New Britain herald., 1915-12-07
WILSON ENCOURAGES
 WOMAN SUFFRAGISTS
Promises to Confer With Congress
 Leaders on Amendment

Washington, Dec 7.-Woman suf- fragists brought their demand for a constitutional amendment to congress again yesterday and renewed their re- quest for support to President Wilson.
 While the president declined to take up their cause in his annual ad- dress today as they asked, he prom ised to confer with congress leaders over the amendment. and from that assurance the women derived much encouragement Heretofore the presi- dent consistently held that suffrage was state issue. What effect, if any, the recent defeat of suffrage in the elections in the eastern states, may have had on his attitude, was not disclosed but the women were confi- dent that their latest pilgrimage to the White House had been the most fruitful of all.
 300 Women Present.
 The presidents interview with 300 women Tn the east room of the White l House was the climax of a days dem | onstration which included the pre- | sentation of petitions to congressmen speechmaking on the steps of the 1 capitol, the introduction of the Susan B. Anthony suffrage amendment in | the house and parade up Pennsyl- | yania avenue. A celebrated suffrage petition, 1S,000 feet long, and bearing l 100000 names of voters in the west ern suffrage states, which was brought l across the continent in an autom obile by Mrs. Sara Bard Field of Oregon and Miss Frances Jolliffe of Califor- mia was lost between here and Will mington, Del, by the express com pany which had been entrusted with the last few miles of it's long journey. The women had another petition with them, however, and although less pre- tentious it was presented to Repre- sentative Mondell, republican, of Wyoming. on the steps of the capi- tol.
 Three Resolutions.
 When the house assembled MT Mondell introduced the Susan B Anthony amendment; Representative Raker of California, a democrat, in troduced an identical measure, and Meyer London, the new socialist con gressman from New York, presented still another. Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the National Amer. ican Woman Suffrage association, sal in the gallery with party of suffrage leaders and watched the proceedings The introduction of three identical re- solutions seemed to please pr. Shaw
 we have introduced this selfsamt resolution in every congress for the last forty-seven years.' said she, "anC while never have had any diff culty in getting it introduced, we rarely have enjoyed such a degree of cooperation from all political par ties.'
 March on White House.
 Satisfied that that was about all to be expected of congress for one day, the women marched on the White House. Up Pennsylvania avenue with some brass bands and a fife and drum corps they paraded between lines of police who were under special instruc- tions to see that they were unm olested The disorderly scenes of three years ago, when the suffrage parade was nlobbed and the police stood power less, were fresh in the minds of some Of the women and they stepped with broad smiles of recollection of how they had forced congress to in-vesti- gate that incident. Today some of the women rode on horseback, but most of them walked bearing purple and yellow banners which were l Dy d raw "llISE Wluu.
 At the White House the 300 visiting leaders marched into the east room and the remainder of the procession waited outside during the interview With the president. Miss Anne Mar tin, of Nevada, and Miss Jolliffe, were spokesmen. The president listened l attentively to their request that he take up suffrage in his address to- day and told them he found it impos- sible because his address was finished and he had devoted it to another sub ject.
 Presidents Remarks.
 "All I can say with regard to what you are urging at present. said he, lis this: I hope I shall always have an open mind and I shall certainly take the greatest pleasure in confer ring in the most serious way with my colleagues at the other end of the city With regard to what is the right thing to do at this time concerning this great matter. I am always restrained as some of you will remember, by the consciousness that I must speak for others as well as for myself so long as I occupy my present office, and therefore I do not like to speak for