Arizona republican., 1916-12-06
[Republican A. p. Leased Wirel

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-President Wilson's address to congress today was marked by a wOman's suffrage coup in the galleries-the first real show of organized militancy in the cap ital-and by a great demonstration of congratulations to the president upon his reelection in which many republi- cans joined with the democrats.
 After acknowledging the prolonged cheers and applause which greeted his entry to the hall of the house, the pres ident launched into his address, re- viewing recommendations for railroad legislation, corrupt practices act and had passed to his recommendations for a broader government for Porto Rico. He was just about to begin a sentence:
 The present laws governing the islands and regulating the rights and privileges of it's people are not just. when over the rail of the gallery. where sat a party of woman suffrage leaders. there fluttered down above the heads of an amazed assemblage of senators and representatives a silken banner of suffrage yellow. bearing in great black letters theinscription:
 President Wilson. what will you do for woman suffrage"
 The suffragists said afterward it was their protest against the presidents plea with congress for broader suffrage for the men of Porto Rico while he did not mention their own cause in his ae- dress.
 As the banner rippled down the suf- fragists sat smiling and unperturbed. watching the effect 4 diminutive page, raised on the arms of men di- rectly under the gallery. grasped the edge of the banner and snatched it down. President Wilson. attracted by the stir. looked up from his reading and apparently taking in the situation at a glance. smiled broadly and without hesitation or interruption turned his eyes back 10 his manuscript and con tinued his address to it's end without further demonstration.
 Policemen and gallery guards sour ried to where the women were seated, but contented themselves with watch ing the party, as if to prevent further outbreak.
 When the joint session was over the suffragists filed out unmolested by the police, who said they had no orders other than to prevent any further in- fringement of the rules of the house The banner remained a trophy with the sergeant al arms
 As it turned out, the women had their plans laid with precision and sprung their coup almost on the second Evi- dently in possession Of an advance copy of the presidents address. they had timed the document at the speed they expected he would read, and anti cipated he would reach the Porto Rico section in eight minutes.
 Miss Mabel Vernon, of Nevada, who hecllled the president here at his Amer ican Federation of Labor speech last July and who smuggled the banner into the house gallery under her coat today kept time and gave the signal for the unfurling of the banner.
 Before the police cOuld get to the gal lery the suffragists' press agent was busy handing out "canned" reports of the affair replete in detail, giving the names of the militants md interviews with each.
 The concensus of their opinion was summed up by Mrs. Abby Scott Baker of the Congressional Union, who de- clared the incident was expressive of the indignation that women feel at the