Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1914-02-02
ASK SUPPORT FOR BALLOT
URGE Mr.. WILSON TO WORK FOR
EQUAL SUFFRAGE AMEND
MENT IN FUTURE
SAYS he CANT DO IT
He REPRESENTS HTS PARTY AND
MUST WAIT FOR IN TO
TAKE ACTION

Washington, Feb. president Will
son gave no encouragement today to
a delegation Of 300 working women
who marched on the White House
with brass band and flying colors
to ask his support for a constitutional
amendment enfranchising women.
Twenty-Five of the women were re
ceived by the president and five, In
short speeches, participated in the ar
gument.
The president reiterated that as a
leader of the democratic party he
was limited only to recommending
those things on which the party had
made up its mind.
We 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.
1T is not question Of breaking
with the party" returned the presi-
dent 1T is question Of speaking
for it.
Well, why not speak to it, re-
Joined Mrs. Evans, as the women
laughed. 'Thats what we want. You
have such tremendous power and can
work miracles with it.
The president did not continue the
discussion. but expressed a wish to
meet the women who were waiting
outside.
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
them. One woman from New York
said she was the mother Of two chill
dren and had been walking the streets
for work she was unable to obtain.
Mrs Giendower Evans Of Boston
called the meeting to order when the
crowd Of women overflowed from the
public library steps and down 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 1916 o'clock, stepping
brislcly to the blaring of a big brass
band, the women began their march
on the White House, banners flutter
ing. Outside the executive offices
the column halted while the women
selected committee to interview the
president.
"But they told us we could not al
come In" remarked Mrs. Evans.
TT must be a misunderstanding,
said the president, and he sent wore
out that he would like to have ths
delegation come in. They came in
single file, passing in one door AM
out another. Some Of the womer
declined to shake nands with the
president, marching indifferently by
refusing to take his proffered hand
At the exit door, Mary Walker, il
male attire. argued with the womel
that suffrage was a state issue sh'
was not permitted to enter with thy
delegation.
The pleas Of the working womel
were phrased eloQuently and with {
touch Of pathos and emotion as the
described the hardships Of womeI
workers.
Shaking and trembling said Mis-
Margaret Hichey Of the Laundr'
workers Of New York, 4we come t
plead with you. You are 50 squar
ami on the level and 50 much a rea
democrat that appeal to you to wip
out the injustice that exists, w
could help every democrat if we hal
the vote
Miss Mary Schneiderman Of NeV
York. representing the can makers
spoke with emotion of the hardship
Of women in mills and mines.
eve suffer side By side with th