XV THE PRESIDENT OBTAINS THE LAST VOTE AND CONGRESS SURRENDERS

The Suffrage¹ situation was a little confused. Senator Baird, opposed to Suffrage, of the old Congress, was succeeded by Edge, favorable to it. Pollock, favorable, was succeeded by Dial, opposed. Vardaman of Mississippi, favorable, was succeeded by Harrison. Drew of New Hampshire, opposed, was succeeded by Keyes. Hardwick of Georgia, opposed, was succeeded by Harris. These three last new Senators—Harrison (Democrat²), Harris (Democrat), and Keyes (Republican)—maintained a steady silence as to how they would vote. It was necessary to get one of them.

Senator Harris was a close supporter of President Wilson. Alice Paul knew that Matthew Hale, former Chairman of the Progressive National Committee, a Suffragist but not a Democrat, was influential³ with the Administration. She therefore suggested to Anita Pollitzer that she see Mr. Hale at once and lay the situation before him. This was early in May and Congress was convening⁴ May 19. Mr. Hale was enthusiastic in his desire to help. The situation was complicated by the fact that the President was in Europe. Mr. Hale and Miss Pollitzer went over the Senate poll and from among the most favorable non-committal senators chose Harris of Georgia. He too was in Europe. Suddenly the field of the campaign crossed three thousand miles of Atlantic Ocean to France. The Woman’s Party concentrated their forces on getting President Wilson to influence Harris into declaring for Suffrage. Mr. Hale worked steadily⁵ with a group of people close to the President who rapidly increased in numbers. Ultimately this pressure bore fruit in a conference between Robert Woolley, Democratic Publicity⁶ Manager 416in the 1916 campaign, Homer S. Cummings, Chairman of the National Democratic Committee, William J. Cochran, Director of Publicity of the Democratic Committee, Joseph Tumulty, the President’s Secretary, Senator Walsh. The result of this conference was that Tumulty sent a cable to the President, suggesting that he confer with Senator Harris. Senator Harris was in Italy, but at the President’s request he went to France. Immediately came the news on the cable that Senator Harris would support the Suffrage Amendment⁸.

Having secured Harris’ vote, President Wilson cabled a message to the new Congress on the night of May 20 which contained the following reference to the Susan B. Anthony Amendment:

Will you permit me, turning from these matters, to speak once more and very earnestly of the proposed Amendment to the Constitution which would extend the Suffrage to women and which passed the House of Representatives at the last session of the Congress? It seems to me that every consideration of justice and of public advantage calls for the immediate⁷ adoption⁹ of that Amendment and its submission¹⁰ forthwith to the legislatures of the several States.

Throughout all the world this long-delayed extension of the Suffrage is looked for; in the United States, longer, I believe, than anywhere else, the necessity for it, and the immense advantages of it to the national life, has been urged and debated by women and men who saw the need for it and urged the policy of it when it required steadfast¹¹ courage to be so much beforehand with the common conviction; and I, for one, covet¹² for our country the distinction of being among the first to act in a great reform.

As soon as Suffrage was assured by this sixty-fourth vote, Senator Keyes and Senator Hale in a convulsive effort to leap on the fast disappearing band-wagon announced that they would vote for the Amendment, thus giving the Suffragists two extra votes.

As this was a new Congress it was necessary for the House to pass the Suffrage Amendment again. On May 21, 1919, therefore, the new House passed it by three hundred and 417four votes to eighty-nine—forty-two more than the required two-thirds. It will be remembered that, when the previous House passed it on January 10, 1918, the vote was two hundred and seventy-four to one hundred and thirty-six—only one vote more than the required two-thirds.

The Amendment then went to the Senate.

In her Revelations of a Woman Lobbyist, Maud Younger says:

Four months later, on June fourth, for the fifth time in a little more than a year, we sat in the Senate gallery to hear a vote on the Suffrage Amendment. The new Congress, coming in on March fourth, had brought us two more votes—we now had our eleven. There was no excitement. The coming of the women, the waiting of the women, the expectancy¹³ of the women, was an old story. A whole year had passed in the winning of two votes. Every one knew what the end would be now. It was all very dull.

We walked slowly homeward, talking a little, silent a great deal. This was the day toward which women had been struggling for more than half a century! We were in the dawn of woman’s political power in America. Several days before the Senate passed the Amendment, Alice Paul left Washington to arrange for an immediate ratification¹⁴ by the legislatures in session.

1 suffrage   

n.投票，选举权，参政权

参考例句：

• The question of woman suffrage sets them at variance.妇女参政的问题使他们发生争执。
• The voters gave their suffrage to him.投票人都投票选他。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

4 convening   

召开( convene的现在分词 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow without sounding an alarm. 民10:7但招聚会众的时候、们要吹号、不要吹出大声。
• We warmly welcome the convening of Asia-Europe meeting in London. 热烈欢迎亚欧会议在伦敦召开。

5 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

6 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

7 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

8 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

9 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

10 submission   

n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出

参考例句：

• The defeated general showed his submission by giving up his sword.战败将军缴剑表示投降。
• No enemy can frighten us into submission.任何敌人的恐吓都不能使我们屈服。

11 steadfast   

adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的

参考例句：

• Her steadfast belief never left her for one moment.她坚定的信仰从未动摇过。
• He succeeded in his studies by dint of steadfast application.由于坚持不懈的努力他获得了学业上的成功。

12 covet   

vt.垂涎；贪图(尤指属于他人的东西)

参考例句：

• We do not covet anything from any nation.我们不觊觎任何国家的任何东西。
• Many large companies covet these low-cost acquisition of troubled small companies.许多大公司都觊觎低价收购这些陷入困境的小公司。

13 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

14 ratification   

n.批准，认可

参考例句：

• The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
• The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。