The Story of the Woman's PartyGillmore, Inez Haynes
History
The Story of the Woman's Party
Gillmore, Inez Haynes
National Woman's Party; Paul, Alice, 1885-1977; Women -- Suffrage -- United States
The part we played in the last election was simply to tell the women
voters of the West of the way the Democratic Party had blocked us at
Washington and of the way the individual members of the Party, from
the West, had supported their Party in blocking us. As soon as we
told this record they ceased blocking us and we trust they will
never block us again.
Question: But what about next time?
Miss Paul: We hope we will never have to go into another election.
We are appealing to all Parties and to all men to put this Amendment
through this Congress and send it on to the State Legislatures. What
we are doing is giving the Democrats their opportunity. We did
pursue a certain policy which we have outlined to you as you
requested. As to what we may do we cannot say. It depends upon the
future situation.
Question: But we want to know what you will do in the 1916 election?
Miss Paul: Can you possibly tell us what will be in the platform of
the Democratic Party in 1916?
Mr. Webb: I can tell one plank that will not be there, and that is a
plank in favor of Woman Suffrage.
Question: If conditions are the same, do you not propose to fight
Democrats just the same as you did a year ago?
Miss Paul: We have come to ask your help in this Congress. But in
asking it we have ventured to remind you that in the next election
one-fifth of the vote for President comes from Suffrage States. What
we shall do in that election depends upon what you do.
Mr. Webb: We would know better what to do if we knew what you were
going to do.
Mr. Gard: We should not approach this hearing in any partisan sense.
What I would like is to be informed about some facts. I asked Mrs.
Field what reason your organization had for asking Congress to
submit this question to States that have already acted upon it. Why
should there be a resubmission to the voters by national action in
States which have either voted for or against it, when the machinery
exists in these same States to vote for it again?
Miss Paul: They have never voted on the question of a National
Amendment.
Mr. Gard: The States can only ratify it. You would prefer that
course to having it taken directly to the people?
Miss Paul: Simply because we have the power of women’s votes to back
up this method.
Mr. Gard: You are using this method because you think you have power
to enforce it?
Miss Paul: Because we know we have power.
Mr. Taggart: The women who have the vote in the West are not
worrying about what women are doing in the East. You will have to
get more States before you try this nationally.
Miss Paul: We think that this repeated advice to go back to the
States proves beyond all cavil that we are on the right track.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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