The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-18
Left to right, Miss Florence
Harmon and Miss Mabel
Scofeld.
Suffragists Acting Under Her
Directions Follow Him
About City.

ISOLATION. two s~ufsrag!sts. Miss Florence
Harmon and Miss Mabel Scofield. the
latter an English militant who has been
imprisoned twice In London. waited all
yesterday afternoon to deliver a note to
President Wilson. Receiving no an
swer after giving It to his official stenog-
rapher. they will try again this morn
ing to see the President.
The women first presented their note
to Joseph Tumulty. the Presidents sec
rotary, who told them politely that an
audience then would be impossible. bu,
he would deliver the letter. As one Of
the women gave Mr.. Tumulty the letter
the other remarked In sarcastic tone:
"Mr. Wilson is the best little evader
We kno Of"
The Presidents secretary turned
quickly on his heel, his face red with
suppressed anger. Handing back the
letter he said crisply:
This will not reach the President
through my hands, n walked rapidly
away.
Follow Wilson TO Fleet.
The women sat down and waited for a
llttS liftdliN w NV ~
the Biltmore to the dock at West Forty
second street. of which the Mayfiower Is
anchored. There they handed the note
to Mr.. Wilson's official s~tenographer on
his promise to see that II reached the
Presidents hands. Mrs. m said
then that II no answer was received by
5 o'clock mother effort to gain an audi
ence would be made this morning, AT .
o'clock no answer had been received.
.sNNa shall fnItnW tho Draeidapf pyery-
where until he says. Yes or NO on the
suffrage question:" said Mrs. Belmont
afterward. I'm every public meeting In
any city he will have suffragists to deal
with.
ut is ridiculous that We should MOI
have been able to see him yesterday
she continued warmly. Il have seen
all the crowned heads OF Europe and
there is no one who Is guarded like
President Wilson. What is the Presi-
dent, anyway? He is only a man VINO
la S for four years; then sinks into
oblivion.
Imagine the head OF a great republic
being afraid to walk the streets OF one
OF his own cities without a b~odyguard
larger than that OF the SulUn OF
Turkey. What is the use OF "A republic
II no. to entitle It's citizens to speak
with their President"
The appearance OF our delegation
seemed to create almost a panic at the
Biltmore. but ! don't see why the Presi'
dent should have been afraid OF two
women with all that crowd OF secre'
service men and police"
Mrs. Belmont Threatened.
To suggestions that President Wilson
might be more carefully guarded because
of the rather strained International stu
alton Mrs. Belmont replied:
why should he be afraid Of assas'
sination? have been threatened man,
times myself. yet ! was never afraid
to go out on the streets alone.
"Of course she continued, we would
prefer TO have an audience with thu
President by more dlgniied methods
but since he will not grant us this priv
lege We must see him in what way w
can. lie must be made to realize tina
women really exist.
"Thi IL not an isolated incident. ]
IL the beginning of an organized cam
paign by the Congressional Union. w
shall follow Mr.. Wilson everywhere; W
shall not stop until he hears us on tn
subject of a Fedora woman suffrag
amendment. II he does not reply a
on-e I will send a delegation early TO
HUTTON nv IlHS w - o''''''
audience. ] have confidence that Presi
dent Wilson. being a gentleman, vii
answer my request at once"
The letter given to the President
stenographer. read as follows:
President Woodrow Wilson, Hotel But
more. Netc York.
DEAR Mr.. PRESIDENT: As the New
York representative OF the national
executive committee OF the Congress
slonal Union for Women's Suffrage,
and as n representative of 1000
women in New York city members OF
the association OF which ] am presi-
dent. ! respectfully request that dur
ing your stay In this city YOU accord
an audience to n deputation OF New
York ~suffragettes.
We are exceedingly anxious to take
advantage OF this opportunity afforded
10y your visit to this city to lay before
you the deep interest OF New York
women In the national suffrage amend
ment known as the Susan Il. Anthony
amendment and to ask your support
of that amendment,
The present grave international sit
. uatlon makes us feel that II is more
= imperative han ever that women be
given some share in determining the
political policy of the Government OF
their country, since they, rs well as
men. are affected by all Government
, measures.
Therefore we appeal TO you at this
moment to allow MS to submit our
: question and ask your powerful aid In
this national movement to emove the
political disabilities of m Very
sincerely
Mrs. OLIVER II. r. BELMONT.
, Above presented to President VIII
. son May II 1915,
o Misc Florence Harmon, one OF Mr.