The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-27
SUFFRAGISTS REFUSED AID
 
Delegation of Leaders Told At New York Interview That Question is One For States to Decide. Leaders Conduct Exchange of Notes Before They Are Received By Executive Busy Day Planned.

New York, Jan. 27-Presi- dent Wilson and a delegation of 200 members of the Congres- sional Union for Woman Suf- frage exchanged a series of notes today and the women won a diplomatic victory by in ducing the President to grant them an interview.
 The interview was disap- pointing to the suffragists, however, as the President re- fused his support to the move ment for constitutional amendment favoring suffrage. He held that the question is one for the states to decide. The. President refused to be cross examined by one of his yisi- tors.
 When the President arrived here this morning he found 200 suffragists awaiting him in a parIor near the suite he and Mrs. Wilson occupied at the Waldorf-Astoria.
 Secretary TumuIty said that as the President required considerable time in which to finish preparing his speech he would not be able to see the wo- men or address them On receipt of this the women held q hurried coUn- ci1, drew up a second note and dis patched it by the manager of the ho- tel. The suffragists told the Presi- dent they did not wish him to ad- dress them but they did want to tell him some thingss about the Susan B. Anthony amendment bill now before Congress Again the reply was in the negative.
 Mrs O. H. P Belmont, ono of the prominent suffrage leaders, was then r called on the telephone and asked to direct the next move. Twice she dictated notes which the manager was prevailed upon to deliver at the Presi- dentiaI suite.
 Between two of the managers trips as a messehger, Mrs. Mary Beard, wife of a professor at Columbia University. urged the delegation to remain in the hotel in an effort to see the Presi- dent and request him to advocate suf- frage.
 Suffrage is ever so much more important than preparedness, said the speaker. It was not until he had replied to four notes that the Presi- dent agreed to meet the suffragists, saying he had concluded his speech preparation before he had expected to.
 The President addressed the delega- ton briefly. He declined to support the movement for an amendment to the Federal constitution providing for woman suffrage, saying that he felt that the suffrage question should be dealt with by each individual state.
 Efforts made byS Mrs. Mary Beard to cross examine the President on his opinion met with failure. He refused courteously to reply to her questions.
 The President apologized to the women for not seeing them earlier since arriving in New York. He added that .'it may be that my mind works slowly, but I have always thought that there were things which should be built slowly and therefore made more lasting. I may be a little old fashion in my view that the suf- frage question should be handled by the states
 The President frankly admitted to. the suffragettes that he had promised several months ago to discuss with leaders of Congress the suffrage ques-T ton, but other matters of legislation. he said, had come up which he thought demanded preference.
 There are things that cannot wait, 'a said the President. Action on great constitutional matters must be delib- erate.''
 President Wilson arrived here at s a. na today, to face a program calling for a reception by clergymen, the de- livery of addresses before two business organizations and the probability that he would be interviewed by a delega- tion of German-American who want him to persuade the British govern ment to permit the shipment of milk from America for babies in Germany. He was accompanied by Mrs. Will son, his secretary, Joseph Humility, and pr. Cary T. Grayson- The party remained on board the train in the Pennsylvania, station until 8 a. un- when a. committee from the Railroad Business association arrived to escort them to the Waldorf Astoria, hotel.