Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-05-13
EMERGENCY CORPS
|NvADES CONNECTICUT
Representatives from 46 States
Try to Show Governor Why
He Should Call Special Session
of Legislature-Mrs. Olzen.
dam Speaks for Vermont

Mrs. Lillian H. Olzendam returned to
Suffrage headquarters at the Hotel YER
mont Saturday night. after a week $
speaking tour in Connecticut where the
Emergency Corps" recruited from ev-
cry State in the union, excepting Della
ware and North Carolina, was called
into action to try TO convince Governor
Holcomb that a special emergency exists
whereby he would be justified in calling
special session Of the Legislature t
set on the Suffrage Amendment. Della
ware and North Carolina were not rep
resented on account OF the active cam
paiEns now being carried on m thos,
States.
The campaign was formally opened by
dinner given to the corps by Mrs
Carrie Crapman Gait at the Hotel Nc
Alpin in New York. Sunday evening. At
this time the Connecticut situation and
the instructions to the corps were out
lined by Miss Katherine L,vington. pres
ident OF the Connecticut Equal Suffrage
association. and Mrs. Gait.
The next morning the State representa-
tives went on to Hartford, where a lunch
con was gtven to the visitors and Con-
necticut friends Of the cause, about 800
being present. Tho visitors from the sew
ei'al States were seated at one long table,
and enthusiasm ran high when the roll
was called. the representatives of each
State arising amid wild applause. Vermont
was honored, her representative being one
Of the three speakers at the lu,cheon,
Connecticut learning at this time the first
hand story of the recent march Of "Ver-
monts 4oV' on the tate House at Mont
pslier.
The corps was divided into four Sec
lions, six speakers from each group of r.
speaking in four large cities Monday
night. On Tuesday these groups were sub
divided into groups OF four, and the rep
resentative from Vermont, Mrs Olzendam,
spoke at Clinton, Mantle and Stoningto ON.
Tho three following nights tho Womens
Motor Corps Of Connecticut transported
the speakers to their destinations. AS eac h
woman was entertained in homes, a total
Of $50 homes received the visitors as
guests, and over so meetings were hold
during the week.
Friday morning tho units Of the EN-
Urgency Corps" were met at the station
in Hartford. with decorated motor cars
one for each State, and taken to the
state House, where they filed silently
into the executive chamber for an audi
ence with Governor Holcomb. Half a
dozen women from States where women
have been voting for years made brief
and telling appeals to the Governor to
try to make him see that an emergency
exists. In that by the backwardness OF
Connecticut in the matter of ratification
Of the Suffrage Amendment nearly ten
million women might be kept from TAX
ing part In elections this year. They re-
minded him that in 1916 and 1918 he had
called special sessions In order that Con-
necticut men, who had been sent to the
Mexican border and who went to the
World War. might not lose their vote.
After the speeches each representative
was introduced to the Governor and IN
nearly every case tho women bore to
him q message from her Governor. urg-
ing Governor Holcomb to call the session
Vermont's representative bore no mes
sage from Governor Clement, but she
.--~A>d Gnu~-un- u>i.~rnh In .and q