The Washington times., 1917-09-25
PRESIDENT AND
SOLONS RECOGNIZE
SUFFRAGE CAUSE
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

Continued from First Page.)
trast the ease with which Mrs. White
house obtained an udience with the
President and his attention, and the
misguided efforts of the militants to
gain his support by Intensive banners.
The Presidents attitude on suffrage
has been misconstrued by some OF the
suffrage workers. His insistance on
a Stately State fight for suffrage has
been based heretofore upon the Dem
ocratic national platform. He voted
for suffrage in New Jersey.
Sought His Support.
Many efforts have been made to
enlist his upport for a Federal
amendment, but he has not deemed it
wise to put his personal influence be-
hind such a measure, presumably be-
cause of the division and dissension
IL would stir within his own party
the party OF State rights-and the
consequent danger to the domestic
gram.
The war, however, has enabled
friends of the Administration and
suffrage champions in Congress to
present their philosophy about equal
III q ldNOIdDlc lBhN- hc
possibility that the United States like
Great Britain would grant suffrage
to woman not as a measure of graft
tude for war service, but because Of
a deeper appreciation of woman's
part in the American democracy has
long been recognized.
Had II not been for the picketing
campaign, woman suffrage would
have made better progress. but things
are turning now to the point where
anti-suffrage workers are using the
picketing as an excuse to keep the
franchise from the millions Of splen-
did women who have denounced the
picketing, and who have not the
slightest sympathy with militant tao
tics.
Now Growing Impatient.
But the sincere advocates of suf-
frage are beginning to grow impa-
tient over the use which is being
made of the picketinE to obstruct
woman suffrage. when. as a matter of
fact, the activities OF the militants
are being every day squelched not
only by the police but by the real
woman suffrage leaders.
In fact. the National American |
Woman Suffrage Associations cam |
paign has been carried on so re-
specially and 80 effectively that con-
verts to the cause have been made. |
Chairman Pou, OF the House Commit |
tee on Rules. and Congressman Can
trill Of kentucky, both noted in their |
previous opposition to all suffrage
ueasures, spoke In support of the
resolution to create a special commit
tee in the House on woman suffrage !
After quoting from the statements |
OF Mrs. Gait and Mrs. Shaw, the &C
tive and honorary presidents OF the |
National Association, Mr.. Pou con-
cluded his speech thus:
81 am willing TO rest the case on |
the statement OF these distinguished |
women. A word to the wise is suf- |
ficient. This. Mr.. Speaker, is a ques- |
tion that will not down. We have
already in this body the first woman |
Representative In the American Con |
gress. She will not be the last.
Time Is At Hand.
There will be others who will be |
elected to sea.s in this body. 1t
seems to me the time has come to
respond to this nationwide demand |
and give these women the committee
they seem TO me to be entitled to-"
The vote of 1S1 to 1O7 in favor of |
creating the committee indicated that |
the House agreed with Congressman
Pou. But there is something more
significant than the creation OF a
new committee in the vote yesterday.
II shows that sentiment in favor OF
woman suffrage is growing. and can
be strengthened more and more II
the right kind of leaders manage the /
campaign here.
The President has not yet commit
ted himself on the Federal amend
ment, but IL the next session OF Con-
gress, when the big fight is to be made
for a Federal amendment, Mr.. Wilson /
is asked by Congressional leaders to /
express an opinion. it Is not going be-
yond the bounds of possibility to pre-
dict that the President may furnish |
more aid to the cause OF suffrage in 4
this country that day than he could |
now by recommendations or utter /
ances which necessarily would hnd |
Congress in an especially unreceptive |
mood.
Calendar Is ConEeSted.
This session of Congress has been |
too congested with war legislation to |
get action on the Federal amendment. |
Prohibition was disposed of in the !
Senate, but not in the House.
The chances are that when Con
gress meets again in December 1t will
finally dispose Of both the prohibition
and suffrage amendments. The pick
cts might have learned this by n care
full study of the legislative situation.
Women like DR.. Anna Howard Shaw
and Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait knew
Il and have wisely nodded their cam