Evening journal., 1918-10-01

remove every obstacle that stands In
the way of winning IL.
81 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
suffrage Is to be extended 10 women.
There IS and can be no party issues
involved In it. Both OF our great ma
tlonal parties are pledged, explicitly
30 equality OF suffrage for the women
Of the country. Neither party, there
fore, 1t sens to me, can justify hesita-
ton as to the method OF obtaining 1t,
can rlghtfully hesitate TO substitute
Federal initiative for State initiative,
II the early adoption OF this measure
Is necessary 10 the successful prosecu-
tion Of the war and II the method OF
action proposed In the party platforms
Of 1916 Is impractlcable at ALL And
its adoption is. in my judgment, clearly
necessary to the successful prosecution
Of the war and the successful realiza-
ton Of the objects for which the war
IS being fought.
THAT Judgment ! take the liberty OF
urging upon you with solemn earnest
ness for reasons which ] shall state
very frankly and which ! shall hope
viii seem as conclusive TO you as they
seem TO me.
"This is peoples war and the peo-
pies thinking constitutes its atmoS-
phere and morale, not she predictions
Of the drawingroOm or the political
considerations of the CAUCASUS. If we
be indeed democrats, and wish 10 lead
the world to democracy we can ask
other peoples TO accent In proof Of our
sincerity and our ability 10 lead them
whittier they wish TO be led, nothing
less persuasive and convincing than our
actions. Our professions VIII not suf-
flce. Neriflcatlon must be forthcoming
when veriflcation IS asked for. And In
this case verfhcation is asked fcr-ask-
ed for in this particular matter. You
ask by whom: not through diplomatic
channels; not by foreign ministers. Not
by the intimations of parliaments. II
is asked for the anxious. expectaEt, suf-
fering peoples with whom we are deal
ing and who are willing 10 put their
destinies in some measure In our hands
II they are sure that we wish the same
things that they do. ] do not speak
by conjecture. 10 Is not alone the voice
OF statesmen and OF newspapers that
reach me. Tho voices Of foolish and in
temperate agitators do not reach me
at all. Through many, many channels
! have been made aware what the plain,
struggling wOrksday folk are thinking
upon whom the chief terror and suffer-
ing OF this tragic war falls.
"They are looking to the great, pow
erful, famous democracy Of the west 10
lead them TO the new days for which
they have so long walted; and they
think, IN their logical simplicity, that
democracy means that women shall
play their part In affairs alongside
men and upon an equal footing with
them. II we reject measure Ike this in
ignorance or defiance Of what q new
age has brought forth OF what they
have been, but what we have not, they
win cease TO believe In us; they will
cease 10 follow or trust us. They have
seen their own governments accept this
Interpretation OF democracy; seen old
governments, like that OF Great Britain,
which did not profess TO be democratic,
promise readily and give this Justice to
women, though they had before refused
IL. the strange revelations OF this war
having made many things new and
plain, to governments as well as 10 peo-
pies,
Are we alone TO refuse 10 learn the
lessons2 Are we alone 10 ask and take
the utmost that our women can give