Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1918-02-01
Mabel Vernon, Secretary National Womans Party Out
lines Fight For Enfranchisement of Women
SCORES DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FOR UNJUST IMPRIS
oNMENT OF WOMEN BANNER BEARERS
Audience Urge President and Senators to Use Their
B. Anthony Amendment In Senate
nd Resolutions to That Effect Are Passed.

people. Then followed big petition
bearing parade, followed by another
interview with the president, when
he was impressed that women had
been trained in schools and colleges
in civic matters and knew enough"
to vote. He became interested and
said he would give the matter con
sideration.
Their came the day in 1915 when
the president said he should go to
New Jersey in October and vote for
woman suffrage, as he believed the
time had come to extend the vote to
the women of the nation"
Next came the campaign in the
west where women had the ballot.
Word was brought back to the presi-
dent that the woman suffrage was an
important measure in the west.
The National Woman's party was
formed with but one plank in its
platform-We stand for National
Woman Suffrage. The suffrage plank
was put in platforms of the Republi-
can and Democratic parties, but as a
states rights" question.
Representatives of the Woman's
Party went to the western states and
told the women voters that Estates
rights" platform was deceptive
platform Dudley Field Malone, cam
paigning in the west, urged votes for
Wilson. saying that he would advo-
cate the amendment early in his adj
ministration.
Later when the delegates again
called upon the president they were
told that he was the servant of his
party and that the party should come
to him and were further told that
they must concert public opinion in
their favor.
1t had been case of wait, wait. !"
Back in 1865, when the amendment
had been passed, that the vote should
not be denied on account of trace.
color or previous condition of servi-
tude," women had sought to have
the one word sex" written in the
amendment They had been told to
wait, " as they had always been told
to wait"
Being again unsuccessful it was
decided that something must be done
to keep the cause before the presi-
dent, congress and the people 1t
was suggested by member that oc-
casional visits to the White House
We're useless. you must go evrey
day she said This suggested the
campaign of banners and ''picketing"
at the White House gates.
From this on the story was of the
aieketing campaign. Allowed to 90
on for five months, then suddenly de-
clared to be illegal The arrests of
the picketers and their incarceration
Their return to picketing and other
arrests.
Miss Vernon said: Il have no de-
sire to yindicate pickets. 1t is my
opinion that woman suffrage would
have been lost sight of if 1t had not
been for piekets, and if it had not
been for them | do not believe that
this vote on the 10th of January
would have passed, but because it
was shown that women were willing
to suffer for it the president was the
first to see that something must be
done to relieve the situation. Then
the president came out in a statement
to those asking his advice, telling
them to vote for National Woman
Suffrage and the freedom of the
world"
The contention of the party, that it
needed the president behind it, had
been indicated, as it was the presi-
dents influence that brought it
through for US"
The speaker closed urging those in
her audience to do what they could
to urge the president and senators to
favor the Susan B. Anthony amend
ment
Miss Anna Levitt introduced res
olu ion that the meeting call upon the
presi ent to do all in his power to
urge tAe passage of the Anthony
amendment in the present congress.
Inc uelil2 was carried.
-dlss ne1herine Byrne, chairman of
the local branch of the party, presid-
ed She welcomed the audience to
this, their first meeting, and said that
the cause had gone over the top"
and it was the purpose now to work
for ratification.
Mrs. A. D. Ascough, state chair
man, of Hartford, was introduced and
spoke briefly. She alluded to ire
fact that when the amendment first
came up but one Connecticut con
gresham voted for it, while this
month three, /. majority, voted favor