Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-02-03
TRADES WOMEN
CALL ON WILSON
New England Mill Girls and
New York Sweat Shop
Employees Gather
URGE HIM TO LEND
AID TO SUFFRAGE
March, to White House With
Brass Band Playing
and Flags Waving

Washington, d. c., Feb. Glad IN
frocks of simple creation, representa-
tive of their trades, four hundred Wom-
en- workers from ten eastern states
intent on enlisting the support OF the
nations chief executive for the votes
for women's cause were received today
by President Wilson at the white
house.
They were led by Miss Marguerite
Hinchey, laundry worker, and Miss
Rose Winslow, a Pennsylvania weaver
who were designated as speakers to
appeal to the president to assist the
movement for woman suffrage by lend
ing mis- influence to the effort to estab-
lish house committee on suffrage.
The women began assembling for
the mass meeting long before noon.
Young girls from the mills of New
England and older women from the
sweat shops of New York were among
the number. One woman from New
York said she was the mother of two
children and had been walking the
streets for work she was unable to OBJ
tain
Mrs. Glendower Evans of Boston,
called the meeting to order when the
crowd of women overfowed from the
1ullic library steps and down on to the
green into the street, blocking traffic.
There were no set speeches but the
working women told in their own way
why they want women to vote.
Promptly at 1915 o'clock, stepping
briskly to the music of big brass
band. the women began their march on
the white house with banners flutter-
ing. s
Gives No Encouragement.
President Wilson gave no encourage
ment today to the delegation.
twenty-five of the women were re-
ceired by the president, and five, in
s,lolt speeches, presented their argu-
ret The president reiterated that
"a leader of the democratic party, he
,:s limited only to recommending
/ 10 6 things in which the party had
made up its mind
Eve don't want you to break with
your party, but we would like you to
influence Them said Mrs. Glendower
Evans of Boston, after the president
had finished speaking.
'It isn't a cues ton of breaking with
TIE party returned the president. 1T
IS question of speaking for It,.
'Well, why not speak to it, rejoined
is. Evans as the women laughed.
hats what we want You have such
tremendous power and can work mir
acIes with it,"
The president did not continue the
discussion but expressed wish to
meet women who were waiting out
side
But they tod us we could not all
come in remarked Mrs. Evans.
President is Snubbed.
at must be a misunderstanding,
said the president and he sent out
word that he would like to have the
delegation come in. They came in,
single file, passing in one door and out
another Some of the women de-
clined to shake hands with the presi-
dent. marching indifferently by, refus-
Ing to take his Iproffered hand. At
their exit DR.. Mary Walker in male at
tire argued with the women that suf-
frage was a state issue. She was not
permitted to enter with the delegation.
The pleas of the working women
we're praised eloquently and with a
. touch of pathos and emotion after they
described the hardships of women
workers. y
Prepare For Square Deal.
Shaking and trembling said Miss
Mar&aret Hinchey of the laundry work
ers of New York. I'VE come to plead
with YOU you are so square and on
the level and so much real democrat
that / appeal to you to wipe out the
injustice that exists. We could help
every worker, if we had the vote"
Miss Mary Schneiderman Of New
York representing the cap makers
spoke with emotion of the hardships
of women in mills and mines.
eve suffer side by side with the
men" she said. "and in constant fear
of losing our job AS she told Of
many cases of suffering the presidents
face showed sympathy and interest.
1--WE will be glad if you will mention
our cause in your next message" The
president smiled at Miss Winslow, who
stood close to him dropped her voice
to conversational tone and continued
her talk f
Mrs Evans referred in closing to the
fact that she had visited Mr.. Wilson
at Seagirt, when he was candidate for
president and claimed to have gotten
some encouragement for the cause Of
suffrage. 49,.
why we worked our finger nails off
to get you elected said Mrs. Evans.
~ thought from what you said that
you were in favor of our cause. You
were cunning for votes then.
II was much freer to express my
opinion than am now said the presi-
dent.