Members of the group in the Knox
County League of Women Voters
who deposed Mrs. W. L. Morris, president, and "expelled" her from
membership in the league, feel that
they have been officially recognized
by Mrs. John M. Kenney, state pres-
ident, in view of the appointment
yesterday of 12 of their members
to be chairmen of local committees
for the coming convention to be held
here on March 18 and 19, while oniy
one of the league aligned with Mrs.
Morris was named. Another mem-
ber of the league who has announced her neutrality was also appointed.
No official action on the part of the state executive board has been made by Mrs. Kennedy, however. Announcement of the plans of each faction for its meeting Thursday, which is the redular meeting day of the league, also indicates that an interesting session will feature each meeting, with the appointment of convention delegates at the Morris meeting and the reading of the minutes of three meetings held by the Cunningham group at the St. James hotel, and about which there has centered considerable discussion, namely the Saturday night meeting
and those on Monday morning and Thursday morning, at the
last of which Mrs. Morris was "ex-
pelled."
Telegrams which passed between
Mrs. W. L. Morris and Mrs. Ida B.
Cheatam relative to the situation
here following Miss Woolley's de-
parture were also released by the
group opposed to Mrs. Morris, at
the request of Mrs. Kenney. Members of the league releasing the tel-
grams said that Mrs. Kenney had
requested their release in view of the
fact that Mrs. Morris had said she
had nothing but a long distance telephone communication from Mrs.
Cheatam.
Committees Named
Mrs. Kenney's appointment of
chairmen to serve in preparation
for the state meeting of the league
in Knoxville, is as follows: Miss
Jean Crawford, local arrangements;
Mrs. J. Marion Miller, Mrs. William
Gilbert, Mrs. N. S. Woodward, Mrs.
William Bronwlee (sic.), credentials; Mrs.
E. L. Thomas and Mrs. N. E. Logan,
program; Miss Mary Boyce Temple
and Mrs. R. L. Cunningham, co-
chairmen reception; Miss Ada Fanz,
publicity; Miss Emma Pate, finance;
Mrs. J. B. Guinn and Mrs. Lucy Reed, printing; Mrs. Fred A. Ault,
invitations.
Mrs. Lucy Reed is the only member of the league appointed who
champions the cause of Mrs. Morris.
Mrs. Guinn has recently announced
her neutrality as between the factions.
Mrs. Morris would not comment
on the apointment last night, but
Mrs. Sherwood Johnston said that
she had never known this procedure
in the appointment of local convention committees to be followed before—that it was the reule (sic.) for a local organization to appoint or recommend chairmen for all committees
charged with arrangements, and that
it seemed to her to be irregular.
Mrs. Johnston also said that these
appointments of Mrs. Kenney seemed to indicate where her sympathies
in the controversy lay. She said
that she did not feel that Mrs. Kenney was fully informed on local conditions and felt that she had taken
an unfair position in the matter.
Members of the other faction who
were reached last night, said they
had not been advised by Mrs. Kenney as yet of their appointment,
but that they would serve and do
all they could to assist Mrs. Kenney
to make a success of the convention.
Telegrams Given Out
The telegrams released by Mrs.
Kenney through members of the
league bearing on Miss Woolley's
visit here follow:
Knoxville, Tenn., Feb, 12, 1924.
Mrs. Elliot Cheatam, 696 Peachtree
Street, Atlanta, Georgia.
Miss Woolley has left town. Why
I do not know as she has not communicated with me since Saturday
night. Did she leave by your advice or by Mrs. Kenney's? Whoever is responsible must furnish
me immediately necessary and official reason for failure to meet en-
gagement to speak before Girls' National Junior League of America, a
large and influential organization.
It appears Kenney came here at re-
quest of bolting members. Her visit
here, remaining over until noon today, resulted in a definite split in
my leaigue. I will continue campaign, with strong supporters behind
me, who join in asking you to come
to us with assistance as soon as possible.
MRS. WILLIAM L. MORRIS,
President Knox County League of
Women Voters.
Reply sent to Mrs. Morris, February 12, 1924:
National places Miss Woolley under direction of Mrs. Kenney while
in Tennessee, I understood you did
not wish Woolley to remain in
Knoxville unless exclusively under
your direction. This impossible under our form of organization. Regret excedinglly difficulty between
state and local league representative.
