Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-02-03

with the President, the others waiting
until the argument had ceased and Mr..
Wilson asked to shake hands with all.
In voices often choaked with emo
ton the five speakers recited tale
of modern industry. which. they SAID.
knew no chivalry, where old and young
women worked side by side for made
quate wages and under conditions that
undermined health.
Representatives of the weavers, the
laundresses. the capmakers, the hat
makers, garment workers and other
trades in 10 Eastern states addressed
the President.
Arguments Advanced.
Mrs Glendower Evans of Boston,
one of the leaders of the Congression-
al Union for Woman Suffrage. intro
duced them in turn, and each present
ed a plea for her own viewpoint.
Il don't have to make a speech to
you." said Miss Rose winslow. of the
weavers. who stood beside the Presi-
dent in the group, "and l am so nerv-
out that / could not make one if
wanted to--because l don't address
Presidents every day"
"They are human just like everybody
else" interjected the President, with
a smile.
That is what makes it possible for
me to speak to you, because | know
you are human just as are the rest or
us. You have a heart and mind ana
know what conditions we are working
under We believe woman suffrage
will save u.s." The President listened
attentively to the speeches, often muir
muring sympathetieally.
Il need not tell you," he said final
ly, that group of women like this
appeals to me very deeply indeed.
do not need to tell you what my feel
ings are, but l have already explained
the limitations that are laid upon me
as the leader of the party. Until the
party as such has considered mat
ter of this very supreme Importance
and taken a position on it l cannot
speak of it.-and yet 1 am not at lib
ertv to speak as an individual either
All I can say is that the strength OF
your agitation in this matter undoubt-
edly will make a profound impress
sion"
Mrs. Evans was disposed to remind
Mr.. Wilson that in a conversation with
her at Sea Girt. n. j., when he was
a candidate for the Presidency, he
showed a much more encouraging at
titude toward woman suffrage.
I'VE worked our finger nails off then
to get you elected" she said and add
ed. reflectively, but you were cunning
for votes then"
asking for the votes of the people,
corrected the President, mildly.
And we admired the way you did
it," remarked Mrs. Evans.
President Doesn't Remember.
The President said he was much
more free to express his views then
than he was now, but did not recall
that he had taken any position on the
question of woman suffrage. He new
er spoke on it in public during the
campaign, and to an interrupting ques-
ton once at a meeting in Brooklyn,
declared 1t was a state issue. Per-
sons close to the President say he be-
lieves it is a problem for the states
to decide though there is reason TO
believe he never has made up his
mind definitely on the merits of the
question. He does not feel it incum-
bent upon him, however, to take
stand ON it until the Democratic par
ty has fully considered it and this is
the answer which ne is determined
to give all delegations of suffragists
who come to see him in the future.
The House Democrats have called
caucus tomorrow to determine wheth-
er the recent unfavorable action of
the rules committee on the proposal to
establish a standing committee on wo-
man suffrage should be reversed. The
President has expressed himself to
one member of the rules committee as
in favor of such new committee.