Smyrna times., 1920-11-24
DELAWARE WOMEN VOTERS
To GIVE THANKS TOMORROW
NATIONAL AhlERICANSUFFRAGE
LEAGUE CALLS FOR PRAYER
That Women at Last Have Gained
Their Political Freedom as ImpOr-
tant as Was That to Pilgrims


The Delaware League of Women
Voters is in receipt of the following
proclamation issued by the National
Woman Suffrage Association; in re-
sponse to which they call upon all wU-
men voters to include in their Thanks
giving of 1920, an expression Of graft
tud to Almighty God for the gift of |
citizenship and prayer for His good
ness in the exercise of the suffrage.
Three hundred years ago in Novem-
ber, 1920, the Pilgrim Fathers found |
ed what they caned free nation. The
following year they proclaimed a day |
of Thanksgiving because their plans
had come safe to port after many !
storms.
The political freedom the Pilgrims
sought did not come to women until
~ years later. Now the women of
America have, after a long voyage
and many storms, arrived at their
port of freedom.
Their Day of Thanksgiving is there
tore due.
For this reason the National Amer
lean Woman Suffrage Association, the
direct heirs of the long line of brave
women, who, in the persons of Abigail
Adams, Lucretia Mott, Susan B. An
thony, Lucy Stone, Elizabeth Cady
Stanton, Anna Howard Shaw and
thousands more, never paused in their
work for liberty, now urges that the
women of the United States use
Thanksgiving Day as a day for the
especial expression of their gratitude
for the blessing OF political eaancipa-
ton.
We, the members of the Executive
Board of the National American Wo-
man Suffrage Association, offer our
: own thanks; first, to Almighty God
= VINO has led the unfaltering efforts Of
Inree generations to this hour; second,
to the noble company of men in the
fifteen full suffrage states, who have
in the last fifty years braved oppo-
sition at the polls in order to enfran-
chise the women of their several
l states.
We thank again the 65th and 66th
Congresses of the United States which
stood staunch against fierce opposi-
tion and finally brought the barque of
liberty to port. We thank the Presi-
dent of the United States for his un-
precedented act in personally bring
ing the Amendment before Congress
We thank those states which cleared
the way for the amendment by prompt
ratification. We thank the Governor:
Z who called special session, the hun
I dreds of legislators who responded t
I these calls, who endured journeys, re
1 sisted opposition, repudiated bribery
I defeated corruption, for the sake O.
2 justice to the women of the country
I We thank all the political partie
for their final acceptance of the prin
ciple that just government rests upol
the consent Of the governed. We than
! the minor parties for their adoption o
! this principle before the major partie
I Rad awakened to its appncation. Bu
4 we also thank the two major partie
1 which have since 1915 increasingly az
! cepted woman suffrage as a politics
! issue to be maintained, and who ful
1 thered the cause of ratification in spit
4 of reactionaTy elements in their mids
4 Finally, we give thanks that in spit
I of all obstacles the women of IL
1 United States on November End wei
I invested with full political libert
= With new self-respect and new hoI
I for the future, millions of them weI
( to the polls and participated in IL
great presidential election. Reveren
ly they dedicate themselves to the Sc
vice of their country that "govenmel
of the people by the people and Fl
I the people shall not perish from Il
; earth"
National American Woman Suffra,
Association:
- Carrie Chapman Gait, President,
Mary Garret Hay, End Vice-Pre
Gertrude F. Brown, 4th vice pres,
Emma w. Rogers, Treasurer.
Nettie r. Shuler, cor. Sec,
Justina L. Wilson, rec. sec.,
Jane M. Brooks, Director,
Estehr G. Ogden, director,
Florence l.. Piersol, director,