CATT, Carrie Chapman GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Park, Maud Wood 1916-19 COPY. NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION 505 Fifth Avenue, New York. Jan. 18, 1916. Mrs. Maud Wood Park, 585 Boylston Street, Boston, Mass. My dear Mrs. Park, You may perhaps remember that the group of women who came to my room to implore me to take the position of President, promised to do anything and everything possible to support my administration. I took a careful note of all who were there and mean to make a requisition upon them all, but this is a special appeal to you. You are the only one who shed tears over me and so I am sure you will be the most obedient. I do not want you to pass the information along which I am giving you, for it would not be well as you will readily see. I want to speak to you confidentially, and yet there is much that I shall not say in this letter. The new Board found many big tasks awaiting it and nothing was in order anywhere. The most obvious thing to do at once was the Congressional Committee work in Washington. Mrs. *[Mcdill]* McCormick had resigned many weeks ago and supposedly was doing nothing for this new session of Congress. Mrs. Funk, it seems, had stopped work in Washington last June. Some disagreement had arisen between her and Mrs. McCormick and it was happily arranged between them that she should no longer remain there. She did go down again when Congress opened and remained until the Convention. She then went away on a vacation and has now returned. Mrs. McCormick earnestly recommended that she should not be left in entire charge of the work. Mrs. Roessing and I talked with her upon several occasions, and the more we talked the less confidence we had in her. We both came to the conclusion that she was inaccurate in details, etc. I have just been in Washington and we have again talked with Mrs. Funk. She had held the position of Executive Chairman in the absence of Mrs. McCormick and thus had been the only person to speak with authority about the Congressional work. We do not feel that we can trust her in this capacity, and have told her that we are unwilling to have her assume the position of Executive Chairman. She has replied that she is unwilling to stay on the Committee at all if she is to be demoted. She has, however, agreed to remain in Washington a month. Mrs. Roessing has a splendid head for Congressional work. No woman could be better, I am confident, but Mrs. Roessing has a problem of her own. Her father is ill, and as he is seventy- six years old, illness is a matter for serious concern. Mrs. Maud Wood Par, #2. Jan. 18, 1916 She may be called home at any time and if she is called home it leaves Mrs. Funk in control, and we think nothing will be done. We do not like to tell Mrs. Funk that there is any likelihood of this happening. We have put on the Committee Miss Hay and she had promised Mrs. Roessing that she would go down for a month in the event she was called away. A matter, however, has arisen here which may prevent Miss Hay from going if that emergency arises, although she doubtless could be there some of the time. We are trying to get Mrs. Grenfell of Colorado, but we have had no reply to our telegram. We are expecting to get Mrs. Cotnam of Arkansas and Miss Mary Wood of New York who, as an excellent lobbyist, would probably be able to go down for some of the time. None of these people seems to be available at once. Mrs. Roessing is in an exceedingly unhappy state of mind because everything depends upon her and she has no one to assist her but Mrs. Funk and she does not feel that she can talk confidentially [to] with her. The Senate Committee has made a very favorable report. We believe that there is a fair chance of getting a two-thirds vote in the Senate. It needs quiet, persistent work. We also want to poll the house to know how we stand. I spoke to Mrs. Quincy Shaw when I was in Washington and asked her if she had any objection to your l eaving Massachusetts for Washington if there were necessity for it. She said that you were perfectly free to go wherever the work called you and that you understood that. I now write to implore you to go back to Washington as soon as you can pack your grip and to remain there for a month. You will find Mrs. Roessing an understanding, helpful director of the work, and I hope there will be others there to help you out soon. It may be that your work in Massachusetts is in need of your attention, but among the many good workers in that State I am sure you can call others to your support and that they will liberate you under the circumstances. Of course what I have said in this letter can be passed on to the very faithful of the innermost circle. We have not told the Board how we found things as Mrs. Funk was the choice of Mrs. McCormick and her representative, and as the Board had confidence in Mrs. McCormick we do not want to tell them how disappointing we have found the work in Washington. Personally, I think Mrs. McCormick herself is a wonderful woman, but she is young and somewhat undisciplined, and it seems only allowed her name to be used as Chairman of the Committee this past year with the understanding that she should have none of the work to do. It really is a pitiful condition and we are tremendously hard pressed. I hope you will hear this cry and obediently [go] leave for Washington. Let me know by wire if you can go and when you can go. I will then give you instructions as to how to proceed. I have just received a telegram from Mrs. Cot[man]nam of Little Rock, who was to have been our Democratic Southern representative, saying there is illness in her family and that she cannot leave, so there is increased necessity for you to go. Most cordially yours , (signed) Carrie Chapman Catt C.R. Copy Letter to Maud Wood Park from Mrs. Catt (original in Radcliffe Woman's Rights Collection, Catt file) National American Woman Suffrage Association 171 Madison Avenue, New York City April 13, 1917 Dear Mrs. Park: Yesterday was the day when I was to preside over a meeting at which Vance McCormick was to speak. Therefore, as soon as the Board adjourned I flew home to change my dress. I sent the long distance telephone message to you from the house. Shortly after, Mrs. Shuler called me up to say that she had had a message from you asking for particulars and she wrote you. Mrs. McCormick reports that the question of the future congressional work did not come up in the committee meeting in Washington. Apparently the only discussion affected the extra session which is now reported to be short/ The Board agreed to accept the recommendation of the Congressional Committee that the drive which had been planned should be postponed. Of course that appealed to everybody's common sense. The Board agreed to go ahead with a hearing set for the Senate, as Mrs. Shuler wrote you. We will give up the thought of the Teachers' hearing at present and I have notified Miss Blake to this effect. I am writing to the Presidents and will send you a copy of the letter of course. Now the main question concerning the future work. The time to plan is now. I imagine that most of your committee may still be in Washington and if they are I wish you would call them together and consider plans for the future congressional work. If the Congressional Committee is to make plans, it must be at it; if not the Board must make the plans and the Congressional Committee will have to abide by the results. I make this proposition: That some person representing the National Association shall visit every state in the Union and that the object shall be to meet with the Board of Officers of the state visited. The plans for the fall drive should be thoroughly well worked out, so that each one of these visiting emissaries will have a program to be adopted by the Board. It will be her duty then to assist in the way and means of carrying out the plan; that will beat the scheme of writing letters. I propose the following arrangement: Mrs. Park shall visit the five New England states, excluding Maine until the end of their campaign at which time you would visit that state; also Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, total eleven states. page 2 - Catt to Maud Wood Park - April, 13, 1917 I will ask the Ohio Board to meet during the Mississippi Valley Conference and I will have the time with them upon that occasion. Elizabeth Hauser says she wishes you to come to that conference very much and if you go, we will both be there. Later I would like to visit North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota, total twenty-two states. We will exclude Kansas because it is all right and we will put in New York after its campaign. I suggest that Miss Smith visit the remaining thirteen states, viz: West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Arkansas. A rearrangement of these states might have to be made when we go over the arrangement of railroad connections and I am not at all sure that I could manage as many states as I have given to myself. I would like to know what you think of it personally and what the committee thinks of it, if it is at call. I would also like to have the committee make any proposal it may have in mind as to the best way to make a successful attempt to get the Federal Amendment through early in the next session. Mrs. McCormick thinks it is our duty to stop suffrage work until the end of the war. I do not agree with that at all. Of course no living mortal can predict what will happen in the next few months. It would seem however, that with the exception of loaning money to the Allies and of sending food across the sea, if we are able to do so, will be the total extent to which we engage in war business other than preparation between now and December. Of course if the conscription bill goes through as it probably will, there will be a mobilization of men and consequent problems which may engage our attention. I believe, however, that our real war movements will not take place for many months. We are not going to be ready and the real problems of war are not going to be upon us for some time to come. When and if we are really caught in the throes of a real war, we shall probably be forced to drop suffrage activities. For that reason I think we should make a good ready and do whatever we can in the beginning of Congress. The hearing is on the 20th. I believe it will take place in the morning. Of course I will come down on Wednesday and if you think best, I will come on Tuesday. Let me know your judgment on this score. I am going to have a paper prepared for my own address before the Senate Committee, for the purpose of printing and I am going to write that on Sunday. Most cordially yours, (signed) CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT President CCC-BMS May 17, 1918 Mrs. Maud Wood Park, 1826 Rhode Island Ave., Washington, D.C. My dear Mrs. Park: Your letter of May 13th was a great surprise to me because of the enclosures from Mrs. Root. I cannot explain that curious letter unless some member of the National Woman's Party got hold of her. I very much regret having asked you and Mrs. Catt to arrange for her comfort. As you may remember she came to me with an introduction from John Graham Brooks and from Mrs. Gannett of New York. I think they may have been familiar with her history and may have been very lenient with her as a result. Not knowing any of this I could not predict what she would do except that she seemed to be entirely trustworthy and full of plans for helping on the Federal Amendment. I shall in time be wary about sending people to the National Headquarters, after my experience with Mrs. Root. I am told also that Matthew Hale to whom I have a card of introduction and about whom I wrote Mrs. Catt never presented his card. I am over-joyed this morning to receive a letter from Mrs. Catt saying that she will come for the Annual Meeting as well as the meeting at the Boston Opera House. Nothing could be finer nor more reassuring under the present circumstances. I agree with you entirely about Mrs. Pinkham. However, if you can be persuaded to take the Chairmanship it would smooth out matters very much. Your old opponents would still be active but we know them at their worst. I have written Mrs. Catt that her coming will I am confident have a far-reaching affect because as I told her "bad children behave better when there's company." Mrs. Pitman is still hoping that you can be persuaded to take the Chairmanship and have Mrs. Pinkham for Executive Secretary. Do think this over seriously, for I believe we have reached a crucial moment. Mrs. Maud Wood Park-3 May 17, 1918. I have head it rumored that you might also come for our Annual Meeting. I sincerely hope it is true. We want your advice, your help and your perspective at this time. We also want, and this is written at the request of Mrs. Parkins, who is Chairman of the Committee on the Opera Meeting, to have you make the money-raising speech at the Opera House. Can't you see the 2,900 eager faces all longing to give you money? No body can do it as you do it, and we are waiting to hear from you as to whether it is possible for you to come. I am delighted that the flowers reached you and pleased you. You have no idea how many women this country over were lying awake thinking of you and your heavy responsibilities the night before the fatal day. I am glad that the flowers played a part of consolation if they could not carry our congratulations. Will you be so good as to let me know as soon as possible whether you can come for the 24th and the 25th? If you do not, come it will mean thousands less in our war chest. Do come. Cordially yours, Gracell Johnson Chairman Executive Board Dict. GAJ/M (Mrs. Lewis Jerome Johnson) COPY National American Woman Suffrage Association 1918 (undated) My dear Maud: I shall be in the office next Monday, August 12. I asked all the States which had campaigns of any kind looking to the Senate condition to report by that time. The Board will meet on the 14th - that is, the N.Y. section. Meanwhile N. Jersey is confabulating over the question of fighting Baird. They have a meeting on the 13th. Meantime some change in political outlook has come about in some states altho' what effect it may have remains to be seen. We note that it is possible that Congress may be recalled for a vote on the draft age. We must watch that point. Mollie and I have had several talks over the Washington situation and we both think that it will be well to have several women there when the time comes for work. We spoke of Mrs. Dudley, Miss Ludington and Mrs. Cunningham of Texas. The latter has a good story to tell of woman suffrage in operation now. We shall have on our hands Mrs. Stillwell, Mrs. Jenks and Mrs. Trout. We must have those who can offset them and those who will work under direction. I wish we knew a fine type of Western Woman (far West) but at present I do not. Now if you approve please let me know and I'll write and give orders to these ladies to come on when we wire them to do so. Would a Sunday night supper to the limit of our accommodation be a good thing? We could not have more that 50 and some of them would be our own folks and men, - wives of Senators. Would it be feasible to invite all Democratic favorable Senators and their wives on Sunday eve and all Republican favorables the next Sunday? Think it over and let me know. C.C.Catt to Maud Wood Park - page 2. I am writing now to ask an answer to my first question and to this one. We think that you should be in N.Y. at least a day and night in order to go over all the situation. If Congress re-convenes on the 24th and you plan to be there on the 20th which is Tuesday, I think, we suggest that you get to N.Y. Sunday morning and come at once to the House (you see House is capitalized in my mind) and stay over Sun. and Mon. going down Tuesday or if you think you need to be there all of Tuesday you could go down Monday afternoon. Will you come? In the doubtful event of an earlier reconvening of Congress any day and night will do, but we must have time to plan. Mrs. Shuler and Marjorie will both be in the field till election and I shall be there for six weeks, so that whatever service I render to you will have to be given early in the game. I hope you are getting some rest, but the time is not long enough. Last year at the end of my two weeks, I wondered if I had rested at all, but when I got back towork I know that I had. I fancy the experience may be repeated in your case. I do not know the name of the two recalcitrants who will surrender but Dod does. By the way, perhaps you have seen all this but it does no harm to repeat. Mrs. Gardener said to you that Shields wrote to ask permission to print the President's letters and his own. All three were printed in the N.Y.Times under Washington headlines and we were curious to know who had let it out. There had been a good Washington suffrage story without any earmarks another day and yesterday came another - a letter from the President to Baird July 31st. I conclude this is going from the Woman's Democratic Bureau in order to defend the President in advance of the announced Woman's Party antics soon to take place. Lovingly, (signed) Carrie C. Catt Copy National American Woman Suffrage Assn. September 4, 1918 Mrs. Maud Wood Park, 1626 Rhode Island Avenue, Washington, D.C. My dear Mrs. Park:- I have a letter from Miss Sue White, which explains itself and which I enclose. I have written a letter to Mrs. Warner asking her in a diplomatic way to see Major Stahlman and to ask him what he thinks can be done to find out what Senator Shields is going to do. I have not told her from what source I got the hint. I think she will do it diplomatically. I have today received a note from Helen Gardener telling me that she is going North and also giving me the report from Mr. Tumulty concerning the James appointment. I have written to Mrs. Wood, Miss Kimball, and Mrs. Churchill of New Hampshire and have asked them to write or see the appointee from New Hampshire as soon as announced and urge him to vote for the federal amendment. I have written to Mrs. South and also wired her to interview the appointee in Kentucky and have told her not to drive him to tell what he is going to do, if he comes from Governor Stanley's group, as he might not wish to make his stand public. I note the clipping in the paper that the Woman's Party proposes to fight the Democrats. I do not think their fight will be very intensive for reasons which everybody can understand. However, I do think that before the President goes West, it is important to have the vote. I believe if we get that vote from Kentucky and the one from New Hampshire, that the President should be urged to try to get the third and perhaps that may be Senator Overman, perhaps it can be Bennett. I have taken the liberty to write to Senator Pitman about Bennett and have told him we heard he wished an appointment and that I thought he was the one to engineer the appointment and the vote. I believe he is the one who will give us the third vote. I believe it can be done now and that the vote can be taken immediately, if at all. When I wrote you, I thought we better keep the week of the sixteenth for a demonstration week, but now I think perhaps that may be too late and if you think so, we will go ahead with the other things first. In that case, call the women to Washington before. I hope you will have Mrs. Cunningham and Mrs. Dudley. I shall expect to hear from you when you know anything further as to developments there. Lovingly yours, C.C. Catt, President 25 Nation American Woman Suffrage Association Branch of International Woman Suffrage Alliance and of National Council of Women Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, President Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, Honorary President November 12, 1918 My dear Maud: Mrs. Henry Villard will entertain you during the Board Meeting. It occurred to me afterwards what you have friends here with whom you would prefer to stay. I will take Mrs. Gardener. Will you tell her? Also, tell me when you will both arrive. If you cannot stay all the way through be here for Friday coming over Thursday pm. I hope Mrs. G can stay all through. Marjorie will and can come down on Tueday if you need her. She would like to come down on Monday next. We shall ask you merely for a report on the line up of the 66th Congress and the short term. Meanwhile we await news of the situation. This city is mad today--a wild mob. No news of Newberry but we are at the job. I fear Phipps. Hastily, C.C.C. Sat eve Nov 23, 1918 My dear Maud:-- Mollie saw Mr. Hays today after his return from Washington. She thinks he is more sure of himself than before election and that he things he has more influence. He had had a conversation with Lodge and showed him the big vote women would cast for President. He wouldn't believe it until Hays showed him the may with the fifteen states marked. Lodge said or admitted perhaps it was, that the amendment measure in the next Congress and might get through before Xmas!!! The Weeks of fair got under the skin! Hays talked much Penrose too, but he doesn't see anything coming and believes they can fight it off so it will never go through but Mollie thinks they may keep him from fighting . Hays thinks Moses possible. He saw him too. Although there is nothing definite I find it cheering that Hays is more on the job than before and it may be that they will deliver one vote. But, I fear they will drop Marlers out and that there will be a vacancy there. We cannot afford to lose him now. What do you hear on the other side. Haven't they got a man yet? The Democrats ought to put it through before the President lands in France. Politics seems to be boiling down there. Every person in the country attributes McAdoo's resignation to reasons other than those he gave. Do you know we haven't heard from you for four days and wonder what has happened. We shall ratify before May if we can find a single vote! I am desperate. Hasn't Pittman got a line on anyone? Hays says Berat cannot be moved. McNary played a trick--a low down one at that. Lovingly, Carrie C. Catt Sunday am Nov 30, 1918 My dear Maud, I wrote you last night. Your letter is here this am. I have written Mrs. Bass and suggested that she put it up to the Democratic Committee that they acknowledge both seats vacant owning to irregularities. (Elleson Switch saw to Pollak's defeat I'm sure. It was sheer stupidity in Ky). Then when the vanancies are admitted the Governor can appoint and will appoint respectively Pollak and Martin, unless the S.C. Governor is a thief too. Why not push this idea with Putnam. Of course your suggestion about N.H. was put under way four days before you made it! We shall have four women at work there at once and besides we may get rid of Moses on the 9th. That is doubtful. Now when Pollak and Martin are seated (if they are) why should Putman not go to Wolcott and say will you or won't you? The same to Shields. The same to Mibain. If they won't then we know that we must look to the Republicans to put us through They may be able to get the needed one vote. It might be Lodge and [W?]eeks! I feel pretty bad about that meeting Can't you get the National if the Belasco fails. The man here said we could not have it on the eighth We must not let the W.P. walk off with the only meeting. I had already planned the proof of the foreign nations taking action on suffrage. It wil be ready this week. We will circul[?arize??] the Senate and provide enough for distribution at the meeting if there is one. What more can we do? I am on the verge of suicide. Tell Helen to go in person about the Presidents message but I will write also and send the letter to her. No! She writes so much better than I that she must write it and she may sign my name if she thinks it necessary. She will know what to say! Hastily, lovingly C. C Catt I am glad that you and and Majorie like each other!! Tuesday Eve [?Nov??] 1918 My dear Maud: To meet your wishes we had a meeting of the staff and decided: 27 (1) To mail to all the Senators tomorrow a letter, containing a victory map with the red stars on the 22 states and we hope for two more tomorrow. Also a photographed page about the woman vote in Germany (2) Rose will send enough of this week's Citizen which has a telling page, which Marjorie is to superintend and place on all the Senators office desk with this page folded out. 3. We will print a small folder and will have two reprints from next weeks Citizen - all of which will be the answer to all the anti stuff you sent. We will enclose this in a letter and mail to Senators, getting it off Friday night (we might get it off earlier but I fear not), or we will send it down to you to be distributed by hand or enclosed in a letter which you may write. Please give your answer to this to the first person who telephones or writes. I wish, dear Maud that you could go through this week's ordeal with a lighter heart than wil be yours. At any rate willy nilly you can look forward to a rest, blessed word. Lovingly, Carrie C Catt My dear Maud: Nov 1918 ? Mollie has just hung up the receiver. 26 To confirm the conversation: You have engaged the National Theater Wash DC for Sunday afternoon the 8th and want a check of $108 to pay on contract. I will send it in the morning but I should think that somebody there would have a check for that amount. Mrs. Martin of the Woman's Committee wil know how and where to get community surging. I suggest that there be 20 minutes or half an hour to begin and stir things up. Mrs. Slade of the YMCA and Mrs. Dudley of the Liberty Loan would be [?] for the program but we need a man who is an orator. L[?]off would be fine if we could get him and if he speaks English. If he cannot be got try who or what else there is to be had there. Mollie says they had a fine B[??sh] speaker in Boston and I'll see if I can find out about him in case he is needed. Have we any people there to compose a Committee. Is there anyone who can think out novelties. I am so tired of thinking. Can we demonstrate our new states some way? Call to Order 3 pm Community Singing to 3.30 Mrs Catt 5 Mrs Dudley 10 Mrs Slade 10 = 4:00 Luoff? 30 4.25 Shaw 20 4 50 Catt 5? (Adoption Resolution) Star Spangled etc Shall we decorate? if so how. How about the above? I think you ought to speak. You do it beautifully and it would be a pity not to have you. I doubt if Luoff speaks English, but we must have a man. Let us try to get some new folk. I won't ask Mrs Dudley and Mrs Slade yet. Is there any man who would be a political card--next a boosting orator. Is there any big man from G B now--is Lord Reading here?--any man who is a suffragist and will blow for us. When is Mrs Cunningham coming. You will need her for the week of preparation. Will you need any extra helps if they could be got, or can it be managed there? Lovingly, C. C. Catt My dear Maud. Nov 1918 The three days meetings are over and we are all tired but I am rather well pleased because we finished all the business on the Agenda. We voted to send Mrs. Levermore to Idaho. I told her it must be right away but we have not set the date. Sensa Young Gates the head of the Mormon Women's Cheif Assin [Association] and Mrs. Harper correspond. I asked Mrs. Harper some time ago to write her and ask if she could not stir up the Mormons in Idaho to put some pressure on Borah. She has replied and encloses a little from the Chairman of the Repub. Party in Idaho who is a Mormon. She went right to the top. He says that Miss Whittman so antagonized him by the Woman's Party campaign altho he told her that it would be impossible to defeat him, that he doesn't think anything could be done now to get his vote. Neither do I but I do think it is necessary to look after ratification there provided we should ever have the merry good luck to have anything to ratify. Do not count on Borah for anything which calls for common sense or honesty. He possesses neither. Miss Shaw said she would speak on the 1st and if you cannot get the hall then she can be there the 8th. I will come to preside, but we must have since war speakers and we shall [have?] to get them there. Is there anyone you can consult? Would Mrs. Baker sing? Shall we have a band shall we have some "community singing"? (Ask Mrs. Martin of the W. C. about that). No one here has had time to do any thinking about it yet. I will write you from the office about the [?] matter for the material. I wish to send you there Minnesota has a constitution like Oklahoma's. It is said the [Drys] sent $200 out on a probation amendment. They carried it by [?15000] when only [?wits] on the proposition [are] committed and lost it by the 1000 through the select role or those who forgot to vote on it. So you've lost a good argument by winning Oklahoma, we have a talking point in Minnesota. The papers persist that the president will go over for the Versailles Conference and I believe he will. How we pray for the dark horse with a vote for us. Mrs. [Sh????] arrived at 4pm Sat with a wonderful tale of trickery, and altho there is a majority of 10000 over the select will she seems to feel very nervous about it best that Governor will yet find some scheme to cheat the women of it. 3[?] I was sorry we could not have you all the way through the Meeting. There were many things which you should have discussed with us. It is 8.30 and I am off for bed after a nice shampoo. I have a big day on for tomorrow Maud you are the dearest girl in seven states and I do love you. I shall write Helen tomorrow. Lovingly Carrie C. Catt They chose Dec 1 because there is likely to be a considerable number of [???] in Washington on the 2nd. If you do not approve that date, make it the 8th or even 15th provided Miss Shaw will be there. 31 [1918] My dear Maud. I wrote you once today and also to Mrs. Cunningham, but heres more. If Mrs Tillinghast reports that the resolution is not likely to go through next week (and those fellers up there only meet Tues. Wed. and Thurs.) then get a hearing fixed at once on the bill for vote[?] Senators and Representatives &c See if you cannot get a joint hearing of the two Suffrage Committees. That is new and I think would now be easily managed. If bill hasn't been introduced in Senate, get that done immediately. By the time the hearing is over we shall know what is going to happen in N. H. We will ask the States to push the [?] vote and I believe we can put the [?] through both houses of Congress. That certainly will be a powerful lever. We should get on a big strong lobby and check up quick every man in both house before anyone knows what we are up to. Now are you equal to such a drive dear Maud. I think now that we should have done this months ago. We can drift no longer. We must show fight and find out what men will really fight with us. I've canvassed the field to see what chances we might have of resolutions calling a national constitutional convention but don't think we can make it. A majority on the Senator & Representative would be 49. The Senators from Wash. Or. Cal. Nev Ariz [Utah], Mont Wyo. Colo. N. Mex. N.D. S Dak Kan Ok, Tex Ark, Iowa Minn, (at least one each Idaho, Utah, Mo Neb and N.Y) Wis, Del, Ind Mich, R.I--that is 22 states of 2 votes each=44 plus one each from 5 states equals 49. We might carry [?] and King and we might catch some southerners on that proposition. Might be worth doing anyway, since the amendment National American Woman Suffrage Association Branch of International Woman Suffrage Alliance and of National Council of Women Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, President Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, Honorary President 1st Vice-President Mrs. Stanley McCormick, Mass. 2nd Vice-President Miss Mary Garrett Hay, New York. 3rd Vice-President Mrs. Guilford Dudley, Tenn. 4th Vice-President Mrs. Raymond Brown, New York 5th Vice-President Mrs. Helen Gardener, Washington, D. C. National Woman Suffrage Publishing Company, Inc. Miss Esther G. Ogden, President 171 Madison Ave, New York Treasurer Mrs. Henry Wade Rogers, Conn. Corresponding Secretary Mrs. Frank J. Shuler, New York Recording Secretary Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, New York National Headquarters 171 Madison Avenue New York Press Department Miss Rose Young, Chairman 171 Madison Avenue, New York Directors Mrs. Charles H. Brooks, Kansas Mrs. T. T. Cotnam, Arkansas Mrs. James Lees Laidlaw, New York Mrs. Arthur L. Livermore, New York Mrs. Nonie B. Mahoney, Texas Miss Esther G. Ogden, New York Dr. Mary Safford, Florida Mrs. Horace C. Stilwell, Indiana Congressional Committee Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Chairman Headquarters 1626 Rhode Island Ave., Washington, D. C. is probably too late for complete ratification this 1919. Dates for convention just settled by telegram April 21 to 26 inclusive. Don't announce them. The call must do that. At this point you called me to the telephone and I did not find out how you are. I want to know. Perhaps you have information I lack on the Florida situation. I don't think any reports we have will help much. You did not tell me whether they went armed with a letter from the Dem. Committee. I do not see how you can check up the House with your two helpers away. It looks like a pretty big job to me. Do not the members question the constitutionality of the new bill? I thought they would. If it should pass the House it would be a big joke on the Senate--the first we have had. If it can go through without hearing or publicity it will be well and its passage will be publicity enough, but a hearing would give publicity also if needed. I don't think the enemy will ever let us get away with anything quietly. I wish I knew whether these girls had literature to take with them. I'm hoping the Repub will do something! Expect MGH back Sunday a.m. She had a dreadful cold when she left. Lovingly, Carrie Chapman Catt O, here's a small piece of news. The women of Sweden have the vote, full, complete. A little [slowed?] go to the Sweden feeling them of Sweden & Holland and of the mandate from the Legislature. That both go about the 15th as N. Y. met how had time to act. Will you get it out there or shall we? 28 NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION BRANCH OF INTERNATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE ALLIANCE AND OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN MRS. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT, PRESIDENT DR. ANNA HOWARD SHAW, HONORARY PRESIDENT 1ST VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. STANLEY MCCORMICK, MASS. 2ND VICE-PRESIDENT MISS MARY GARRETT HAY, NEW YORK 3D VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. GUILFORD DUDLEY, TENN. 5TH VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. HELEN GARDENER, WASHINGTON D. C. TREASURER MRS. HENRY WADE ROGERS, CONN. CORRESPONDING SECRETARY MRS. FRANK J. SHULER, NEW YORK RECORDING SECRETARY MRS. HALSEY W. WILSON, NEW YORK NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 171 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK TELEPHONE, 4818 MURRAY HILL DIRECTORS MRS. CHARLES H BROOKS, KANSAS MRS. T. T. COTNAM, ARKANSAS MRS. JAMES LEE LAIDLAW, NEW YORK MRS. ARTHUR L. LIVERMORE, NEW YORK MRS. NONIE B. MAHONEY, TEXAS MISS ESTHER G. OGDEN, NEW YORK DR. MARY SAFFORD, FLORIDA MRS. HORACE C STILWELL, INDIANA NATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC. MISS ESTHER G. OGDEN, PRESIDENT 171 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK PRESS DEPARTMENT MISS ROSE YOUNG, CHAIRMAN 171 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE MRS MAUD WOOD PARK, CHAIRMAN HEADQUARTERS 1626 RHODE ISLAND AVE., WASHINGTON, D.C. Saturday p.m. [1918] My dear Maud. After mailing your letter last night I read the U.S. Constitution from start to finish. I never enthused over the will to give women the vote for Senate and House because I could never see its constitutionality. I do not see it now, and if we back it, I suppose the president should know why is is constitutional. I imagine it could go through if the members could be made to think it would not be [?] out of the Courts. If you know why it is constitutional I wish you would tell me. Now, please ask Mrs. Anderson to make copies of all Legislature resolutions you receive and mail them to us. We will do the same, so that we shall make certain of a complete file in each office. Please notify us if you get wire of passing of resolution and we will notify you. Of course several new legistlatures meet next week and my will of and N.Y. will be heard from. You probably read that Miss Hay sat in the Republican Committee on a proxie as a regular voter! They resolved I see by the paper. I expect her in tomorrow morning but have had not definite information. The Antis, are asking for money to defeat the Fed Amendment. They have kept it back so far and if they can until March 4, they will have nullified the House vote! They not only ask for money but ask recipients of the appeal to write a telegraph. Moses and Pollack I suggest that you let these men know that this campaign is on and if you need a counter irritant - start it. The prohibitionists have 22 states ratified today. Had our Christian forefathers stopped the slave trade we would today be wondering at the tardiness of France instead of [?] lest they beat us. Dear Maud, do we or do we not see light at the end of the tunnel ahead. How much influence have these antis had down there? Lovingly, Carrie C Catt Do tell me how you are and how Helen is!! NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION BRANCH OF INTERNATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE ALLIANCE AND OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN MRS. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT. PRESIDENT DR. ANNA HOWARD SHAW, HONORARY-PRESIDENT 1ST VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. STANLEY MCCORMICK, MASS. 2ND VICE-PRESIDENT MISS MARY GARRETT HAY, NEW YORK TREASURER MRS. HENRY WADE ROGERS, CONN CORRESPONDING SECRETARY MRS. FRANK J. SHULER, NEW YORK RECORDING SECRETARY MRS. HALSEY W. WILSON, NEW YORK 3D VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. GUILFORD DUDLEY. TENN. DIRECTORS MRS. CHARLES H. BROOKS, KANSAS MRS. T. T. COTNAM, ARKANSAS MRS. JAMES LEES LAIDLAW, NEW YORK MRS. ARTHUR L. LIVERMORE, NEW YORK MRS. NONIE B. MAHONEY, TEXAS MISS ESTHER G. OGDEN, NEW YORK DR. MARY SAFFORD, FLORIDA MRS. HORACE C. STILWELL, INDIANA 4TH VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. RAYMOND BROWN, NEW YORK BTH VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. HELEN GARDENER WASHINGTON, D. C. NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 171 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK TELEPHONE, 4818 MURRAY HILL NATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC. PRESS DEPARTMENT MISS ROSE YOUNG, CHAIRMAN 171 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK MISS ESTHER G. OGDEN, PRESIDENT 171 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE MRS. MAUD WOOD PARK, CHAIRMAN HEADQUARTERS 1626 RHODE ISLAND AVE. WASHINGTON, D.C. January 4, 1919. My dear Mrs. Park:- Yesterday was a great day for me. I was so happy all day I could scarcely keep my feet on the ground and the only element which entered in to spoil that day of happiness was the report which Miss Hay brought me late in the evening, that you are so tired and unwell. It grieves me very much indeed and we promise any and all kinds of rest when it is over, but that is not going to do you very much good now. I do wish you could go to bed and stay there at least three days, which I should think could be managed just now, You are such a precious little package, but you are going to do yourself lasting harm if you allow yourself to be too much broken down at this time. The reason for my happiness yesterday was that I had a long distance telephone call from Mrs. Tillinghast telling me things were getting along reasonably well and from Miss Hay telling me that things were doing fairly well in Washington. Then we had the telegram saying that the resolution had already passed through the Michigan Legislature and was on its way to the Senate in Washington. This morning we have a telegram from Mrs. Hosmer of Colorado saying that the legislature on the 3rd, unanimously passed a suffrage resolution calling on the Senate for submission and that they are passing on to their Senators. I suggest that Mrs. Cunningham call upon the respective Senators of these states and find out if they have received them and what they are going to do with them so as to make the biggest possible splurge over them. I told each one of the states that they were to wire you and me when the resolution went through, that they were to see that the official copy went to one of the Senators of their state and that they were also to notify the chairman of the Suffrage Committee, Senator Andrieus A. Jones. Now, as I asked them to do four things, I am not sure whether they will forget some of them or not. Therefore, any further wires that I get on the passing of the resolutions, I shall inform you about them by letter each time. The letter will reach you as soon as the resolution will reach the Senate. I will ask you to do the same by me. Otherwise some one state may notify one office and not the other. I also suggest that when you have three or four of these resolutions -2- in hand, a letter go from you to all the Senators informing the members that these resolutions have been passed. It is easy for them not to know about them owing to their absence and failure to read the Record. I have taken the matter up with every state which could possibly pass a resolution. Some of them like Massachusetts, Tennessee and Rhode Island would not dare attempt it, lest it hurt their own ratification. This was also true of Pennsylvania, but we will get those resolutions from quite a number of states besides the suffrage states, if the amendment in Washington is left hanging fire too long. Mrs. Hughston has an appointment with Mr. Newberry on Monday morning. She feels sure that there is no trouble and she thinks she can get her statement. Of course I am looking after the resolutions and you need not feel that you must punch me up about things I am asked to do. The letters to the New Hampshire men went days ago. I know nothing about the luncheon in Washington on February 12th. I have had no invitation or statement from anybody. I will see whether a statement about the Woman's Party can be put out through the press, but I really do not see my way very clear to do it. You can just tell Mr. Pittman that in order to get that statement over in the way that such men as he can remember that we have put it out, we would have to resort to the same methods that they have used. I presume that if you and I would get an elephant and ride through the streets of Washington carrying a banner saying, "We aren't It" Mr. Pittman would remember that we had disclaimed connection. Now, I have saved my biggest piece of news for the last. Dr. Jacobs writes me that quite unexpectedly to the suffragists, the government suddenly has made the public announcement that it favors the woman suffrage bill now pending and that it will bring it forward as soon as possible for a final vote, and that the government proposes immediately after the women are enfranchised to announce a new election in order that a parliament may be elected by the voice of the whole country. Immediately following this rather astonishing announcement, every political party, one after another, came out in favor of this same policy. She said it was a "comic thing to hear the men who have opposed woman suffrage to the last moment, turn around and declare themselves in favor of it. This action on the part of the government was the more remarkable because when the usual deputation had waited upon the Government, asking what it would do for suffrage in the coming parliament, the Government replied as has been usual, that it was not yet prepared to say what it would do. This we saw in the papers. She says that probably by the time the letter will have been received by me, the bill will have become a law. Of course nothing like it has appeared in the papers, but as we have frequently learned, the cables are so overcrowded that much material does not get through. It is not unlikely that at this moment the Dutch women may be fully enfranchised. So one other country has been permitted to lead the United States. Those confounded men ought to have some American pride in them and if they have they certainly will hurry. Can not the Democrats get a man and rush the vote before we are humiliated any further? Sweden will act very soon also, as I hear. -3- Now I had a happy day yesterday, because everything was going so fine, but today I am mad because things are not going faster. Nellie said that you do not believe that I would not come down for the vote. My dear girl, I really solemnly mean it and I have more reasons for it than not liking Washington. I wish somebody to telephone us immediately when the amendment goes through. I propose to wire the presidents from here, telling them that it has passed and to be after their ratification. You see I have corresponded with them pretty vigorously for a year on this subject and know exactly how everything stands at this office and I do not want to waste a quarter of a minute on the program of ratification. We have a lot of stuff to jump into the hands of the printer as soon as the amendment goes through. If we get any encouragement, really fundamental, we may give those things to the printer before we go through. Now, there is one job I wish done, but I want you to give this to Mrs. Cunningham to do while you are taking a rest. You will, perhaps, remember that when you and I called on Mr. Dunwiddle, I asked him just what the process was of getting an amendment into the various hands of legislatures and that he replied it was all done without intervention on their part. The prohibition amendment having passed the House immediately before Christmas, they found that it reached the Governors of the respective states by the time the Legislatures convened in January. I believe that it is the custom to have a joint resolution introduced in the two Houses for the adoption of such an amendment. I wish Mrs. Cunningham would go to the Anti-Saloon League and get copies of such a resolution. I am sure they must have it there. I wish also a copy of our Bill exactly as it stands. I think it will be necessary for us to have some of them printed and distributed in the Legislature in advance of action to be taken. Please ask Mrs. Cunningham to do this double quick and send the stuff up here. Further, ask the Anti-Saloon League again just what the process is and if they are a little befuddled about it, I suggest that it be put into the hands of one of the Senators to ferret out. It is far more important that great haste be made in the furthering of that amendment in our case, than it was in the instance of the prohibition amendment, for obvious reasons. Lovingly yours, Carrie Chapman Catt President Roosevelt wrote Moses a strong letter about the Teddy A -2- [*Catt to Park*] [*Jan 15 1919 -29] and I begged them to talk the matter over with great seriousness at their meeting on Monday and to determine upon the wisest policy to bring to his attention the demand of the state for the vote. I reminded her that Lodge and Weeks had probably been after him all the time. I made every suggestion that I possibly could call to mind and each one in turn was turned down as too difficult, or too worn out, or too this, or too that. She complained of the lack of sentiment and I told her it would never grow of it’s own volition. I gave her a good plain talk, but this is to serve notice on you that if Keyes’ vote depends upon what we can do in the state, it will never be secured. Mrs. Livermore thinks we should again go into the state and railroad things through, but I do not agree. The work that our women would do might be well done, but there is already such a prejudice against outsiders that it would be overbalanced by the adverse sentiment created. On the other hand I know that Hays was to see Keyes and I think that whatever can be done from his end of the line will be done. Lodge beat Hays in the race for Moses and probably will in the race for Keyes. I do not give up the situation at all and will keep on the track and trail of the State Board, but as I told you the situation is badly messed up. Probably Miss Hay will tell you that she has been working on the Gillette business and has some assurances from that quarter which are encouraging. She will tell you those herself. I think we need not fear his election. I have just had a call this afternoon from Mrs. Macy and Mrs. Slade and they have conveyed to me the message of the Executive Committee of the Continuation Committee of the Victory Dinner Committee (I hope I have the correct appellation) and they have invited me to represent the “Victoryettes” at the head of a delegation in Paris. I have told them that I had to go over to the other side anyway. I told them that I could not go until after the convention and that it would take the month of April for me to move. Whereupon they offered to move me themselves. As the New York Section of the Board has also offered to move me, I see that that will be no problem. You may imagine Mrs. Macy packing up my skillets and flat irons while I am sitting next to Clemenceau at the Peace Conference. I told them about the international and that I did not know where it would be and I might not want to go to Paris at all. They suggested that if I could go over and put down in Paris the rest of the delegation, I might then go away and leave them and I accepted the proposition, but with this string to it. I told them that I might not be able to go at the time they thought I ought to go. I do not think I can go in April. They then asked if they might give out the statement even though the settling of this commission was delayed until later and I agreed. I am sure that while Mrs. Macy and Mrs. McCormick [*Caroline McCormick Slade] are moving my household belongings that Miss Hay will be called down to Washington to sit on the amendment and the lady movers will have it all their own way. What a grand time I shall have finding things afterwards. Apparently from your telephone messages, the excitement over the various amendments has subsided and I sincerely hope that it will stay put long enough to give you a little respite. I regret that Mrs. Holmes is to come tomorrow to stir you out of your peace and quiet. Lovingly Yours, Carrie C. Catt President -3- January 15, 1919. Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Washington, D.C. I have been interrupted at least a dozen times in the midst of dictating this letter, have made one tour up stairs, meanwhile. Mrs. Pinchot was the last one to call on the phone. She is dumbfounded by the news from New Hampshire which she had heard and called up to say that Senator Johnson of California told her husband that the amendment was sure to go through this week. Of course they were all counting on Senator Moses. Miss Hay tried to be cheerful and buck me up, saying she has not lost hope in Moses yet. She did not say it with much animation. I await further news from Washington and will keep you informed promptly of all that happens here. Yours cordially, Carrie Chapman Catt President P.S. Since dictating the above, Mrs. Laidlaw has been in. There was some blundering work done, I think, about introducing the resolution in the New York Legislature. Whether there was or not it got balled up anyway. The resolution has gone through the Senate, but Mrs. Laidlaw said that they had an old fashioned pro-suffrage discussion which the women thought had gone forever. The old friends made rousing speeches for woman suffrage and begged quick action on the resolution, whereas, some of the opponents not quite daring to be as outspoken as once they were, yet manifested their opposition by pronouncing the resolution a desire to embarrass the Senator from the State. They were his friends from the locality where his influence is great and those who have always belonged to his machine, who were the active ones. When it was moved in the House they asked consent for immediate action and that requires a unanimous vote. It was objected to by one of the Wadsworth men with the result that it has to go over until next Monday night. The women are perfectly sick over it, but rather they are so mad they do not know how to regard it. The women are aroused with blood in their eye and threaten to leave the Republican Party now that it has turned down the resolution in New Hampshire and is behaving in this way in New York. However, that does not buy shoes for the baby. This is the time when we must not waste any of our energy over temper, although it is a temptation to do so. So nearly as I can think out the prospects for the amendment, they are these and these only. 1. The possibility of Senator Trammell's vote which looks to me extremely doubtful. 2. The possibility of Senator Borah which looks to me more than doubtful. 3. The possibility of the Republicans still holding Senator Moses which looks to me trebly doubtful. 4. The possibility of Senator Hitchcock being influence by his Republican Legislature which is quadruply doubtful. 5. The possibility of something from Ohio influencing Senator Pomerene which is quintuply doubtful. 6. The bare hope of Senator Wolcott which I put at the tail of the list. A letter from Mrs. Upton since dictating the above, has been received. She probably has told you all that it contains. "We have sent Miss Rice to Washington to talk with Mrs. Pomerene. A delegation is waiting on two Democrats today in Cleveland who have the most influence with Senator Pomerene and today a leading Democrat -4- January 15, 1919. Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Washington, D.C. of the state who is always expecting, I think, that we would make up to him and we have never done so, sent us $100. In acknowledging it, I took up the question of Senator Pomerene with him. He is a man who makes statesmen and who is one of these terrible, terrible bosses." Mrs. Upton is thinking about the possibility of a resolution in Ohio. It is certain that the minority, regardless of politics, is fighting a hard fought game and it does look at this moment as though they have beaten us in this Congress. I shall wait one day longer to hear whether or not there are any new clues opening up in Washington. Mr. Hays is there today. He will talk with Senator Curtis doubtless and perhaps they will together talk with Senator Moses or someone else and you may be able to give me some information I do not now possess. Then I shall send a bulletin to the presidents telling them to get what they can out of their Legislatures. C.C.C. National American Woman Suffrage Association Branch of International Woman Suffrage Alliance and of National Council of Women January 24, 1919. Mr dear Mrs Park:- I have reimbursed our supply of red stars and so enclose a few more for you. The Rhode Island people were afraid to try for a resolution because they had a little weaker lot than they had last year and they were afraid it was going to affect their ratification. I came across their resolution and was reminded it was passed only last April and so I have stuck a red star on my map for Rhode Island. I called up the house to notify you that Idaho had passed a resolution. As you know I was worried about this, Miss Hay tells me that you were going to see Senator Borah and I wanted you to have that information before you should go to see him and I would advise that you take one of the maps to him with all these beautiful stars stuck on it. It really does tell the story of the demand pretty well. There are nineteen states now that have passed the resolution. There was in my mind a question about Idaho, but there is no question about Wyoming and Nevada. They are coming along but they are slow. I have had a telegram from Mrs. Ueland telling me there is no question of passing it there and Mrs. Upton also wired saying she thinks it will go through in Ohio. Illinois is refractory and the women are not pushing it. I have urged Iowa to take it up but I do not know about them. We cannot wait further but there will be some more resolutions. I have placed your money with a Lawyers Mortgage and Guarantee Company, sending the check to them today. They will begin to pay the interest the moment it is received which will be tomorrow. They will then send a statement for you to fill in as to where you wish the interest to go, etc. That we will forward later, this is only a report of progress. I enclose copy of the letter I have sent together with one of these maps to Senator Hitchcock. Your cordially, Carrie Chapman Catt President Saturday a.m. 41 Feb 1, 1919 My dear Maud: I will write my prettiest, but it is difficult to read my chirography at best. I had a stenographer come up this morning for a few telegrams and letters, but I did not want to dictate this. I could have answered last night had Miss Hay paused to let me know what you wanted! I feel strongly opposed to a vote on the amendment unless a man is found with sufficient strength of character to say that he has changed his mind. i do not believe a vote is going to call out an unknown supporter. When the vote was taken in October you remember that several Senators including Pittman thought we might smoke out a vote or two and we wanted the men put on record before election. Well, at that time tremendous pressure was put on [?] and he was expected to deliver--and didn't. Apparently he has given no evidence that he wil vote right this time. After a man has voted Now it is difficult to get him to change and it will be doubly so if he has so voted twice. We shall lose prestige by having two defeats and I see no possibility of gaining anything. A letter from Mrs. Barkley received yesterday encloses a clipping which I send on to you and ask you to return. You see Hitchcock is not influenced by his resolution and says he will vote "no". Mrs. Upton writes that Ohio will pass the resolution this next week. She hopes it will win Pomerene. Between you and me, I do not think it will have any effect. The Legislatures are both Republican in these two states. I do not know whether there is anything new concerning Wolcott, but if not he is hopeless and these three and Frammel are the only chances we have been able to name. As to Frammel, I have never felt there was hope there. I said I would not block the way if you had information unknown to me that led you to think a visit to that State could secure his vote. I have never learned 2 whether you had such information or not. I know the girls went down and did "a perfectly wonderful piece of work" (Miss Hay). I have never been informed from any quarter as to what that work was. I do not know whether they secured a majority of the Legislature or not. I understand the report is now in the office but I have not seen it. Mind, I understand that you have all been pulling like mad at the local problem and that the girls had no time to report. I am not finding fault with anyone at all, although this may sound like it. I am only trying to say that I have heard nothing which makes me feel differently about Frammel prospects. I am absolutely opposed to sending any of our people to N. C to try for resolution or problem to Overman. Judge Clark sent me a letter from him in reply to a letter Judge Clark had written him and which was dated not more than ten days ago I think. Overman said that he couldn't vote for the amendment unless he knew that the majority of the people of N.C. wanted him to. He is a wind bag and a coward and we cannot change him into a man. I suggest that you put it up to the Democrats to send a man to N.C. on the q.t. and let him see what he can get out of the Legislature. There is some sense in that. They will not get Overman, but it wil be a democratic affair and not ours. The more they get mad at that Southern bunch the better it is for the country. The idea of a letter signed by the favorable Senators to the unfavorable ones is excellent. It [wil?] not bring a vote but it puts the friends right and the responsibility where it belongs. I wish the caucus could devise some way of 3 breaking the combine, but it is a far more sinister one than we know. I am sure those men are pledged to stand out through this Congress and that the pledge is so iron bound no man dares to break it even upon valid excuse and public announcement. In other words, dear Maud, I had hoped I was wrong about Frammel and that there were other chances, but the absence of news confirming this hope much in the last few days has brought me to the realization that the amendment will not go through this Congress. I am exceedingly unhappy over it, but resigned. I shall not say to the Presidents that we have no chance until I hear more from you, but I am planning now much certainty in mind that we shall not go through. A deluge of referenda is coming and unfortunately they will come cheaply in 1920. The whole program is scrambled and the action of the Legislatures will have an unmeasured effect upon the next Congress and not necessarily a [???] effect. I am losing faith in that Congress. It will not be difficult for the Devil with pockets lined to pick off a couple or three men in the Senate and that would block the procedure for two years more. I feel certain that the same combine will hold in the 66th and that a fresh check on that Congress should be made. The political outlook changes from day to day and such big turbulent questions are looming up that the question of votes for those who have none takes its place far in the rear. I think a new party is coming. The birth pangs are beginning. The Federal Amendment will defeat [????] party. Great issues will be fought over in 1920 and women who have votes [????] them. They will swallow Lodge - [??? and New England, and vote Republican; or Marlin and Overman et al and vote Democratic The men know this and are unmoved The President will effect nothing upon his return. He is bringing a pocket full of trouble 4 all his own. Now as to the future "I've bin thinkin" We are offering National Conferences to New England and the South to stir things up (The National Convention had to changed from April to March) I want to have Miss Shuler go on the Southern tour as advance and publicity agent if you can spare her. How about it? Would have to start within few days. [We will get someone else if cannot spare her. Let me know at once] At the convention we will go over things and make such readjustments as must be. It looks to me that if a special session is called for June or thereabouts, a hard [???] should be made to get the amendment through, but if the combine stave it off, I think we should be prepared to[?] [???] the house in Oct at the latest and if the special session adjourns earlier and take business offices. I am terribly worried over you. I know you are tired discouraged and desperate. You may need a successor to Mrs Cunningham and there is none. We must not leave you alone if there is still a prospect. If there isn't you might as well settle down to calm relection Last night I dreamed that I opened the door of your room to ask a question. As I stood in the opening, you rolled out of bed--dead. You were in a ball and looked some like a big doughnut I do not know how I knew you were dead but I did. In consideration I shouted, "The federal amendment did it" and then I dropped in a roll too looking like another doughnut and woke up crying "My God. O mmy God" I told Mollie my dream and she said that since dreams go by contraries it meant a wedding--there's an idea. Perhaps you can buy a vote from some hungry widower or bachelor. There is Brandeg[?] and Penrose! I commend them to you. The prospect looks as good to me as Trammel. The French President "suffrage de [?]" writes "we are in a white rage because they got it first"--meaning the Germans. My rage is inarticulate [?] Miss Pa[???] and it would take something more than burning a speech to express it. Tar and feathers appeals to me. Could we catch the whole 34? Lovingly, Carrie C Catt Mollie read this letter says to tell you it sounds grippy Yes it does I only suggest tar because I am sort of weak. [Copy on Rod] CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 2 WEST 86th ST. NEW YORK Feb 9, 1919. My dear Maud- Apparently our chances have not been changed except by the additional earnestness of our friends and bitterness of our foes. Mollie thinks the chances equal. Well if fate perches victory on our bedraggled and outworn banner,we shall all be glad and perhaps we shall even feel jubilant. We shall shed no tears at any rate. But if our familiar experience is repeated, I want you to know that I am quite resigned and I think to the point that I shall not suffer. Editorials if and if are written and ready for the Citizen. Mrs. Shuler is bringing the telegrams to send out if we go through and bulletins if we do and if we don't are ready too. In any event the delay cannot be long. Those who will eventually triumph can afford to be patient and forgiving. I wish I might put you in a very tender embrace and steady your nerve and courage for these next days. If it is a go, you will steady yourself with joy, but if it isn't it will be a temporary shock and distruber of poise, which if I could I would ease for you. If through we go, dance a jig and go to bed for a week of sweet sleep. If through we don't go, swear a few swears and go to bed and sleep a week just the same. If through we go, it was you who did it; if through we don't go, no [?] human being could have put it through. Nothing has been left undone, except the Lord's creation of certain creatures who pass for statesmen. He might have done a better job! So many of our officers are curious to see those queer Senators, inspired by much the same curiosity as the public by the ads of the Wild Man, that someone must stay home with finger on the trigger while they look through the bars of the senatoral cage. At the same time I am mending my physical incapacities so as to be in better trim for the next battle and I therefore wil no be down for the Victory Dinner. With the most loving and complete confidence one human can feel for another, I am Yours for victory Yours for defeat Yours anyway Carrie Chapman Catt NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION BRANCH OF INTERNATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE ALLIANCE AND OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, 171 MADISON AVENUE TELEPHONE, 4818 MURRAY HILL NEW YORK MRS. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT, President DR. ANNA HOWARD SHAW, Honorary President 1ST VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. STANLEY MCCORMICK, MASS. 2ND VICE-PRESIDENT MISS MARY GARRETT HAY, NEW YORK 3RD VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. GUILFORD DUDLEY, TENN. 4TH VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. RAYMOND BROWN, NEW YORK CHAIRMAN MRS. CHARLES H. BROOKS WICHITA, KANSAS SECRETARY MISS KATHERINE PIERCE 112 N. BROADWAY OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA PRESS DEPARTMENT MISS ROSE YOUNG, Director 171 Madison Ave., New York 5TH VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. HELEN GARDENER, WASHINGTON, D.C. TREASURER MRS. HENRY WADE ROGERS, CONN. CORRESPONDING SECRETARY MRS. FRANK J. SHULER, NEW YORK RECORDING SECRETARY MRS. HALSEY W. WILSON, NEW YORK NATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE PUBLISHING COMPANY, Inc. MISS ESTHER G. OGDEN , President 171 Madison Ave., New York DIRECTORS MRS. CHARLES H. BROOKS, Kansas MRS. J. C. CANTRILL, Kentucky MRS. RICHARD E. EDWARDS, Indiana MRS. GEORGE GELLHORN, Missouri MRS BEN HOOPER, Wisconsin MRS. ARTHUR LIVERMORE, New York MISS ESTHER G. OGDEN, New York MRS. GEORGE A. PIERSOL, Pennsylvania June 24, 1919. Mrs. Maud Wood Park, 1626 Rhode Island Avenue, Washington, D. C. My dear Mrs. Park : - The Leslie Commission met this morning for the first time since January. it was proposed and voted unanimously that a check for $1000 be sent to you in grateful acknowledgment of your able, faithful, conscientious devotion to the congressional work connected with the passing of the federal suffrage amendment. We all realize that you have made great sacrifices to be in Washington and you have given your services without remuneration which we are aware has also been a sacrifice. In sending this little expression of our gratitude, it is in no sense to be taken as meaning either remuneration or anything of that sort. It is a pure expression of gratitude and an acknowledgment that had it not been for you, we would not now be engaged in the pleasant task of ratification. I am writing as chairman of the Leslie Commission, but to return to my other office as president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, I will remind you that if you don't watch out we shall be ratified before you have accepted the chairmanship of the ratification committee. I never had so much enjoyment in all my life as I am getting now and I am longing for you to be here to share in it. Let me know when you are coming up. Lovingly yours, Carrie Chapman Catt President [*43*] NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION BRANCH OF INTERNATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE ALLIANCE AND OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN MRS. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT, PRESIDENT DR. ANNA HOWARD SHAW, HONORARY PRESIDENT 1ST VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. STANLEY MCCORMICK, MASS. 2ND VICE-PRESIDENT MISS MARY GARRETT HAY, NEW YORK 3RD VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. GUILFORD DUDLEY, TENN. 4TH VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. RAYMOND BROWN, NEW YORK 5TH VICE-PRESIDENT MRS. HELEN GARDENER, WASHINGTON, D.C. TREASURER MRS. HENRY WADE ROGERS, CONN. CORRESPONDING SECRETARY MRS. FRANK J. SHULER, NEW YORK RECORDING SECRETARY MRS. HALSEY W. WILSON, NEW YORK NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 171 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK TELEPHONE, 4814 MURRAY HILL PRESS DEPARTMENT MISS ROSE YOUNG, CHAIRMAN 171 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK DIRECTORS MRS. CHARLES H. BROOKS, KANSAS MRS. T. T. COTNAM, ARKANSAS MRS. JAMES LESS LAIDLAW, NEW YORK MRS. ARTHUR L. LIVERMORE, NEW YORK MRS. NONIE B. MAHONEY, TEXAS MISS ESTHER G. OGDEN, NEW YORK DR. MARY SAFFORD, FLORIDA MRS. HORACE C. STILWELL, INDIANA CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE MRS. MAUD WOOD PARK, CHAIRMNA HEADQUARTERS 1626 RHODE ISLAND AVE., WASHINGTON, D.C. March 1, 1919. My dear Mrs. Park:- This letter will keep until Congress adjourns and you need not read it even after that date, unless you are sufficiently rested to give it attention. I have been grievously worried over you. I realize to the full what Mrs. Holmes' precipitate arrival meant to you. She apparently caused a grand stir and probably left a general muss behind her. It did not seem to me that in the last days of Congress there could be much chance of success, although I think it was right for you not to turn down the offer of further concession. Gay's promise to vote for a new measure was altogether too small a concession to give us much encouragement that any kind of concession can meet the demands of the South. The whole incident seems to indicate that the attitude of the South is not states' rights, or negroes, or anything else, but sheer opposition to woman suffrage. There are many matters to be decided now and I am writing to make some comments on these and to ask you to think them over at your leisure. THE HOUSE The little group here feel that the disposition of the house is a matter to be determined by the entire Board and that therefore we should not form any snap judgment until after the convention. However, the attitude I shall take on the matter unless some new development gives a turn in affairs, is as follows: I would like to ask Mrs. Walker to remain until May, as she has agreed to do and that we arrange to close the House on that date. We should close the boarding department absolutely and some arrangement should be made so that the mail can be forwarded to this office where it will be looked after. The house should then be turned back to Mrs. Hemmick on the first of October. We would have to keep it that long, I suppose, and that we should then go into a business office again for the last pull. I am taking this attitude because today it seems the President will call no session before the first of June and that he will call none even then after his return unless conditions make it positively necessary. I am believing that you were right in your conjecture that if the extra session is not held early this Spring, it will be held late in the Summer or possibly there -2- will be no extra session at all. In this connection the Tribune has an interesting editorial today in which it contends that Congress can call itself and that it need not wait for the President. I am further concluding that the Republicans are going to stand by their word and put the amendment through whenever they do meet very early in the session. If this works out, as they say it will, and they do not meet until December, the amendment will be out of the way before January and it would not be worth while to keep the House for October and November, ad the additional rent of $2,000. I told you we took the house up to October, but that we have an option on it for October and November, in which case we must pay that much additional rent. We would even then be out of home for the month of December which I now think we shall need in Washington. It is a bad mess but I think that this is the best way out of it. Mrs. Shuler does not agree with this and thinks it should be talked over by the Board. It is a perfectly immense expense and we all groan under it continually. It is not the office or the congressional work, but that maintenance of the house that is such an inordinate burden. It does not seem like a good use of money to be paying our deficits on the boarding department and yet we continually do this. I therefore wish you to tell me whether you think the value of the house is commensurate with the cost of its maintenance. I agree with you that we have never made as much use of the house as might have been the case under different management. We have never been able to find the woman who was just rightly adapted to theutilization of the house, although Miss Willard has done exceedingly well. Since we have not made the best use of the house, as we all agree, there is no reason to expect that we will make better use of it later on and especially unless we make a larger appropriation for the social side of things. To sum up, I wish your opinion on these subjects as soon as you can conveniently give them in order that I may have my own mind made up before the Board meets. OFFICE SPACE During the war office rooms could not have been obtained anywhere. Is that true now? So many temporary buildings were erected to accommodate the war activities that it may be that offices could now be secured. A little inquiry of a real estate agent might be made to discover what possibilities there might be. MISS SHULER Miss Young is terribly anxious to have Marjorie come up here for a few days before the convention in order to help her gather in the material for the press work. I spoke to you about this and you thought that you could not spare her. It is for you to say whether you can spare her or not. The truth of the matter is that everybody who has any connection with the administration in Washington or here is literally done to death by work. The Press Department here is terribly overcharged and I am sure Marjorie herself must be tired. If you can spare her, you will please do so, but if you cannot, without a loss to the work there, hang on to her until she goes to St. Louis with you. TEXAS Mrs. Cunningham having asked for Marjorie to come there for their press work opens another inquiry. Those Texas women started in on their campaign so complacently (not Mrs. Cunningham) because they thought they knew so much more than anybody else. They have now discovered that the antis have already flooded their state and it is important that we should help them out in the matter of press work. I think we ought to contribute that help to Texas, if we can. If there is no other consideration I would be glad if Marjorie could go to Texas from the convention in St. Louis and remain until the election was over. I must say that we are working that -3- young woman pretty hard, but I believe we might promise her to deliver the vacation which she ought to have had last Summer, if she could do this now. It is a question as to whether you think she could be spared and the press work dropped, which would be the case after the convention in St. Louis. Please talk that over with Marjorie and let the decision be made as soon as possible in order that we may inform Texas. At any rate, we do know that there will be no special session before the first of June. CONGRESSIONAL CHAIRMANSHIP Of course each new Board has the right to appoint the chairman for the ensuing year. Your chairmanship closes, therefore, with the close of the convention. Probably not every one understands this technically and I agree with you that it is right and proper for you to offer your resignation to the Board and let the Board report it to the Executive Council, the Executive Council to the convention for it is necessary that you should have the vote of confidence of the convention. I myself would fight pretty hard against having any other chairman take up the first work with the new Congress. You have it all in hand. We believe that we are going through. Miss Hay wrote you one letter which she was astonished that you had not received last night and she has promised to write you another and tell you at length and in detail what she has been telling me. Now if the Republicans are able to deliver their promise to put the amendment through at once and if it goes through, the credit for that success is yours and nobody's else. It is you who have lined up the Congress, you who have learned the situation, you who have mobilized all the factors concerning it. If the Republicans are as united in their determination as they now seem to be and if the amendment should go through under a new chairman, all the credit would be hers and people would think that you had been a failure and she a great success. I will not stand for that under any circumstances whatsoever. Therefore, I wish you to tell me privately that you will be willing to be reappointed chairman by the new Board. Of course I know how desperately tired of body and soul you must be. I see no reason why you should not have a vacation long enough to put you right. Further, if the Republicans cannot put the amendment through and do it quickly and if the evidence seems to indicate that there is going to be the same strain we have been enduring this Congress with no definite assurance that it will pass so that the chairmanship will mean another two years of the same concentrating, hard, discouraging work through which you have traveled so graciously and so nobly the past two years, I would be content to let you out and another one in sometime after that first effort, provided you were then unwilling to go on. Do not interpret this to mean that I should then think that someone else could do that work better. I shall never think that. I am only saying this for your sake and not at all for the sake of the amendment. THE ELECTION I am going to get out a bulletin about the elections which explains itself and so I will make no comment about it here. THE NEXT BILL I believe that we better not do any talking with Senators or Congressmen about the Bill to be put in at the next Congress. It is clear that we are going to have time after the convention to do this. I think it will be advisable for us to bring it before the convention for adoption and in the meantime it will be wise for use to ask that a Bill be drawn, making some concession to the South, putting in our citizenship -4- business, etc. and that we make certain that it is legal and proper before hand. I should like to have this presented to the Executive Committee and adopted by that body inasmuch as we have time. Then having adopted it we can introduce it as an official thing. THE NEXT CONGRESS Of course the change of a bill, however simple that change may be, might make an excuse for a Democrat or two to withdraw his support and thus make it impossible for the Republican Senate to put through an amendment. I do not anticipate that this will be the case. I should like to know what you think about it. Most lovingly yours, [*Carrie Chapman Catt*] President To Mrs. Maud Wood Park, 1626 Rhode Island Avenue, Washington, D. C. Signed in Mrs. Catt's absence. [*Bulletins mentioned above will follow.*] COPY National American Woman Suffrage Association (undated) My dear Maud: I shall be in the office next Monday, August 12. I asked all the States which had campaigns of any kind looking to the Senate condition to report by that time. The Board will meet on the 14th - that is, the N.Y. section. Meanwhile N. Jersey is confabulating over the question of fighting Baird. They have a meeting on the 13th. Meantime some change in political outlook has come about in some states altho' what effect it may have remains to be seen. We note that it is possible that Congress may be recalled for a vote on the draft age. We must watch that point. Mollie and I have had several talks over the Washington situation and we both think that it will be well to have several women there when the time comes for work. We spoke of Mrs. Dudley, Miss Ludington and Mrs. Cunningham of Texas. The latter has a good story to tell of woman suffrage in operation now. We shall have on our hands Mrs. Stillwell, Mrs. Jenks and Mrs. Trout. We must have those who can offset them and those who will work under direction. I wish we knew a fine type of Western Woman (far West) but at present I do not. Now if you approve please let me know and I'll write and give orders to these ladies to come on when we wire them to do so. Would a Sunday night support to the limit of our accommodation be a good thing? We could not have more than 50 and some of them would be our own folks and men, - wives of Senators. Would it be feasible to invite all Democratic favorable Senators and their wives on Sunday eve and all Republican favorables the next Sunday? Think it over and let me know. C.C. Catt to Maud Park - page 2. I am writing now to ask an answer to my first question and to this one. We think that you should be in N.Y. at least a day and night in order to go over all the situation. If Congress re-convenes on the 24th and you plan to be there on the 20th which is Tuesday, I think, we suggest that you get to N.Y. Sunday morning and come at once to the House (you see House is capitalized in my mind) and stay over Sun. and Mon. going down Tuesday or if you think you need be there all of Tuesday you could go down on Monday afternoon. Will you come? In the doubtful event of an earlier reconvening of Congress any day and night will do, but we must have time to plan. Mrs. Shuler and Marjorie will both be in the field till election and I shall be there for six weeks, so that whatever service I render to you will have to be given early in the game. I hope you are getting some rest, but the time is not long enough. Last year at the end of my two weeks, I wondered if I had rested at all, but when I got back towork I knew that I had. I fancy the experience may be repeated in your case. I do not know the name of the two recalcitrants who will surrender but Dod does. By the way, perhaps you have seen all this but it does no harm to repeat. Mrs. Gardener said to you that Shields wrote to ask permission to print the President's letters and his own. All three were printed in the N.Y. Times under Washington headlines and we were curious to know who had let it out. There had been a good Washington suffrage story without any earmarks another day and yesterday came another - a letter from the President to Baird July 31st. I conclude this is going from the Woman's Democratic Bureau in order to defend the President in advance of the announced Woman's Party antics soon to take place. Lovingly, (signed) Carrie C. Catt Transcribed and reviewed by volunteers participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.