The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-01
SUFFRAGE ISSUE: lSSU|E|:..
ONE FOR STATES
President Refuses to Support
Movement for Amendment to
Federal Constitution.
WOMEN VISIT WHITE HOUSE
Plainly Chagrined at Result, and
Talk of Action Against
Democratic Party.
WOMEN VISIT WHITE HOUSE

members OF the General Federation OF
Women's Clubs marched TO the White
House to-day and drew from President l.
Wilson n final refusal to accede to de-
mandS rnat he support the movement
for a woman suffrage amendment TO
the Federal Constitution. The Presi-
dent reiterated his statement to previ-
GUS delegations that his party had not
embodied this question in Its PLATFORM,
and then. for the first time, announced
his personal conviction that the suf-
frase issue was one for settlement by
the States and not by the Federal gov
ernment
The women went away plainly dis
appointed and ohagrined, some OF them
talking OF immediate action against
the Democratic party. Headed by such
leaders as Mrs. Ellis Logan. Mrs. Har-
vey W. Wiley, Mrs. Rheta Chllde Dorr
and Miss Alice Paul. they had marched
TO the White House with bands play
ing and banners flying. They massed
themselves in the historic East Room.
many carrying babies, who added their
Ing or crying. accom- paniments to the
speeches..
NO APPLAUSE IN ROOM
AS PRESIDENT ENTERS
once inside the White House. the
women N:nade no demonstrations, and
talking. TNSc was no applause as the
President enteSed the East Room ac.
companied by Co,cnel Harts hi mill
tary aide. in full dress uniform vrs
Ellis Logan. presidentN2f the
of Columbia FederationSt
Clubs. told the President os !,
tlon of a. suffrage resolution a.
cent general convention of her orgftAQ
zation in Chicago.
Presenting the engraved resolution.
Mrs. Logan replied to the charge that
the Chicago convention had been
packed In favor OF the suffrage reso-e
lution. NJ
The women over the seas are holds
Ing out their hand to us" said she.2i
Eight million working women have
their eyes on the result of this reso-
luton to-day. Mr.. President on the
eve of the Fourth ofEJuly, when the
Declaration of our forefathers still
rings its jubilant note around the world,
what more fittinsl hour and time ifor8
| our President. the father of'6aughters.s
to give his voice and influenceito bras
cause:"
PLEA OF SUFFRAGTsTS
MADE NY Mns.cDoRR
Mrs. Wiley spoke briefly and intro
duced Mrs. Dorr, who made the prin-
cipal plea OF the suffragists. She re-
ferred to the Presidents declaration
when the suffragists visited him, be-
fore that he was determined never to
initiate any important legislation
until the Democratic party had given
it's approval
since our last visit to the White
House." said she. YOU have reccded
from that position. You have Initiated
and carried through Congress an eN-
tren,ely important piece of legisia-
ton without waiting for party instruc-
tion. In fact, you carried 1t through
in the face of positive instructions to
the contrary written In the platforrn
on which you were elected. Your justi-
fcation rested on the fact that a GER
tain situation had changed and
changed situation called for changed
policy. We SUBMIT that the situa-
tion in regard to woman suffrage has
changed absolutely since the Balti-
more platform was written
| Our immediate request is that YOU
! see to II that the Rules COMMITTEES
makes a favorable report on alIottinS
| time for consideration OF the suffrage
amendment III the House during this
! session.
PRESIDENT IS ASKED
| TO ANSWER QUESTION
! 1T was extremely kind of you to re-
ceive this deputation. but wo have
| reached the point where we ore not
| satisfied with kindness and toloratfon.
| We want action. We. therefore six
| you to answer Il plain question: What
are you going TO do. now, in this
| present session Of Congress. for wom-
AN suffrage? Are you going TO use
%our powerful influence to induce Con-
gress TO pass the Mondell- Bristow res
! olution ."
There was a short pause. and then
the President stepped forward and ad-
| dressed his callers.
NO one could fail to be impressed
by this great company OF thoughtfui
| women, said the President, and
| want TO assure you that il is to me
most impressive. ! have stated once
before the position which. as the leader
! of party. I feel Obliged to take. and
will
to state II again. Perhaps 1t would be
more serviceable IL I ventured upon
| the confident conjecture that tho Bal
timore convention did not embody this
! very important question in the plat
| form whiih 1t adopted, because OF its
conviction that the principles of tha
Constitution. which allotted these
! questions TO the States, were we'll
| considered principles from which they
did not wish to depart
| WILSON THINKS 1T >fATSTER
| FOR STATES TO SETTLE,
| You have asked me TO state nv
| personal position with regard to the
| pending measure. II Is my conviction
that this is q matter for settlement BY
| the States. and not by the Federal
government. and, therefore. that be.
! ing my personal conviction, and IL be-
| inS obvious that thero is no ground on
my part for discouragement In the,
| progress you are making. and my pas
sion being for local self government.
| can only say that, since you turned
away from me as a leader OF a party
| and asked me my position as a man, I
| am Obliged to state Il very frankly
| II think that very few persons, per-
| haps. realize the dihlculty of tho dual
| duty that must be exercised by a
| President OF the United States. He, as
| President. Is an executive charged with
the administration OF the law, but he
| Is the choice of q party as leader In
| policy. The policy Is determined byi
| the party. or else upon unusual and1
new circumstances. by the dcter-
| mination of those who lead the partyyY
| This Is my situation AS an indlyidua -
SERIES OF QUESTIONS