Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-13
National Council Decides to
Press Congress for Con-
stitutionaI Amendment.
COME FROM TEN STATES,
WHERE 100000 VOTE
Miss Jane Adams and Other Prom
inent Suffragists Attending
Council Session.

Having won the ballot for themselves
in their own states. representatives OF
100000 woman voters in ten states and
one territory. comprising the National
Council of Women Voters, began a three
day conference today at the Shoreham
Hotel to consider means for obtaining the
passage by Congress of a federal con-
stitutional amendment giving nationwide
suffrage to women.
Politics of an extremely practical sort
We're the subjects for discussion at the
opening session of the conference How
the Senate and House can be persuaded
10 pass the amendment was the sub
ject uppermost in the minds of the dele
gates.
Miss Jane Adams Present.
Mrs. Emma Smith De Voc Of Wash
ington state, president Of the council,
presided at the meeting. and Mrs.
Frances Maule Bjorkman of Colorado
was elected secretary of the three-day
conference Miss Jane Adams OF Hull
House. Chicago. arrived in the city this
morning, and is attending the sessions.
beautiful tribute to Lucy Stone. one
of the pioneer suffragfsts. whose birth
day is today, was the opening feature
wood, herself a pioneer. made a speech
praising Mrs. Stones work, telling of
how she had helped to get institutions
of higher learning opened to women.
Representatives of each suffrage
state then brought forward a ribbon of
color representing their state. Mrs.
James Wickersham of Alaska giving
white ribbon for the only territory
represented. Mrs. Bjorkman gathered
all the ribbons together and draped
them over a photograph of Mrs Stone.
Mrs. c. U. Stone. wife of Representa-
tive Stone of Illinois. made a plea that
Illinois, where women vote for all but
constitutional state officers. be ad
mitted to the council.
Illinois Is Admitted.
Dr. Cora Smith King of Washington
state introduced a resolution that this
be done, with the provision that the
Illinois representatives have the right
to vote on only certain subjects. The
resolution was unanimously carried.
Eleven representatives of Illinois, head
ed by Miss Adams. Miss Mary NC
Dowell and Mrs. l.. 3. Bishop, were
present.
Mrs. Frank w, Mondell wife of Repre-
sentative Mondell of Wyoming. and Mrs.
Edward Heating, wife of Representative
Heating of Colorado, made their state re-
ports. telling of how successful woman
tried Each gave a long list OF beneficial
legislation adopted In their states since
women began voting.
Miss Adams introduced resolution
proposing that the council now concen-
trate it's efforts on securing the adop-
ton of a constitutional amendment CIV
ing the franchise to women in the United
States After DIR. King had seconded the
resolution it was unanimously passed.
Address by Miss Paul.
Declaring that it is no longer practi-
cable to work for suffrage. state by state.
Miss Alice Paul, chairman OF the con-
gressional committee Of the National
American Woman Suffrage Association,
made an address on THE History OF
Federal Work for Woman Suffrage
with the immense political power con-
ferred by the presence Of nearly 4.O0Ooo
woman voters" said Miss Paul, land
with the possibility. according to the
present campaign outlook. OF more than
one-thrd of the electoral vote Tor the
next President coming from equal SUI
frage states it would seem that the
movement has reached a position when
should enable it very quickly to obtain
the massage of a federal amendment
through Congress. When once passed by
Congress the securing or the rauncatloh
nv three-fourths of the state legislatures
would be relatively very easy compared
with the present necessity OF converting
the majority of the male population OF
all the states.
History of Suffrage Movement.
Miss Paul told how. beginning in 1S4S.
and continuing until the present time, de-
termined efforts have been made to win
woman suffrage state by state. Until
the civil war, she pointed out no efforts
were made to obtain the franchise
through Congress. She then told how
each year women have come to Wash
ington pleading for the ballot, with little
effect.
I'm the meantime, however she con-
tinued great gains have been made In
the individual states. when the nrsl
suffrage conference was called. in 1913,
there was only one place In the country
where women could vote. This was In
Kentucky, where. in 1888, school suffrage
had been given to widows with children
of school age. Since that time the iran
chise has been gradually extended by act
of the state legislatures and by amend
ing the state constitutions until at pres
ent women have the full vote In nine
states: Wyoming. Colorado. Utah, Idaho,
Washington, California, Oregon, Arizona
and Kansas; and in one territory. Alaska.
In the state Of Illinois they have the
vote for all unconstitutional Offices In
addition they have school suffrage In
eighteen states, taxpaying suffrage in
four states and bond suffrage in two
states.
Line of Least Resistance.
During these past'years the state has
undoubtedly offered the line Of least re-
sistance for suffrage work. The fact
that about 100000 women are now able
to vote for President has changed the
situation. however. and brought close at
hand the time when the slow and tedious
process Of winning the vote state by state
can be shortened by the direct cut of fed
eral action.
In view Of this new situation the Ma
tional Suffrage Association is concen-
trating upon the work for "A federal
amendment. For the first time In many
years it has, through its congressional
committee. opened headquarters in Wash
ington. Every effort is being made to
secure the passage Of the amendment
during the present Congress
Power Of Franchise Developed.
Mrs Jessie Hardy Stubs of Illinois
told of the national strength of the suf-
frage movement today. illustrating her
talk with large map on which the ten
suffrage states plainly indicated what
power women WELD.
Mrs. Stubbs said that at present one
fifth of the members OF the Senate come
from suffrage states, one-seventh of the
House from suffrage states and ONE
sixth of the electoral votes for President
come from states where women vote
More than one-third of the Senate she
said. ene-third of the House, and more
than one third of the electoral COLLAGE