The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-06-19
WILSON FOR SUFFRAGE.
AGAIN THROWS WEIGHT OF HIS
INFLUENCE IN BALANCE.
Asked by French Union to Proclaim
Principle One of Fundamental
Rights of Future Woodrow Wilson
Complies With Request.

Washington, June 13.-President
of his influence into the balance for
the right of woman suffrage amend
ment He expressed today the hope
that the senate would act favorably
at this session on the resolution for
submission of the amendment to the
States passed by the house last Janu-
ary after he had given his indorse-
ment.
When a delegation headed by Mrs.
Carrie Chapman Gait, president of
the National Woman Suffrage Asso-
citation, and DR.. Anna Howard Shaw,
honorary president, called at the
White House today, the president read
to them a reply he asked Mrs. Gait to !
transmit to a memorial presented to
him from the French Union for Wo-
man Suffrage. The French suffra-
gists asked Mr.. Wilson to proclaim the
principle of woman suffrage one of
the fundamental rights of the future.
His reply follows:
Il have read your message with
the deepest interest and welcome the
opportunity to say that I agree with
out reservation that the full and
sincere democratic reconstruction Of
the world for which we are striving,
| a yod WI oh dafa ,tvo h~fx,
about at any cost will not have been
completely or adequately. attained un-
til women are admitted to the suf-
frage, and that only by that action
can the nations of the world realize
for the benefit of future generations
the full ideal force of opinion or the
full humane forces of the action.
1.-The services of women during this
supreme crisis of the worlds history
have been of the most signal useful
ness and distinction. The war could
not have been fought without them
or it's sacrifices endured. 1t is high
time that some part of our debt of
gratitude to them should be acknowl-
edged and paid and the only acknowl-
edgment they ask is their admission
to the suffrage. Can we justly refuse
it? AS for America, it is my earnest
hope that the senate of the United
States will give an unmistakable an
swer to this question by passing the
suffrage amendment to our federal
constitution before the end of this-
session."
In their memorial the French suf-
fragists said:
The French suffragsts and those
Of the allied countries have heard
your beautiful and strong words and
they unite in prayer to you for the ac-
complishment of the following reso-
lutions:
Considering that from this war
there has come a new international
right founded upon the right of peo-
pies to self determination.
THAT nothing can be claimed to
speak authOritatively in the name of
the people which excludes women
from the life Of nations.
"Considering moreover that women
during the actual conflict have show
ed the value of the social work which
they are capable of performing.
Considering that the participation
of wives and mothers in the suffrage
would be the greatest guarantee of
the peace to- come, the need that the
belligerent countries have of their
help in the present conflict, the suf-
ferings moral as well as phyiscaL
which this war has cost them, have
given definite proof that no Longer.
without iniquity and imprudence.
can one refuse to give them through
their vote an influence in the under
takings, which decide peace and war
THE women of the allied countries
express the wish that President Will
son in one of his future messages will
proclaim the principle of woman suf-
frage one of the fundamental rights
of the future"