The banker walked briskly toward Vassar and waved his short, heavy arm toward a chair. “Won’t you sit down, sir?” he asked coldly. With mechanical precision he opened a jeweled cigarette box and extended it. “Thanks,” Vassar answered carelessly, “I have a cigar.” He struck a match on his heel, lit the cigar and seated himself leisurely. Waldron sat down opposite and began his attack without delay. “Miss Holland has just informed me that you are unalterably opposed to woman’s suffrage?” “Until I see it differently, I am,” was the tense reply. “I take it then that it will be a waste of words for us to discuss that question?” “Yes--and before we waste words on any other question I must ask whom you represent in this conference concerning my career?” “I’ll tell you with pleasure,” was the quick answer. “I am perhaps the largest contributor to the cause of woman’s suffrage--” “Do you believe in it?” Vassar interrupted sharply. Waldron weighed his answer and spoke with metallic emphasis. “Whether I do or do not is beside the mark for the moment. You have settled that issue between us, and my views are of no importance. I am pressing for a woman’s victory for a more important reason than my faith in her ballot or my lack of faith in its ultimate effects. The immediate result of women’s vote will be to make war remote. My big purpose is to prevent this nation from sinking into the abyss of militarism in which Europe now flounders--” “In other words,” Vassar broke in, “you mean to prevent this country from preparing to defend herself from the power of Imperial Europe?” Waldron searched his opponent for a moment of intense silence and slowly answered: “If you care to put it that way--yes. I represent the combined forces of peace and sanity in this nation. We have determined that America shall not be cursed by the military caste. We are determined that our country shall not follow in the mad blind race of the Old World in building armaments with which to murder our fellow men. I have made no secret of my purpose and I am going to win. I am going to defeat your bill to place our army and navy on the footing of war-cursed Europe--” “My bill does not propose to establish a military caste,” Vassar protested. “It only demands a trained citizen soldiery for adequate defense, armed and ready to enter the field, an effective wall of patriotic fire if we are assailed. I ask a navy that will be absolutely sure to sink the fleet of any power that may attack us. I do not ask that this fleet shall be in constant commission, only that it shall be built and ready for service.” “Your demand is preposterous,” Waldron coldly answered. “You ask for a bond issue of $500,000,000 for naval purposes only--”