The New York herald., 1921-07-10
WOMEN OF GEORGIA
APPEAL FOR BALLOT
Despite 10Th Federal Amend
ment They Continue to Be
Denied Suffrage.

ATLANTA. July 8. Demanding the
passage of an enabling act to permit
the women of Georgia to vote In accord
arce with the provisions of the national
equal suffrage amendment, the Georsld
Woman's Suffrage Association. through
it's president, Mrs. Mary l.. McLendon.
has sent a strong communication 70
every member of the 1921 General AS
sembly. The letter points out thae, al
though the equal suffrage amendment
to the Federal Constitution was ratified
last wear. the women of Georgia and
Mississippi were not allowed to vote De-
cause no enabling acts had been passed
by the Legislatures of those two states
1t also is made clear that the Georgia
Woman's Suffrage Association expects
the present Legislature to pass the nee
cssary statutes.
The history Of equal suffrage legisla-
tion In Georgia is traced in some de-
tall with complimentary reference 10
United States Senator w. j. Harms ana
Congressman w. D. Upshaw, who voted
for the adoption of the Federal constitu-
tional amendment
Issue Ii sauare1y Defined.
Placing the question squarely before
the General Assembly. the letter con-
cludes
.In a few of the fifteen States when
women were enfranchised by State en-
actment. men who wanted the lucrative
offices held by women have declared IL
was illegal for women to hold ofrlce.
The Supreme Courts decided otherwise
and the women held on to the oiilces.
In the city of Atlanta. the first CITY IN
Georgia to grant municipai suffrage III
1919 and 1920. a question has peen
raised as to the legality of woman's vote
on the bond issue of $s,500.000. This
vii, perhaps be settled by the newly
elected Legislature. of which you are a
part. i,
"Frrthernore. II the women or
Georgia are again refused their un-
doubted right to vote, there is great
danger that the numoer cf United States
Coneressmen and Senator'S viii be cut
icwn by the Federal Government.
Women do not want that done, for we
ASPIRE. like men, to fill offices or honor
and trust. -.
I'VE only know that women did not
vote in Georgia in 1920 We want 70
KIN wv why they did not vote. Tnere are
now m my women lawyers in Georgia
who viii bring such matters 10 tne at
tention Of the Supreme Court ana oompei
the state to declare upon what grounds
natural right TO self-government. Suf-
frage is the exercise of self-government
through the ballot. The Nineteenth Fed
eral Amendment gave women in 1890 the
legal right to vote. The State OF Georg1a
through it's officials refused to let women
vote in 1890 and Mississippis officials
Id the same thing.
Wants n Clear Cut, Positive Law.
"If the state Of Georgia. through its
Governor and it's Legislature, desires to
deprive the women citizens OF their nat
ural right Of seIf-government through
the ballot. the State must do so by a
clear cut, positive law Is the law maxi
ing body Of Georgia prepared to do this
unjust thing?
"Wfl the new Governor disfranchise
the negro women, as he boasts he did
disfranchse the negro man? Will the
Legislature follow the Governor in his
attempt to disfranchise the negro
women? When he does this unjust thing
he must also disfranchlse the white
women. who were also enfranchised by
the passage and ratification Of the Nina
teenth Federal Amendment. The new
President OF the United States. Mr.
Harding. in his inaugural address. de-
livered at Washington, d. c., March 4.
1921, said:
"'Our fundamental law recognizes no
class, no group. no section. There must
be none in legislation or administration
Will you follow the Governor or the
President? VIII you help the women OF
Georgia by voting for our bills?"