Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-30

Gentlemen of the Senate: The un-
usual circumstances of world
war in which we stand and are
judged in the view not only of our
own people and our own conscf-
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 I have come
to bring you. I regard the con-
currence Of the Senate in the con-
stitutional amendment proposing
the extension of the suffrage to
women as vitality essential to the
successful prosecution Of the great
war of humanity. in which we are
engaged. have come to urge
upon you the. considerations which
have led me(to that conclusion. 1t
is not only my privilege, it is also
my duty to apprise you Of every
circumstance and element involved
in this momentous struggle which
seems to me to affect it's very pro-
cesses and it's outcome. 1t is my
duty to win the war and to ask you
to remove every obstacle that
stands in the way of winning it.
Expected Favorable Action.
had assumed that the Senate
would concur in the amendment
because no disputable principle is
involved but only a question of
the method by which the suffrage
is to be extended to women. There
is and can be no party issue in
volved in it. Both of our great ma
tional parties are pledged, en-
plicitly pledged, to equality o.. or
country. Neither party. therefore,
it seems to me, can justify hesita-
ton as to the method of obtain
ing it. can rightfully hesitate to
substitute federal initiative for
state initiative, if the early adop-
tion of this measure is necessary
to the successful prosecution of
action proposed in the party plat
forms of 1916 is impracticable
within any reasonable length of
time, if practicable at all. And its
adoption is, in my judgment,
clearly necessary to the success
successful realization of the OBJ
iects for which the war is being
fought.
of urging upon you with solemn
earnestness for, reasons which 1
shall state very frankly and which
I shall hope will seem as conclu-
sive to you as they seem to me.
verification Is Needed.
This is a peoples war and the
peoples thinking constitutes it's
atmosphere and morale, not the
predictions of the drawing room
or the political considerations of
the caucus. If we be indeed demo-
Gratis and wish to lead the world
to democracy. we can ask other
peoples to accept in proof of our
sincerity and our ability to lead
them whittier they wish to be led
nothing less persuasive and con-
vincing than our actions. Our pro-
fessions will not suffice. Verifica-
tion must be forthcoming when
ratification is asked for. And in
this case verification is asked for
asked for in this particular matter.
You ask by whom? Not through
diplomatic channels: not by foreign
ministers. Not by the intimations
Of parliaments. 1t is asked for by
anxious, expectant, suffering peo-
who are willing to put their des-
TIMES in some measure IN our
hands, if they are sure that we
wish the same things that they do.
1 do not speak by conjecture. II is
not alone the voices of statesmen
and of newspapers that reacn ma.
and the voices of foolish and in
temperate agiators do not reach me
at all.
Through many, many channels I
have been made aware what the
plain, struggling, workaday folk
are thinking upon whom the chief
terror and suffering of this tragic
war falls. They are looking to the
great, powerful, famous den1oc-
racy Of the west to lead them to
the new day for which they have
SO long waited; and they think. in
their logical simplicity. that de-
mocracy means that women shall
play their part in affairs along
side men and upon an equal foot
ing with them. II we reject meas
ues like this. in ignorance or def
ance of what new age has
brought forth, of what they have
seen but we have not. they will
cease to believe in us: they will
cease to follow or to trust US. They
have seen their own governments
accept this Interpretation of de-
mocracy-seen old governments
like that of Great Britain. which
did not profess to be democratic,
promise readily and ~ Of course
th4S Justice to women. though they,