The Washington herald., 1915-11-03
Women Are Not Pessimistic
Over Their Defeat at Polls
Suffrage Workers Take Heart Vote Cast for Ballot and
Will Work Togeher-"Gong Away" Parties
Planned for Members of Congress-

The defeat of suffrage at the polls in
New York, Massachusetts and Pennsyl-
vania has by no means cast a cloud of
pessimism over the women who now are
preparing TO wage a vigorous crusade
for the enactment Of suffrage amend
ment to the Constitution at the coming
session OF Congress.
Members of the Congressional Union
for Woman Suffrage. the National Amer
lean Woman Suffrage Association and
other local suffrage leaders last night
were optimistic. They were somewhat
disappointed. of course, that victories
had not been attained. but they were
overjoyed at the remarkable showing
made by the suffrage forces in all three
States.
They believe that these minority votes
stand as a token of the growing senti
ment in favor of woman suffrage and IS
an Indication OF the pressure that will
he brought to bear upon Congress at the
coming session.
II looks now as though the various suf-
frage organizations have reached the
point where they are willing to cast aside
all differences and put their shoulders
alike to the wheel in a common EFFORT to
roll the suffrage amendment over the
goal. The North American Woman Suf-
frage Association is ready to support the
Anthony amendment, which is advocated
by the Congressional Union. and the Con-
gressional Union is ready TO lay aside its
partisan tactics. which have involved at
lacks upon Democratic leaders. and which
have not received the approval of some
of the other suffrage organizations.
Eighteen of the nonsuffrage States are
preparing to take part in the big drive
for the national amendment which has
been set in motion by Mrs. Medill Nc
Cormick. chairman of the national Con-
gressional committee of the North Ameri-
can Woman Suffrage Association, and
Miss Alice Paul. chairman OF the Con-
Rressional Union. These States are
Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island. Mary
land. Ohio. Indiana, Illinois. Wisconsin,
Michigan. Missouri. Nebraska and South
Dakota. Never before has there been
such a concerted effort for Federal suf-
frage legislation.
Plan Extensive Lobby.
Mrs. Mccormick has perfected a plan
by which every Representative and Sem
ator who did not vote for the Bristow-
Mondell amendment in the last Congress
and every new member whose position Is
uncertain shall be made aware OF the
sentiment in his district for a national
amendment. One or two members during
the lobby preceding the vote on the
amendment at the last session were so
unwary as to claim when interviewed
that there were no suffragists in their
districts. These members will shortly be
made better acquainted with their con-
stituents when the plans Of the Congress
sional committee have been carried out.
Simultaneous suffrage conventions, rep
resentative of all the suffrage organiza-
tons of each district, will be held as a
farewell reminder to the Senators and
Representatives before their departure
for Washington. November 16 Is the date
which has been set for these going
away parties"
Mrs. Mccormick emphasizes the fact
that these demonstrations will not take
the form OF Populations. They are meet
ings attended by delegates from every