Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-09-30
WILSON GOES
T0SENATEIN
AID OF SUFFS
President Steps Into the
Breach-Urges Passage
as War Measure.

Washington, Sept 80. - Presi-
dent Wilson today stepped into the
breach of the senate fight over the
woman suffrage resolution and in a
personal address in the senate
chamber, asked for its passage as
a war measure.
When it became known that the
president would address the SEN
ate, opponents of the resolution
began a series of conferences tC
discuss the situation.
Asked whether in his opinion
open support by the president
would result in its adoption, Sen
ator Martin declared that it would
be impossible to change the votes
which have been pledged against
the resolution.
The occasion was the presidents
second appearance before the SEN
ate, the first being in January,
1917, when he delivered his cele-
brated peace speech. His appear
ance in the senate today was the
second of any president since the
days of Washington and Adams.
Text of Speech.
The president addressed the. SEN
ate as follows:
Gentlemen of the Senate: The
unusuai-c circumstances Of a world
war in which we stand and are
judged in the view not only of our
own people and our own consi-
ences but also in the view of all
nations and peoples, will, I hope,
justify in your thought as it does
in mine. the message J. have come
to bring you.
4 regard the concurrence of the
senate in the constitutional amend
ment proposing the extension of
the suffrage to women as vitality
essential 10 the successful prosecu-
tiOn of the great war of humanity
in which we are engaged. l have
come to urge upon you the consid
erations which have led to that
conclusion 1t is not only my priv
ilege. it is also my duty to apprise
you OF every circumstance and ele-
ment involved in this momentOus
struggle which seems to me to af-
feet its very process and its out
come. 1t is my duty to win the
war and TO ask you to remove every
obstacle that stands in the way OF
winning it.
No Principle at Stake.
q had assumed that the senate
would concur in the amendment be-
cause no disputable principle Is
involved but only a question of the
method by which the suffrage is
to be extended to women. There
in
volved in it. Both Of our great ma
tionaI parties are pledged, explic-
lilly pledged, to equality of suf-
frage for the women of the coun-
try
Neither party, therefore, it
seems to me, can Justify hesitation
as to the method of obtaining IL;
can rightfully hesitate to substi-
tute federal initiative for state ini-
tiative. if the early adoption OF this
measure is necessary to the sue
cessful prosecution of the war and
of the method of the state action
proposed in the party platforms Of
1916 is impra cticable, within any
reasonable length of time. if prac-
tical at all. And its adoption is, in
my Judgment. clearly necessary to
the successful prosecution of the
war and the successful realization
Of the objects for which the war is
being fought.
THAT judgment | take the liberty
Of urging upon you with solemn
for reasons which l
shall state very frankly and which
| shall hope will seem as conclu
sive to you as they seem to me.
Is Peoples War.
This is a peoples war and the
peoples thinking constitute its
atmosphere and morale, not the
predictions of the drawing room
Or the political considerations OF
the caucus. II we be indeed demo
Gratis and wish TO leave the world
to democracy, we can ask other
to accept in proof OF our
(Continued On Page Ten.)