Evening star., 1922-03-18
WOMEN'S LEAGUE MAY JOIN
FIGHT FOR BALLOT IN D. c.
Mrs. Laura C. Williams Voices Hope After
Mass Meeting to Enlig ghten Men,
bers on Suffrage

There is d possibility that the Ma
tional League of Women oters will
join in the movement to obtain the
ballot for the men and women of
Washington.
This hope was voiced last night to
a Star representative by Mrs. Laura
c. Williams. president of the District
of Columbia League of Women
Voters. following a mass meeting in
the District building called to en-
tighten members of the league on the
suffrage question.
Mrs. Williams said she could not
state definitely that the National
League would take up the Districts
fight. but that she has strong hope
for such a development.
Takes Form Of Debate.
The meeting itself took the form Of
debate, for, in addition to the sew
eral speakers who were invited to ex-
plain the different kinds of suffrage
proposed, two men were on hand to
convince the women that the right to
Here is how the verbal combatants
lined up:
For the amendment to the federal
Constitution empowering Congress to
give the District representation in
Congress and the electoral college.
Commerce and Paul L. Lesh of the
City Club.
For a voteless delegate in Congress
while the constitutional amendment
is being obtained. William Nick.
Clayton.
For the establishment of a new
state out Of the District of Columbia,
Frank Sprigg Perry.
/ Against suffrage. Charles c. Lam
! caster and q. w. Ayers.
Want Ballot in Some Form.
| Although the women did not decide
last night which proposition for suf-
, frage, they will support. they gave
| unmistakable evidence to Messrs.
Lancaster and Ayers that they want
the ballot in some form, and they
| were not alarmed by the pictures
| those speakers painted of conditions
! that would result from voting in the
/ District of Columbia.
| For nearly an hour after the regu-
; lar addresses were concluded women
/ in all parts of the hall sought the
| floor to question Mr.. Lancaster and
Mr.. Ayers regarding statements they
| had made.
DespOtism, Says Brown.
! Opening the meeting with a force
| full argument in favor of the conSti-
| tutional amendment for representa-
| tion in Congress, Chaplin Brown de-
| clared the present form of govern
ment in Washington is a despotism.
| Mr.. Brown read the provision under
| which an area ten miles square was
! to be laid off for the federal capital,
| and over which Congress should
! exercise exclusive legislation
The speaker declared he was. unable
to understand how the forefathers.
i with memories Of the revolution
against British rule still fresh before
them, decided to create a despotism
at the seat of government.
Duty Of States.
Even If every citizen in the District
| Of Columbia was opposed to suf-
! tend it still would be the duty of the
| states to thrust the franchise upon
l.us and say You have to take this
| responsibility 1t is unsafe to teach
| the people Of the country that this
form Of government we have here is
| this kind, of government Is good
enough for the District Of Colum.
bia it is good enough for the rest OF
| the country"
| Mr.. Brown explained that the pro-
| posed amendment to the Constitution
Would merely empower Congress to
give the District one or more senators
and representatives. Mr. Brown said he
is not opposed to local elf-govern-
ment, but that if we get spokesmen1
| be able to obtain whatever addltlona
rights the national lawmakers deem
proper.
Not Opposed to Delegates.
! The speaker said he was not op'
posed to the delegate proposition oe-
cause it would enable us to. demon.
strate Immediately whether we are
able to hold a proper eiect'oh ano
use the ballot wisely.
Mr.. Clayton, arguing in favor OF the
yoteiess delegate in Congress as an
Immediate step pending more com
piete enfranchisement, said:
"Whether we should have the vots
here Is an academic quess'on' . We w
never know until we hold an election
| If we can elect q delegate TO Con
| cress and make q success OF that We
will proceed to full suffrage. Ever
a yoteless representative in Congress
with a voice could stop many OF the
District, because the right tnforma'
ton is not always available to the
sForeiEners come here to tn.
freest nation on earth and are tolt
that this city. where the people an
struck politically dumb, is an exn1of
tfon Of good government
i Sees q Long Battle.
i Mr.. Perry did not oppose the. con
stitutional amendment, but contendet
that the long and hard battle neces
sary to obtain ratification Of sucl
an amendment by the states is no
necessary.
Congress has the power, he argued
to create the state Of Columbia out o
this District, just as it ceded back t,
Il virginia Alexandra county In 1876
The consent Of the legislature o
Maryland, to which this territor,
originally belonged, alone would b
necessary, he said.
81 do not contend that the stat
of Columbia should have jurisdiction
loyer the Ca2itol. neaument and othe