The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-09-30
PASSAGE OF THE
 SUFFRAGE BILL
 URGED IN SENATE
(Continued frorn Page 1.)

cause no d1Sputable principle IS ln- volved, but only question of the method by which the suffrage is to be extended to women. There is and can be no party issue involved in 1t. Both of our great national parties are pledged, exp1icitedly pledged to equality of suffrage for the women of the country. Neither party, there fore, it seems to me, can justify hesi- tation as to the method of obtaining it, can rightfully hesitate to substitute Federal initiative for state initiative, if the early adoption of this measure is necessary to the successful prose- cution of the war and if the method of state action proposed in the party platforms of 1916 is impracticable. within any reasonable length of time, if practical at all. And it's 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, I take the liberty est for reasons which I shall state very frankly and which hope will seem as conclusive to you as they seem to me.
 ''This is a peoples war and the peoples thinking constitute its at- mosphere and morale, not the predi- lections of the drawing room or the political considerations of the caucus. If we be indeed democrats and wish to leave the world to democracy, we can ask other peoples to accept in proof of our sincerity and our ability to lead them whither they wish to be led nothing less persuasive and con- l vincing than our actions. Our pro- fessions will not suffice. Veri1cation must be forthcoming when verifica- | ton Is asked for. And in this case veri1cation Is asked for-asked for in this particular matter. You ask | by whom? Not through diplomatic channels; not by foreign ministers l Not by the intimations of parliaments It is asked for by the anxious, expec- tant, suffering peoples with whom we ! are dealing and who are willing to put their destinies in some measure in our hands, if they are sure that we wish the same things that they do.
 | ''I do not speak my conjecture Ii \ Is not alone tho voices of statesmen and of newspapers that reach me and the voices of foolish and incorporate agitators do not reach me at all 1 Through many, many changes have been made aware with the plain struggling, workaday folk are think ing, upon whom the chief terror and suffering of this tragic war falls. They are looking to the great, powerful, fa- nous democracy of the west to lead them to the new day for which they I have so long waited; and they think in their logical simplicity that democ, racy means that women shall play their part in affairs alongside mer and upon an equal footing with them If we reject measures like this in ig. norance and defiance what a new age has brought forth, of what they have seen, but we have not, they will cease to believe us; they will cease to follow
 or to trust us.
 "They have seen their own govern
 ments accept this interpretation o:
 democracy seen old government
 like that of Great Britain, which dit not profess to be democratic, promise readily and, as of course, this justice
 to women, though they had before re } fused it, the strange revelations of thi war having made many things nev and plain to governments as well ai : to peoples.
 } Are we alone to refuse to learn tn,
 lesson? Are we alone to ask ant
 take the utmost that our women cal
 give-service and sacrifice of ever,
 kind-and still say we do not see wha l title that gives them to stand by ou sides in the guidance of the affairs 0 - their nation and ours? We have mad
 partners of the women in this war ) shall we admit them only to a part l nership of suffering and sacrifice an l toll and not to partnership of priv . tlege and right?
 3 This war could not have bee 3 fought, either by the other nation l engaged or by America if it had nc
 been for the services of the women
 services rendered in every sphere
 not merely in the fields of efforts i
 which we have been accustomed t , see them work, but wherever me
 have worked and upon the yer T, skirts and edges of the battle itsel
 We shall not only be distrusted bu 7 shall be destroyed should we not 'en . franchise them with the fullest pos f sible enfranchisement, as it is nov n certain that the other great free na tions will enfranchise them. We car q not isolate our thought and action
 such a matter from the thought (
 the rest of the world. We must eithe
 conform or deliberately reject whe
 they propose and resign the leader |, ship of liberal minds to others.
 "The women of America are to . noble and too intelligent and too de = voted to be players whether you giv = or withhold this thing that is mer a l justice; but I know the magic it wi =, work in their thoughts and spirits / you give it to them. I propose is as = would propose to admit soldiers to tn
 suffrage, the men fighting in the fiel
 for our liberties, and the liberties (
 the world, were they excluded. Tn
 tasks of the women lie at the yer
 heart of the war and I know ho' H much stronger that heart will beat
 you do this just thing and show ou e women that you trust them as muc as you III Iact ana or necessity Qepen
 upon them.
 Have said that the passage I0 this amendment is a vitally necessa1 war measure and do you need furtht
 proof? Do you stand in need of tf
 trust of other peoples and of u
 trust of our women? Is that trust 8
 asset, or is it not?
 I tell you plainly, as the commant
 CT in chief of our armies and of u