY
Leaders Laying Plans to Carry
Fight to Finish - Pro-Pri-
mary Forces Dubious About
Any Change.
FRIENDS FEAR TRAP


direct primary law. 1t was said by
friends of the primary that the demon
stratlon that will be made by the wom-
en- in case efforts to kill the primary
law continue will be long remembered
in the legislative history of the state.
1t was known that a number of the
leaders among the women in Indian
apolis were busy on the question and
were laying plans to carry the fight to
a finish.
1t is needless to say that the men
who are on the job to save the prim
ary were not overlooking the impor-
tance of this development All of the
pro-primary men who were around
the Claypool last night were in their
conversation laying stress on the de-
sires of the women in the present sit
uation.
Petitions In Air.
There was much talk about petitions
that would be signed by women. One
man said that a petition for the prim-
airy signed by women of both political
parties would be sent before tonight
TO the senator from his home county.
The senator from his home county is
Senator Duncan who up to this time
has fought with the anti-primary
forces.
AS to the probability of any anti
primary law getting through this ses-
sion there was considerable variation
in the predictions today but the ma
iority of o. ;non seemed to be that the
law will be left as it is.
Considerable gossip was floating
around that the Republican state COM
mittee was trying to slip away from
responsibility for the anti-primary
move and the fact that only two repre-
sentatives of the ommittee-Freder
ick Schortemeier, secretary of the
committee and Lawrence Lyons
member of it--were appointed on the
Joint committee to consider the ques-
lion was pointed to as evidence that
the state committee is seeking cover.
Friends Fear Trap.
One Of the men in the senate who
up to this time has led in the effort
to repeal the statewide provisions of
the primary law and who voted for
the Beardsley amending act was au.
thority for the statement today that
no additional primary bill would be in
troduced in the legislature.
1t was noticeable however that the
pro-primary people did not seem to be
paying any great amount of attention
to predictions of this kind. 1t was said
that they feared they were being led
into a trap as they were when they
were lulled to sleep after the Boards
ley amending act had been killed in
the senate.
Governor In Question.
There was considerable talk today
also about protecting the governor.
Some of the friends of the governor
said he should be supported in his
statement that the fight was not on
L c1 0,,1 hut tn q 81
committee They asserted that the
fact that the governor had repeated
several times that he was against the
primary law and that he believed it
would be wise to repeal the statewide
features should be sufficient.
One of the primary defenders dis
cussing the situation today said: Il
have heard all about the talk that
there j. no chance to get primary
law through this session. | have also
heard the assertion today that there
are twenty nine senators who will
stand to the finish for the primary,
But this talk counts for nothing. We
are in the fight to stay
Against Any Change.
Others of the primary defenders
said they would not stand for any
change whatever in the present law,
presidential preference primary. Since
the elimination Of the presidential
preference primary has appeared for
the last day or two to be about the
only issue on which a compromise can
be reached it was little difficult to-
day to determine just what will be the
outcome of the deliberations of the
Joint committee of the legislature and
The state committee.
Most of the legislators who were
appointed on the joint committee to
represent the anti-primaTy men are
close friends of the governor Repre-
sentative Noll of Indianapolis who is
a member of the committee is under
stood to be very close to the governor
as is Repre- sentative Fifeid of Lake
county who was appointed by the gov
ernor to the legislative visiting com
mittee.
Rats Close Friend.
The close relation of the governor
and Senator Rats is of course we'll
known. since Rats had the support of
the governor in his race for the place
Of president pro TEN of the senate.
Representative Claude Smith who was
appointed on the committee is known
as one of the hardest fighters in the
compromise spirit in his makeup say
those who have watched him in action
Senator Swain of course is known
by reason of the fact that he has been
talked of as the sponsor for the pro-
posed primary amending act in the
senate. Senator Brown of Hebron is
the other member of the legislative
end of the committee.
Referendum Far OFF
1t was said today that there is little
chance that there will be any compro-
mise by an agreement to hold refer
ondum on the primary question. 1t is
understood that this plan was never
very seriously considered by the legis-
lators although it was reported yester-
day that the governor would not be
ayerse to it. The suggestion in the
first place it is said came from Mr.
Continued on Page TwC)