Suffrage Amendment. Allow me to urge this very earnestly." At the same
time the Governor received a telegram signed by practically every
member of the Tennessee delegation at the National Democratic
convention meeting in San Francisco, impressing on him the advantage
to the party of his calling the extra session. In addition U. S.
Senator Kenneth McKellar, a member of the platform committee of that
convention, secured a plank in the platform, endorsing the amendment
and urging the Democratic Governors and legislators of Tennessee and
other States to unite in an effort to complete the ratification. On
June 26 Homer S. Cummings, chairman of the Democratic National
Committee, informed the Governor that the committee that day by
unanimous vote had directed him to send the following message: "We
most earnestly emphasize the extreme importance and urgency of an
immediate meeting of your Legislature for the purpose of ratifying the
proposed 19th Amendment to the Federal Constitution." On June 8 the
Tennessee Democratic convention had passed the following resolution:
"We heartily favor the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States ... and we demand that the Governor
call an extra session."

Governor Roberts answered President Wilson: "I will call the extra
session in ample time for the women to vote in the 1920 elections."
This he did on August 7, calling the Legislature to convene on the
9th.[173]

The first of July Governor Roberts appointed Mrs. Leslie Warner State
chairman to organize for ratification. She selected a committee of one
hundred, some from each county, recommended by the legislators, and
opened headquarters at the Hotel Hermitage in Nashville and Mrs. James
B. Ezzell was elected vice-chairman, Mrs. Margaret Ervin Ford,
secretary of the committee, which became known as the Democratic
Ratification Committee. On the advisory board were: Miss Charl
Williams, vice-chairman of the National Democratic Committee; Miss
Della Dortch, regional chairman of the National League of Women
Voters; Mesdames A. H. Roberts, wife of the Governor; Guilford Dudley,
third vice-president of the National Suffrage Association; John B.
Gilmore, James S. Fraser and Miss Lutie Jones. Mrs. George Fort
Milton, chairman of the League of Women Voters, appointed Mrs. John M.
Kenny State chairman for ratification with Mesdames John R. Aust and
Claude B. Sullivan chairmen of committees. They opened headquarter