for the third time the woman’s party had waged in the west one of its marvelous campaigns against the democratic party. the repercussion of that campaign had reached the president. when congress convened in december, he included the federal amendment in his message of december 2 to congress as a part of the administration program. he said:
and what shall we say of the women—of their instant intelligence, quickening every task that they touched; their capacity for organization and co-operation, which gave their action discipline and enhanced the effectiveness of everything they attempted; their aptitude at tasks to which they had never before set their hands; their utter self-sacrifice alike in what they did and what they gave? their contribution to the great result is beyond appraisal. they have added a new luster to the annals of american womanhood.
the least tribute we can pay them is to make them the equals of men in political rights as they have proved themselves their equals in every field of practical work they have entered, whether for themselves or for their country. these great days of completed achievement would be sadly marred were we to omit that act of justice. besides the immense practical services they have rendered, the women of the country have been the moving spirits in the systematic economies by which our people have voluntarily assisted to supply the suffering peoples of the world and the armies upon every front with food and everything else that we had that might serve the common cause. the details of such a story can never be fully written, but we carry them at our hearts and thank god that we can say that we are the kinsmen of such.
this was the first time that any president ever mentioned suffrage as a part of his administrative program. it was 385a step forward. the women waited ten days to see whether he would follow this message with action.
the president sailed for france.
when the woman’s party discovered from the administration leaders that he had left no orders to have suffrage carried out, they decided to hold another protest meeting.
“in carrying on a campaign for democracy abroad and utterly ignoring it at home,” alice paul said, “he has exposed his whole broadside to our attack.”
as always, whenever possible, the woman’s party announced their protest meeting through the newspapers. lucy branham went to police headquarters. she explained her errand, asking for a permit.
“here’s your permit!” colonel ridley said.
lucy branham made further explanation, “we are going to burn the president’s words,” she warned him.
“here’s your permit!” colonel ridley said.
