The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-09-30
President Wilson Appears Be-
fore Senate and Asks Pas
sage of Equal Suffrage
Bill.
Is VITALITY ESSENTIAL
Tells Senators That Withholding Priv
iIeae from Women is an OBJ
stacIe in Path Of
Victory.

rUnited Press Leased Wire Serv1ce.l
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30-Shortly
and sharply President Wilson TO-DAY
called upon the United States senate
to pass a constitutional amendment
granting women full and equal SUI
frage with men.
AS commander in chief or the
army and navy" he declared SUI
frage to be "vitally essential to the
successful prosecution Of the great
war of humanity"
By granting it, the president de-
clared 1t his duty to ask you 10 re-
move every obstacle that stands IN
the way Of winning the war.
President Wilson'S rspaech ~bafore
the United States senate today urs1ng
the adoption Of the woman's suffrage
amendment follows:
Gentlemen of the senate:
The unusual circumstance or
worlds war in which We stand ana
are judged in the views not only Oh
our own people end our own con
sciences, but elso in the view OF all
nations and peoples, will, l hope, Jus
tify in your thought, as 1t does III
mine. the message I have come 10
bring YOU I regard the concurrence OF
the senate In the constitutional amend
ment proposing the extension OF SUI
-frage to women as vitally essentlal 10
the successful prosecution OF the great
war of humanity in which we are en-
gaced. I have come to urge upon you
NV privilege, it is also my duty 10 ap,
prise YOU of every circumstance anu
every element involved IN this
momentous struggle, which seems 10
me to affect its processes ana !ts
outcome. 1t is my duty to win and us
war and to ask you to remove every
obstacle that stands in the way OF
winning it.
had assumed ths the senate
would concur in the amendment Oe-
cause no disputable principle Is IN
volved, but only question OF the
method by which the suffrage is 10 oe
extended to women. There Is anu can
he no party issue involved IN II. Dot,i i
of our national parties are pieu>'
explicitly pledged, to equaliIy Vi SUI
frage for the women OF the coultlS
Neither party, therefore, 1t seems ~
mo can Justify hesitation as 10 tne
method of obtaining it, can riSntluiy
hesitate to substitute federal lnlta-
tive for state initiative ii ne cary
odonfion of this measure is necessary
70 the successful prosecution OF tne
var and if the method of state action
proposed in the party platform VI
io16 &c impracticable within any rea-
sonab1e length of time, if practicable
at all And its adoption is, 10 my
judgement, clearly necessary 10 :lie
srccessfnI realization Of the op1ec-
IL, j- L.
1-ba+ Judgment / take the liberty OF
,,rnInu mon YOU with solemn earn
osfness for reasons which | shall
state very frankly and which l shall
hone will seem as conclusive 10 you
as they seem to me
This is peoples war and the pep
nles thinking constitutes It's atnos-
nhere and morale, not the preoictloi,
of the drawing room or the pollicai
consideration of the cause
If we be indeed democrats and
,,ieb TO lead this world to democracy
We can ask other peoples to accept
in nroof of our sincerity ana our
abilitv to lead them whittier the!
rrish to be led. nothing less persua-
sive and convincing than our actiohs'
O1Ir professions will not suftice.
Verification must be rortncomins
wban verification is asked for. Ana
~ tbis case verification is asked
snr-Nasked e., for in this particular mat
to- You ask, by whom? Not
tbrough diplomatic channels. Not by
foreign ministers. Not by the inti-
n,ations of parliaments. 1t is asked
foI. bv the anxious, expectant SUI
frape people with whom we are deal
i,~ and willing to put their destinfes
- son,e manner in our hands. if they
nre sure that we wish the same
things that they do do not speak