NAWSA GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Gardener, Helen H. [*40 Sunset Ave*] AMHERST MASSACHUSETTS April 11, 1925 My dear Mrs. Gardener: As you may know, I have been asked to prepare the authorized "Life and Letters of Woodrow Wilson", and I am now engaged in the rather stupendous task of collecting the material for it. Among the papers which Mrs. Wilson turned over to me, is your letter of June 5, 1924. I note that in your letter to Mrs. Wilson you say that you are collecting this material and having it transcribed. I am very anxious now to get in all of these documents, and I should be greatly pleased if you could send copies either to Mrs. Wilson or to me. If you could accompany them by any memoranda or notes which would help to illuminate incidents in Mr. Wilson's career, I should be especially grateful. Very sincerely yours, Ray Stannard Baker Mrs. Helen H. Gardener U.S. Civil Service Commission Washington, D.C. RS April 14, 1925 Mr. Ray Stannard Baker, 40 Sunset Avenue Amherst, Massachusetts. My dear Mr. Baker: Your letter of the 11th is before me. I regret to say that I have been ill most of the time since writing Mrs. Wilson last June, and have not yet recovered completely. For this reason it has been impossible for me to dictate the material I had wished to, in connection with the letters and memoranda that I have copied for submission to Mrs. Wilson. If you are to be in Washington in the near future, I should like very much to see you in order that I might learn just what material you most wish to have. Much of what President Wilson did in the interest of the suffrage movement does not appear on paper. Many, many times matters were presented to him personally, whereupon he took action, and so in connection with the correspondence that I have at hand some notes are required to bring out many fine things he did for suffrage. Sincerely yours, Commissioner. B COPY. Washington, D.C. May 7, 1917. To the President of the United States, Washington, D.C. My dear Mr. President: The enclosed clipping will explain itself to you in part only. In a brief talk which my representative, Mrs. Helen Gardener, had with Mr. Tumulty and Mr. Brahany on Saturday, May 5, they asked that I put in writing for you some of the important points she gave to them. In brief, the National American Woman Suffrage Association did not join in the request that you receive this delegation at this time. This movement to reach you on May 14 was brought about by the Congressional Union (National Woman's Party) through men members of the organizations mentioned in the clipping, who secured Mr. Hale as spokesman. Knowing the overwhelming pressure upon you in pushing through immediate war measures, it seemed to us only fair to you to wait yet a while longer and not press for suffrage during this extraordinary session, however much we feel that it would add to our enthusiasm and usefulness during the war to be equipped with the ballot before we are placed on the firing line. We hoped that our willingness to serve our country even only half armed would appeal to the men with whom you and we must deal in Congress as a good and sufficient reason for our enfranchisement -- possibly as a war measure -- when you are less pressed than at this moment. However, if this seems to you the auspicious time to make our war appeal, will you not permit the National American Woman Suffrage Association to carry the glad news to the women of America? In that event, will you not receive Dr. Shaw and me, or our representatives, before the date of this delegation's call upon you on May 14? I have the honor to remain, Very sincerely, (Signed) CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT President. COPY THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON 8 May, 1917. My dear Mrs. Catt: You are always thoughtful and considerate, and I greatly value your generous attitude. In reply to your letter of May seventh, let me say that I candidly do not think that this is the opportune time to press the claims of our women upon the Congress. The thought of the Congress is so much centered upon the matters immediately connected with the conduct of the war that I think the general feeling would be that the time was not well chosen. I know how many persons whose judgment I greatly value dissent from this conclusion, but my contact with the gentlemen in Congress convinces me that I am not judging wrongly. With much appreciation, Cordially and sincerely yours, (Signed) WOODROW WILSON Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, National American Woman Suffrage Association, Washington, D.C. COPY. THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON 8 May 1917. Confidential. My dear Mrs. Catt: I am sure you will believe that I have as much interest as even you can have not only in putting nothing in the way of the women of Russia, but also in aiding them in any way to the full realization of their rights under the new order of things there; but I have had some pretty intimate glimpses of the situation over there recently and the thing that stands out most clearly to my mind is that they would at the present juncture of affairs not only be very sensitive to any attempt at their political guidance on our part, but would resent it and react from it in a way that would be very detrimental to the interests of the country and to the relations of Russia and the United States. I am trying to put men on the commission whose popular sympathies and catholic views of human rights will be recognized (at any rate, in the case of most of them), but they are going, not to offer advice or to attempt guidance, but only to express the deep sympathy of the United States, its readiness to assist Russia in every way that can wisely be planned, and our desire to learn how the cooperation between the two countries can be most intimate and effective in the present war. Cordially and sincerely yours, (Signed) WOODROW WILSON. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, National American Woman Suffrage Association Washington, D.C. COPY THE WHITE HOUSE Washington 14 May, 1917 My dear Mrs. Gardener: I have your letter of May tenth and beg to assure you that it will give me pleasure to write to Mr. Pou as you suggest. I have always found Mr. Pou ready to respond in the most generous way to every call of public duty. Cordially and sincerely yours, (Signed) Woodrow Wilson Mrs. Helen H. Gardener 1838 Lamont Street, Washington, D.C. AMHERST MASSACHUSETTS June 15, 1925 My dear Mrs. Gardener: I have your letter of June 11th with the valuable enclosure of copies of your correspondence and that of Mrs. Catt with Woodrow Wilson regarding the passage of the Woman Suffrage Amendment. I need not tell you how extremely glad I am to have this material. I had been intending later to call upon you, and I shall now be more anxious than ever to do it. This correspondence come at just the time when we had been going over the large collection of documents in Mr. Wilson's files connected with the Woman Suffrage Campaign. I shall have this digested, and can later be in a position to converse with you much more intelligently. I will let you hear from me later. Very sincerely yours, Ray Stannard Baker Mrs. Helen H. Gardener U.S. Civil Service Commission Washington, D.C. COPY. 1838 Lamont Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. May Twenty-fifth, Nineteen hundred seventeen. PERSONAL Hon. Woodrow Wilson, The White House, Washington, D.C. My dear Mr. President: I am sending you herewith copy of an open letter from Mrs. Catt to the misguided women who have been picketing the White House and the Congress. I hope that you will find time to read it, since its intent is to convey certain information to the members of the Rules Committee. We hope also by this means to clear the public mind, in as far as it is possible, of hostility toward a great cause and organization on account of the conduct of a few women who, because of their policy and methods have always been refused membership in our organization. We are afraid that in spite of your cordial endorsement of our request for a suffrage committee in the House, the Rules Committee may deny us this help because of their resentment toward a wholly different group of women. Because of this situation Mrs. Catt, who is still in the far West on Council of Defense work, has sent this enclosed letter. I have the honor to remain, Yours sincerely, (Signed) Helen H. Gardener. Enclosure. copy [*J*] THE WHITE HOUSE Washington May 25, 1917. My dear Mrs. Gardener: Permit me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of May 25th, with its enclosure, and to say that it will be brought to the attention of the President. Sincerely yours, (Signed) J.P. Tumulty Secretary to the President. Mrs. Helen H. Gardener 1838 Lamont Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. COPY. [*F*] May 10, 1917. The President of the United States, The Honorable Woodrow Wilson, My dear Mr. President: When Mrs. Catt and Dr. Shaw were called west they left with me instructions to do whatever I thought best in their absence to further the securing of a Committee on Woman Suffrage in the House of Representatives. I conferred with the Speaker Clark who is willing to do what he can to help us secure such a Committee. I left a letter from Mrs. Catt with Mr. Kitchen asking for his co-operation. The matter now seems to hinge upon the attitude of Mr. Pou, Chairman of the Rules Committee, who, I am told, says that he will report favorably "if the President approves of the creation of such a committee at this time." If I might assure him that you do so approve it would, we think, lead to the granting of the only request that the National American Woman Suffrage Association has made of this session of the Congress and secure to us the machinery of future work for which we have pled in vain for years. Surely, Mr. President, the women of the country -- half of the population -- are not asking too much when they urge that they have a committee in the House of Representatives to which they may go freely with their problems and their pleas. The Judiciary, to which we have always been sent, is too busy and preoccupied to give more than a very casual and perfunctory "hearing" once a year -- and seldom ever "reported" on that. In the Senate, where we secured a committee some years ago our interests are treated with far greater consideration than in the House -- or than they formerly received in the Senate. Is it asking too much, Mr. President, at this time to urge you to make known to Mr. Pou that you would approve of this bit of machinery in the interest of the women of America? I am assuming that you would approve of such a committee for it seems to me as a student of your work and career, that it is in line with your progressive democracy. Before the Rules Committee "turns us down" will you not allow me to say to Mr. Pou that you do approve of the appointment of a Woman Suffrage Committee in the House? Then, with the help of the Speaker, -2- which he has promised me, (and I believe also, of Mr. Kitchen in that event) I can greet Dr. Shaw and Mrs. Catt upon their return from their National Defense Work with one more forward step in the sane program of the suffrage movement whose major activities we have placed in abeyance at your call to arms. With this added bit of legislative machinery working in our interest, as occasion permits, we can all the more freely and happily give of our services in other directions to our country. I await, with eager anticipation, your reply, and I have the honor to remain, Yours sincerely, (Signed) Helen H. Gardener. HHG-S June 11, 1925 Mr. Ray Stannard Baker, Amherst, Massachusetts. My dear Mr. Baker: I have been waiting hoping that I would have an opportunity to talk with you, because in sending Mr. Wilson's letters it would mean almost nothing unless I sent a good deal of other material which is explanatory, and we women who had the benefit of Mr. Wilson's cooperation think that he ought to have credit in history for the very many things he did, since he is the only President who ever turned his hand over to help women in their struggle for emancipation - the only bloodless revolution ever fought. There is a good deal said and very many claims made for Mr. Roosevelt as a suffragist, but when he was President and could have done much for the emancipation of women he never did anything, and both Miss Anthony and Dr. Shaw were very indignant with him for the treatment he accorded them when they went to him for help. He was very rough and brusque and unsympathetic. Of course, Mr. Taft did nothing – suavely. President Wilson cooperated with the suffragists in the most whole-hearted way. We never went to him with a problem or with an appeal for help that we did not get it. It so happened that I was known here as "the diplomatic corps" and it was my duty to deal with the White House, with the Speaker of the House, with the Chairman of the Rules Committee, and all such officials. Therefore, when we came up against a stonewall in any State or on "the hill", Mrs. Catt or Dr. Shaw or whoever it was that had run against the snag, would write me to go to Mr. Wilson or to Champ Clark or to Mr. Pou, or whoever was the party in power at the time and in the position with which we had to deal. I often went to Mr. Wilson with just a little memorandum. Mr. Tumulty would take it to him if I did not see him and come back with a small stenographic note saying, "It is all right, you can report that he will see to it", or Mr. Wilson would send me a little note or speak to me saying, "I will do my best about it", and he did. I have asked my secretary to go through all my old memoranda and papers, many of which were very vague, but she has put them in shape so that perhaps you can understand them, but no one can know the very many hard places over which Mr. Wilson helped us and which he smoothed for us. I wish that could be made plain in history. I have been too ill to even try to think of anything further or to hunt any further for the little scraps of evidence that I kept, -2- and this that I am sending you looks as if it were mere exploitation of what the women said to Mr. Wilson than of what Mr. Wilson did for women, but I do not know of any other way to give you even a background for it. He urged men like Underwood, like John Sharp Williams, like Ollie James, who were "hard-boiled", one for one reason and one for another, and men like Pomerene who did not seem to have any reason, and they all failed him. Perhaps you know that when he went before Congress to ask for help in the war, at our request he put suffrage in his message as one of the ways to help win the war. He made a very strong appeal for us and for the first time the Senate turned him down absolutely. Mr. Wilson knew that danger when he did it - he had talked it over with us but he did not shrink from it. And I think that the women of the world owe him, more than any other human being, for the help that he gave them. I wish you could make that plain. If you come to Washington I would like to see you at my home, or at my office if I am there. I have not been able lately to be at the office every day, and I was not able to go see Mrs. Wilson and explain all this to her, for which I am sorry. Mr. Tumulty was also friendly and helpful in every way possible and I do not know but that he may have some other facts and data regarding Mr. Wilson's actions that you may get from him. Mr. Tumulty has gone over the papers I am sending you herewith and he sees no objection to their publication in Mr. Wilson's memoirs. I regret the delay but I have been really very ill and doing anything has been an effort a little beyond me. Since you asked me for this data I am sorry that I could not get it to you sooner. I may later have a little more material and if you find this of any value shall be glad to supplement it with anything additional I may be able to get. Very sincerely, Commissioner. Enclosure. COPY. July 18, 1917. To the President of the United States, The White House. My dear Mr. President: Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, who was greatly wanted to confer with you regarding possible future moves in the suffrage work, has held back as you know, awaiting a time when you are less burdened than you have been during this extraordinary session of Congress. It was left to me to write you asking for a conference when I thought the time might be ripe, or before you take any further action in the matter. There has been a "war measure" plan in mind for some time past. Mrs. Catt hopes to have the opportunity to explain it to you in person. She is now "booked" in the campaign as speaker in Maine and N.Y. so that, except Saturday of this week (July 21) she has not an open date when she could come to Washington until August 2. If you think there is a reason to believe it wise for her to see you before August second could you see her on Saturday? If so, I must wire her at once. If not I trust that you will set a date, pleasing to yourself, on or about August second. It may not be unwise for me to say, in this connection, that our next annual National convention is set for Washington the second week in December. It is to be far the largest and most representative of any yet held. Our hope has been to secure your interest and powerful influence at that time -- at the opening of the new Congress -- for a real drive for the enfranchisement of twenty million of American women, as a "war measure" and to enable our women to throw yet more fully and whole-heartedly, their entire energy into work for their country and for humanity, instead of for their own liberty and independence. We hope and believe that you will see your way to help us then in the manner we have thought out, if you do not feel that it wise sooner. Therefore we have refrained from forcing the matter to our attention while you have been so overwhelmed, and have been meeting with such splendid courage, the immediate demands of the war both here and abroad. Nevertheless, Mr. President, we do not want to be found wanting should you deem the time ripe to act at an earlier date and we think that a conference (wholly without publicity) might be most helpful to us and, -2- we trust, not unwelcome to you. Awaiting your reply, I have the honor to remain, Yours sincerely, (Signed) Helen H. Gardener. COPY. June 19, 1917. President Woodrow Wilson, The White House, Washington, D.C. My dear Mr. President:- It is with hesitation that I come to you a second time for help in the matter of our Suffrage Committee in the House of Representatives, but I am told that a word or a note from you to Mr. Heflin would be the means of swinging in our favor one of the two most dangerous and persistent opponents on the floor. If Representative Heflin and Representative Glass can be made to realize that this small measure of justice from the Democratic party to the women is, at this time, as much in the interest of that party as it is in the interest of women, it now looks as if the recommendation of the Rules Committee would, within the next few days, carry on the floor of the House. If these gentlemen do not feel that they can consistently vote for this small measure of justice to the women of America at a time when almost every other civilized country has given, or is now preparing to give their women full suffrage, it will surely not reflect glory upon the Democratic party in its present declared purpose of carrying real democracy and self-government to the world. Perhaps these gentlemen can be made to see this point, at least. Can you, will you, Mr. President, add the powerful weight of your influence in securing either cooperation or silence from one or both of these men when the question comes on the floor? Mrs. Catt is not here and it, therefore, becomes my duty to secure, if we can, this further help from you before the report of the Rules Committee comes upon the floor, which we hope, and they tell us, will be within the next few days. Thanking you again for your continued and invaluable aid in our struggle for an honorable and full citizenship and a voice in our own government, I have the honor to remain, Yours sincerely, (Signed) Helen H. Gardener. CLIPPING FROM WASHINGTON HERALD OF MAY 1, 1917. CONCERTED SUFFRAGE APPEAL TO BE MADE. Considering the time propitious for the enactment of an amendment to the Constitution of a clause granting equal suffrage to the women of the country, representatives of suffrage organizations, labor parties, Socialists, Prohibitionists, and the main political parties will call upon the President Monday, May 14, at 2.30 p.m., and urge the enfranchising of women. This visit will be in accordance with a resolution adopted at a convention of the National Progressive Party in St. Louis April 13 last. The delegates and the parties they represent, who will call upon the President, are: J.A. Hopkins, chairman, representing the Progressive Party; Miss Babel Vernon, National Woman's Party; Dr. Ira Landrith, Prohibition Party; Former Governor of Massachusetts, David I. Walsh, Independent Democrats; Samuel Gompers, Organized Labor; John Spargo, Socialist Party; Dr. E.A. Rumely, Independent Republicans; Mrs. [D] Norman De R. Whitehouse, National American Woman Suffrage Association. COPY. July 26, 1917. My dear Mr. Brahany: Mrs. Catt now thinks that the proposed Conference with the President might better be left to a later date when the war measures and the Congress will bear less heavily upon him. You and Mr. Tumulty were good enough to say that the exact date might be left open and that if any great stress or suffrage action became imminent we could arrange the date upon application to you. This is wholly satisfactory to Mrs. Catt and she thanks you, and through you the President, for your always kind appreciation of the situations as they arise. His serene and tactful handling of the recent "picket crisis" cleared the air for the time, at least, and makes a conference unnecessary, we hope, until the close of this Congress. Thanking you for your courtesy, I remain, Yours sincerely, (Signed) Helen H. Gardener. COPY. THE WHITE HOUSE Washington July 26, 1917. My dear Miss Gardener: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of July 26th. I thank you warmly for it. The fine spirit which prompts it is genuinely appreciated. Sincerely yours, (Signed) T.W. Brahany Miss Helen H. Gardener, Washington, D.C. COPY. THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON October 16, 1917. Dear Mrs. Gardener: In compliance with your telephone request of this morning, I am returning herewith the letters addressed to you by Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt which you left at the Executive Office, and am also sending you copy of a letter which the President on October 13th wrote to Mrs. Catt. Sincerely yours, (Signed) J.P. Tumulty Secretary to the President. Mrs. Helen H. Gardener, 1838 Lamont Street, Washington, D.C. Enclosures. COPY. December 25, 1917. Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States. My dear Mr. President: The Legislature of North Dakota has just passed a Bill granting to the women of that state the same suffrage privileges they have in Illinois; that is, the right to vote for Presidential electors and for municipal officers. The Governor, so we are informed by wire, has signed the bill which gives us five more votes for President, making 96. Mrs. Catt, President of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and I have conferred on the matter and feel that this is an especially effective time for an expression of continued good-will from the President toward the "safe and sane" method of work which has secured these results. This same bill is pending in several other legislatures, including Tennessee, Indiana, New Hampshire, Nebraska, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and Rhode Island. The Tennessee suffragists appeal to us to secure, if possible, some Democratic influence to help push the work. The bill has already passed one House. A letter of congratulations from the President, and an expression of approval of this form of legislation, together with an expression of his continued interest in the suffrage movement and hope for its ultimate establishment, would be of great assistance to the cause in general and serve the purpose of which we spoke. I have in my hands several congratulatory letters from Senators and other men of great political influence but, hope, Mr. President, to lead off with yours. The suffragists in the states mentioned, and others, await with confidence your reply. Mrs. Catt was called to New York and left this matter in my hands. I have the honor to remain, Yours sincerely, (Signed) Helen H. Gardener. Note: The President wired or wrote these Governors with fine results. H.H.G. COPY. [*U*] WESTERN UNION TELEGRAM Baton Rouge, Louisiana. May 31, 1918. Senator Jos. E. Ransdell, Senate Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. Mrs. Catt told me that letters from the President to the State in regard to suffrage were obtained by the Senators. Our hearings are before the Committee Tuesday morning. It will aid things to have such a letter. Will you get the President to wire. I presume the person to wire would be Senator Leon S. Haas, Baton Rouge, but please be sure he stipulates in the wire that Senator Haas has taken the bill for the woman suffrage party of Louisiana. I hope it get it through in ten days. (Signed) Lydia W. Holmes. COPY. [*W*] TELEGRAMS. THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON 4 June, 1918 Hon. Leon S. Haas, State Senator, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I hope that you will not think I am taking an unwarranted liberty in expressing my deep interest in the suffrage question now before your committee. I cannot help regarding the settlement of this question as of world-wide significance and as affording a standard by which to judge our present interest in the complete establishment of democracy. I am moved to send you this expression of opinion by a very profound sense of the public interest. Woodrow Wilson. COPY. TELEGRAM June 3, 1918. Mrs. Lydia S. Holmes Baton Rouge, La. Responding telegram have taken up matter with Chief and urged the action you suggested. Don't know as yet what he will do but have done my utmost. Jos. E. Ransdell. [Pencil note: All "personally conducted" though White House by H.H.G.] (COPY) TELEGRAM. Baton Rouge, La. 12:30 P.M. June 11, 1918. Mrs. C. C. Catt, 1626 R.I.Ave., Washington, D.C. House passed Suffrage Bill 80 to 21. Hurrah. (Signed) Lydia W. Holmes. THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON Personal June 14, 1918 My dear Mrs. Gardener: In accordance with your suggestion of yesterday, the President has had pleasure in signing a duplicate of his letter of June 7th to Mrs. Catt, and I enclose it herewith. Sincerely yours, J.P. Tumulty Secretary to the President Mrs. Helen H. Gardener, 1626 Rhode Island Avenue. Enclosure: COPY. [*AA*] Washington, D.C. June 13, 1918. To His Excellency President of the United States The White House Washington, D.C. My dear Mr. President: On behalf of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, as well as on behalf of the suffrage associations of France, Great Britain, Belgium, Italy and Portugal, for whom we transmitted a memorial to you asking for a message to the world upon the subject of woman suffrage, I express most grateful appreciation for your letter of June[13th] 7th. Particularly do I want to say that your strong stand for the early passage of the federal suffrage amendment is of both national and international import as a renewed guaranty to the world that America is indeed and in truth fighting for democracy. But two parliaments since the beginning of the war have pronounced against woman suffrage. These two are those of Germany and Hungary, while the parliaments of several of our allies have either given or promised the ballot to women. Surely the United States Senate cannot longer stand with our enemy countries in this matter of fundamental democracy. Your message will give courage and hope to the women of our allied countries who are bearing such tragic burdens in this titanic struggle for freedom, and it is a continual gratification to suffragists in this country to know that we have a loyal friend in the White House. (Signed) Carrie Chapman Catt President. [*Composed after first paragraph by H.H.G. at request of Mrs. Catt.*] WESTERN UNION TELEGRAM COPY. [*BB*] FRANKFORT KY OCT 12 1918 Mrs. MAUD WOOD PARK 1626 Rhode Island Ave WASHINGTON GOVERNOR STANLEY HAS GIVEN ME FOR PUBLICATION THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT : YOUR ASSN HAS ASKED THAT I STATE WHETHER OR NOT IF ELECTED TO THE U S SENATE I WILL VOTE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUEST OF PRES WILSON FOR THE SUBMISSION OF THE SUSAN B ANTHONY AMENDMENT I TAKE GREAT PLEASURE IN ADVISING YOU THAT I SHALL CORDIALLY SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT IN HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD THIS AMENDMENT IF ELECTED TO THE SENATE IS THIS SATISFACTORY TO YOU OR SHALL WE PRESS FOR MORE PLEASE ANSWER AT ONCE. MRS. JOHN G SOUTH PRES K E R A 24OP 13 WESTERN UNION TELEGRAM COPY. [*CC*] OCTOBER 14, 1918. Mrs. John Glover South Frankfort, Kentucky. TELEGRAM SATISFACTORY THANK GOVERNOR STANLEY FOR US UNNECESSARY TO PRESS FURTHER. Mabel C. Willard for Maud Wood Park. Charge to Nat'l Amer.Woman Suffrage Asso. Washington, D.C. 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This Day Letter is received subject to the express understanding and agreement that the Company does not undertake that a Day Letter shall be delivered on the day of its date absolutely and at all events; but the Company's obligation in this respect is subject to the condition that there shall remain sufficient time for the transmission and delivery of such Day Letter on the day of its date during regular office hours, subject to the priority of the transmission of regular telegrams under the conditions named above. No employee of the Company is authorized to vary the foregoing. NIGHT LETTERS Accepted up to 2:00 A.M. for delivery on the morning of the ensuing business day, at rates still lower than standard night message rates, as follows: The standard telegram rate for 10 words shall be charged for the transmission of 50 words or less, and one-fifth of such standard telegram rate for10 words shall be charged for each additional 10 words or less. SPECIAL TERMS APPLYING TO NIGHT LETTERS: In further consideration of the reduced rate for this special Night Letter service, the following special terms in addition to those enumerated above are hereby agreed to: A. Night Letters may at the option of the Telegraph Company be mailed at destination to the addressees, and the Company shall be deemed to have discharged its obligation in such cases with respect to delivery by mailing such Night Letters at destination, postage prepaid. B. Night Letters shall be written in plain English. Code language is not permissible. No employee of the Company is authorized to vary the foregoing. All Messages Taken By This Company Are Subject To The Following Terms: To guard against mistakes or delays, the sender of a message should order it repeated, that is telegraphed back to the originating office for comparison. For this, one-half the unrepeated message rate is charged in addition. Unless otherwise indicated on its face, this is an unrepeated message and paid for as such, in consideration whereof it is agreed between the sender of the message and this company as follows: 1. The company shall not be liable for mistakes or delays in the transmission or delivery, or for non-delivery, of any message received for transmission at the unrepeated-message rate beyond the sum of five hundred dollars; nor for mistakes or delays in the transmission or delivery, or for non-delivery, of any message received for transmission at the repeated-message rate beyond the sum of five thousand dollars, unless specially valued; nor in any case for delays arising from unavoidable interruption in the working of its lines; not for errors in cipher or obscure messages. 2. In any event the company shall not be liable for damages for mistakes or delays in the transmission or delivery, or for the non-delivery, of any message, whether caused by the negligence of its servants or otherwise, beyond the sum of five thousand dollars, at which amount each message is deemed to be valued, unless a greater value is stated in writing by the sender thereof at the time the message is tendered for transmission, and unless the repeated-message rate is paid or agreed to be paid, and an additional charge equal to one-tenth of one per cent of the amount by which such valuation shall exceed five thousand dollars. 3. The company is hereby made the agent of the sender, without liability, to forward this message over the lines of any other company when necessary to reach its destination. 4. Messages will be delivered free within one-half mile of the company's office in towns of 5,000 population or less, and within one mile of such office in other cities or towns. Beyond these limits the company does not undertake to make delivery, but will, without liability, at the sender's request, as his agent and at his expense, endeavor to contract for him for such delivery at a reasonable price. 5. No responsibility attaches to this company concerning messages until the same are accepted at one of its transmitting offices; and if a message is sent to such office by one of the company's messengers, he acts for that purpose as the agent of the sender. 6. The company will not be liable for damages or statutory penalties in any case where the claim is not presented in writing within sixty days after the message is filed with the company for transmission. 7. Special terms governing the transmission of messages under the classes of messages enumerated below shall apply to messages in each of such respective classes in addition to all the foregoing terms. 8. No employee of the company is authorized to vary the foregoing. THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY INCORPORATED NEWCOMB CARLTON, PRESIDENT CLASSES OF SERVICE TELEGRAMS A full-rate expedited service. NIGHT MESSAGES Accepted up to 2:00 A.M. at reduced rates to be sent during the night and delivered not earlier than the morning of the ensuing business day. Night Messages may at the option of the Telegraph Company be mailed at destination to the addressees, and the Company shall be deemed to have discharged its obligation in such cases with respect to delivery by mailing such Night Messages at destination, postage prepaid. DAY LETTERS A deferred day service at rates lower than the standard telegram rates as follows: One and one-half times the standard Night Letter rate for the transmission of 50 words or less and one-fifth of the initial rates for each additional 10 words or less. SPECIAL TERMS APPLYING TO DAY LETTERS: In further consideration of the reduced rate for this special Day Letter service, the following special terms in addition to those enumerated above are hereby agreed to: A. Day Letters may be forwarded by the Telegraph Company as a deferred service and the transmission and delivery to such Day Letters is, in all respects, subordinate to the priority of transmission and delivery of regular telegrams. B. Day Letters shall be written in plain English. Code language is not permissible. C. This Day Letter is received subject to the express understanding and agreement that the Company does not undertake that a Day Letter shall be delivered on the day of its date absolutely and at all events; but the Company's obligation in this respect is subject to the condition that there shall remain sufficient time for the transmission and delivery of such Day Letter on the day of its date during regular office hours, subject to the priority of the transmission of regular telegrams under the conditions named above. No employee of the Company is authorized to vary the foregoing. NIGHT LETTERS Accepted up to 2:00 A.M. for delivery on the morning of the ensuing business day, at rates still lower than standard night message rates, as follows: The standard telegram rate for 10 words shall be charged for the transmission of 50 words or less, and one-fifth of such standard telegram rate for10 words shall be charged for each additional 10 words or less. SPECIAL TERMS APPLYING TO NIGHT LETTERS: In further consideration of the reduced rate for this special Night Letter service, the following special terms in addition to those enumerated above are hereby agreed to: A. Night Letters may at the option of the Telegraph Company be mailed at destination to the addressees, and the Company shall be deemed to have discharged its obligation in such cases with respect to delivery by mailing such Night Letters at destination, postage prepaid. B. Night Letters shall be written in plain English. Code language is not permissible. No employee of the Company is authorized to vary the foregoing. COPY. NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION. Congressional Committee Headquarters Washington, D.C. [*GG*] June 11, 1919. Dear Mr. President: Since you have never failed to take the time from your other great world problems to listen and respond to our numerous appeals to you for help and counsel, it is now our great pleasure to join in a letter of profound and heartfelt thanks, and to say that we hope the time will never come when the Women of America will fail to hold in grateful memory your splendid effort in our behalf. Realizing the tremendous burdens you bore, we often hesitated to take to you what would have seemed to a man of less wide vision to be minor matters unworthy of your time and attention. But with our own far- flung battle line for democracy, and to gain and hold a place of honor for America, we knew that some of those seemingly smaller matters were outposts that were vital. That you never once failed to grasp instantly and to respond with hearty goodwill to our needs will always remain a cause of gratitude from us and also of congratulation to you that your world-vision for men comprehended the fact that unless it should include women no real democracy was possible; that America half democratic could not mean America the beacon light of liberty, justice and equality. Therefore, in congratulating ourselves upon your splendid co-operation and helpfulness in our work, we also congratulate you that the fierce light that bests upon you in your struggle for self-determination for groups of men has not blinded you to the fact that the time has come in world development when such struggles are in vain if they do not include, to their utmost limit of application, the mothers of men. With full hearts, Mr. President, we thank you, and we know that you rejoice with us in the happy outcome. Sincerely and gratefully, (Signed) Carrie Chapman Catt President. (Signed) Anna Howard Shaw Hon. Pres. (Signed) Helen H. Gardener Vice Pres. (Signed) Maud Wood Parker Chairman Congressional Committee The President Of the United States. COPY. Washington, D.C. 17 June, 1918. [*2*] To His Excellency, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States, The White House, Washington, D.C. My dear Mr. President: As President of the National and of the International Associations for Woman Suffrage, Mrs. Catt left with you on June 13th her official letter of thanks for your comprehensive response to her request that you give out one of your inimitable statements to the world, as its leader in the onward march toward a real democracy. [*(see attached copy)*] I trust that you will not think it amiss for me to add a word of my own in this connection, since I have been the envoy to ask you for so many helpful acts for women during the past two years. In your response to the appeal of the women of France and of our other allies, you have now securely linked together in the public mind the cause of human liberty and justice, and removed the idea that a democracy can be a government of male domination. You have planted the idea that humanity is a unit and that justice has no sex. You have furnished the political imagination so lacking where vision is needed to plan and to build for the future. It is unthinkable that the the United States Senate can now vote to range itself on the side of Germany and Hungary, who alone of all the warring countries have denied to women the ballot since this "war for democracy and self-determination" began. With your attitude now made clear to the dullest (or most reluctant) senator and to his constituents, that the fundamental principle for which the war is being fought is at stake in his vote- namely, self-government and not sex government, I do not believe that the voters of the various states will sustain their senators in lining up with Germany on this issue against our allies; against the women of the world, and against the President of the United States to whom the world is looking for leadership in the matter of self-determination of the nations. To my mind, therefore, Mr. President, this lass stand you have taken in the fight to establish a real democracy at home, as well as in the world at large, is to be in history about the most far-reaching state document that even you have put forth. I hope that it may take its place as state document in the next issue of your messages in book form. Whatever the United States Senate now elects to do "at this session" it, alone, is on trial before the world as to its power to grasp the principles of democracy and as to the integrity of purpose for which we are fighting. -2- Finally, Mr. President, I have a deep feeling of personal gratitude and pride in what you have done, since it has been to me that was intrusted the work of dealing with the Executive branch of the government in bringing about this happy result. I have always believed (and said to our officers) that it was only a question of the right time to do it when you would make the country understand clearly that a fight for democracy did not and could not exclude women. We do not ask, and do not want it given as a "reward" for war work and war sacrifice. Those are out loyal duty and pleasure to give even under the humiliation of disfranchisement, but how much more wholeheartedly, cheerfully, joyfully we can and will make those duties our first thought and pleasure when we can feel that we are a part of the government which we gladly sacrifice so much to protect and to make safe! I doubt if even you can grasp how deep that feeling is in the women who think. From the bottom of my heart I thank you for your powerful help at this critical moment. I have the honour to remain, Yours sincerely, (Signed) Helen H. Gardener Vice-President. HHG/H COPY. [*HH*] October 4, 1919. My dear Mr. Tumulty:- Will you express to the President, when he is well enough to care, the very sincerest sympathy of which we women are capable, and say to him that it is very real grief to us that we are not yet in a political position to show to the country and to the world that American women believe in him and in the great work he is giving his very life- blood to achieve? There has been no official action since his illness and therefore I can only sign this individually, but I am sure that I am voicing the real feeling of a great majority of our women who realize the splendid fight the President has made for democracy – for justice to women – and for the voiceless of the world. He is, in deed and in truth, a voice crying in the wilderness. For a long time we have trembled and feared lest he overtax his strength – as our own dear Dr. Shaw did in the same splendid effort – but we hope with all our hearts for his speedy and complete recovery. America needs him. The world needs him now more than ever before. Make him know, will you not, that we feel this more strongly than words can express? For your own loyalty to him – and to our own cause as well – we are, as you know, most grateful and appreciative. Sincerely yours, (Signed) Helen H. Gardener. Hon. J. P. Tumulty The White House. Copy. December eighth, Nineteen Hundred seventeen. Hon. Woodrow Wilson, The White House. My dear Mr. President: On next Thursday evening (December 13) the President of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, will make her annual address to our Convention at Poli's Theatre. It is the speech of a statesman, and it fitted particularly to this difficult and vital time in our own and the nation's and the world's history. She wants me to ask you if you could possibly get Secretary Lane to make a brief address also, on that evening, to show to the world the continued friendly attitude of the Administration. The program goes to the printer on its last proof tomorrow. This is my excuse for troubling you today. Mrs. Catt had expected Chief Justice Clark of North Carolina to occupy that place on the program, but yesterday he wired that his Court being in session he cannot come. Secretary Lane was the first person who was asked, some time ago, but at that time he felt obliged to decline. Can't you come to our rescue -- as you have done so often? Can you let me know today? One other point. Will you not occupy a box at Poli's Theatre to hear Mrs. Catt's argument? We all hope that you and Mrs. Wilson can, and believe that you will feel that it has been an evening well spent for our country's good and for world democracy. I have the honor to remain, Yours sincerely, (Signed) Helen H. Gardener. __________ The President called up Mr. Lane and asked him to cancel his other engagement and represent the Administration at this meeting – which he did in a fine address. H.H.G. COPY. [*II*] Washington, D.C. April 6, 1920. Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, The White House, Washington, D.C. My dear Mrs. Wilson: Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, President of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, requests me to ask you for an appointment for her and myself to call upon you to present a book which has been made up under her direction of letters from the presidents of suffrage organizations of all the states of the Union, expressing their gratitude and appreciation of the courageous manner in which President Wilson espoused the suffrage when he went before the United States Senate in its behalf. At that time Mrs. Catt and Dr. Shaw expressed their personal gratitude to the President and told him that they would have this book of appreciation made up and that they wished to present it to you because they felt that it would be a source of gratification to you hereafter. The President at that time indicated that he thought it would be a pleasure to you as well as to himself. We do not know the exact date when Mrs. Catt will reach Washington but it is her intention to come the moment the thirty-sixth state has ratified the suffrage amendment. She will not be able to remain more than one day, we think, and it is for this reason that I am asking beforehand if it will be your pleasure to receive us at such time as she may arrive. We would, of course, communicate with you the moment we knew when she was coming and get from you the the exact time that would be most convenient to you. With our profound sympathy for the great strain that has been placed upon you and the sincerest hope that the President's health will be entirely restored, I remain, Very sincerely yours, (signed) Helen H. Gardener. HHG-MHH COPY. [*IJ*] THE WHITE HOUSE Washington April 8,1920 My dear Mrs. Gardener: Mrs. Wilson asks me to say in reply to your letter that she will be very happy to receive you and Mrs. Catt and will set a definite hour as soon as you let her know when Mrs. Catt will reach Washington. She also asks me to say she and the President appreciate very warmly this tribute to the President and the effort he has made to further the suffrage cause. Very sincerely yours, (Signed) Edith Benham Secretary Mrs. Helen H. Gardener 918 Munsey Building Washington, D.C. C O P Y. [*Y*] The White House, Washington. 7 June, 1918. My dear Mrs. Catt : May I not thank you for transmitting to me the very interesting memorial of the French Union for Woman Suffrage, addressed to me under the date of February first last? Since you have been good enough to transmit this interesting and impressive message to me, will you not be good enough to convey to the subscribers this answer : "I have read your message with the deepest interest and I welcome the opportunity to say that I agree without reservation that the full and sincere democratic reconstruction of the world for which we are striving, and which we are determined to bring about at any cost, will not have been completely or adequately attained until women are admitted to the suffrage, and that only by that action can the nations of the world realize for the benefit of future generations the full ideal force of opinion or the full humane forces of action. The services of women during this supreme crisis of the world's history have been of the most signal usefulness and distinction. The war could not have been fought without them, or its sacrifices endured. It is high time that some part of our debt of gratitude to them should be acknowledged and paid, and the only acknowledgment they ask is their admission to the suffrage. Can we justly refuse it?" Cordially and sincerely yours, (Signed) Woodrow Wilson Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, Care Mrs. Helen H. Gardener, 1838 Lamont Street, N.W. Following paragraph added later at request of Mrs. Catt: "As America's answer to this question, it is my earnest hope that the Senate of the United States will pass the suffrage amendment to our federal constitution before the end of this session." [*([see?] letters of*] COPY. November 13, 1918. [*DD*] Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States, The White House; My dear Mr. President:- A few days ago I left with Mr. Tumulty a brief memorandum, in which I ventured to suggest that the women of the world will feel that now, as never before, they have a right to a voice and representatives at the Peace and Reconstruction table. While I am confident that you would not overlook that vital fact, it might not occur to you that to the women of twenty-six countries the name of Carrie Chapman Catt would stand for all that they have hoped and worked for in the years since the International Alliance of women was formed. It has always stood for equal rights, for justice to the weak, fpr peace with righteousness--in short, for all those principles which are now before the world for adjustment, and thanks to you, have now been vitalized in the minds of men as they were and have been in the hearts and souls of women of the Alliance, under the leadership and Presidency of Mrs. Catt. The women of all these countries (which includes Germany) know that they can trust her judgment as well as her skill, tact and intentions. They know that she has large vision and sane grasp of past, present and future problems. It is for these reasons that I have taken the liberty to suggest to you that she be made one of your Peace Commission. Since I left he memo, with Mr. Tumulty the National Woman Suffrage Association has taken action along the line indicated by the enclosed "Bulletin". It is only fair for me to say to you that Mrs. Catt herself is not a "candidate" for the position and knew absolutely nothing of the fact that I spoke to Mr. Tumulty nor that I am writing this letter to you calling attention to her preeminent fitness to fill it and to fill the hearts and minds of the women of the nations with restful confidence if they know that she is one of your Commissioners. If you should feel that I am a prejudiced witness in this matter will you not speak to Secretary Daniels, in whose loyalty to you and your ideals you will feel safe. He and I have talked a little on the subject of Mrs. Catt's fitness and I believe that we agree. I have the honor to remain, Yours very sincerely, (Signed) Helen H. Gardener. COPY. [*EE*] THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON 18 November, 1918. My dear Mrs. Gardener: I must frankly say that I do not think it will practicable to appoint a woman among the delegates to the Peace Conference, much as I should personally like to do so. I would have to go into a great deal of the correspondence that I have been having with the other side to explain to you why this conclusion seems to me necessary, but I am sure that the women of the country will not think that I have turned away from the suggestion through any lack of sympathy with it. Cordially and sincerely yours, (Signed) Woodrow Wilson Mrs. Helen H. Gardener, 1838 Lamont St., Washington, D.C. COPY. [*FF-r*] THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON November 29, 1918. My dear Mrs. Gardener: Referring to your letter of November 27th, the President asks me to say to you that he hopes to make some amendment in his message to which you refer. Sincerely yours, (Signed) J. P. Tumulty Secretary to the President. Mrs. Helen H. Gardener, 1838 Lamont Street, Washington, D.C. [*Copy*] 1838 Lamont St. Washington - D.C. [*FF*] November 20, 1918. President Woodrow Wilson, The White House, Washington, D.C. My dear Mr. President: When I wrote you last, asking that you lead the world toward the light in the recognition of the justice of giving women a place at the Peace and Reconstruction Conference, I did not know that our own and many other organizations of women intended urging upon you the same course. Your reply took courage out of my heart. Therefore I have not given it to even our own officers. I have allowed them to continue to hope, as I cannot help doing, that you will be able to see—and to make the other great international leaders see—that the women of the whole world will feel now and hereafter that when they were sorely needed to help men save man's own idea of civilization, all was asked of them and they gave all; only to be denied even a small voice when they asked, in return to be represented and consulted as to the use to be made of the victory they did so much to secure. If, as your reply to me seems to indicate, Mr. President, you feel that you cannot venture to lead the world in this step, if you have reason to know that Lloyd George and Clemenceau would not sustain you—as it seems to me, from my study of the two men that they would do, if you took the lead—at least we all venture to hope that you will take up, in your forthcoming message to the Congress, our right to the passage of the Federal Amendment in time for us to present our case for ratification in the forty-two legislature which will convene this winter, time giving the women of the United States a chance to vote for the next President and to become self-respecting and self-determining factors in the new order of civilization, which, again is to be based, it seems, upon purely male ideals and wholly directed by male insight. Do not, we beg of you, Mr. President, forget to make the Congress, the men and women of America and of the world feel the keen edge of your disapproval of the present humiliating [stand] status of American women. We hope that you will urge upon the Congress the passage, in December, of the Amendment and take occasion to say how much you, personally, wish that history might be able to say that enfranchised American women had a voice in fixing the next great step to be taken toward human freedom and justice and a real civilization at the Peace and Reconstruction Table. We confidently believe that you will assure us of this measure of justice in your message even if you are barred in some way, unknown to us from securing to women the larger and more immediate voice at Versailles. Millions of women await your message, Mr. President, to see how deeply your heart feels what your head knows—what you as an historian realize—that civilization can no longer hope to travel forward one half at a time, demanding service of all and denying justice to half. I had hoped that I should not be called upon to write another such appeal to you, but I am urged to send this "lest you forget." Women have been forgotten so often that we are afraid. We await your message. I have the honor to remain Yours for a real civilization based on a real democracy, H.H.G. COPY. HHG- October 30, 1920. [*KK*] Honorable Woodrow Wilson, The White House. My dear Mr. President : If you could know how many of us want to express to you our affectionate admiration and realization of your splendid valor and service to our country and to mankind, perhaps it would tend to make you feel that while ingratitude and detraction are blatant they are in no sense as universal as they seem. One falls silent in the presence of great ability, great suffering, great responsibility, great courage. One can only hold out one's hands to you and say - God bless and keep and comfort you. Our hearts are with you. Command us. Having lived much abroad both in Europe and in the Orient, I believe I am in a position to know better than most of my countrymen how great were your services to America. You exalted our Country in the eyes of the world, as not any, not all, of our former chief magistrates were able to do. You placed American upon a great and noble plane before the eyes of the world. It had never approached such a status before. Your offense was great in the eyes of the small minded, the patriots for politics only, and so that bitter and conscienceless fight upon you was launched and has swept the ignorant into the furnace of fanatical hate. But do not, I pray you, believe that the millions of silent but appreciative admirers of you and your work are indifferent because they are silent. Some of us hesitate to lay upon you even the burden of reading one more letter, but we do not forget nor fail to appreciate your greatness and your value to your country and mankind. I have the honor to remain, my dear Mr. President, Yours very sincerely, (signed) Helen H. Gardener. Copy. [*A*] Washington, D.C. May 4, 1917. To the President of the United States, Washington, D.C. My dear Mr. President: As president of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance, in which Russia is one of the countries represented, I feel that it is one of my duties to do all that I can to further the interests of the women of Russia in this crisis in their national reconstruction. I am sure, therefore, that you will accept in the spirit in which I write, the suggestion that you add to the Commission to Russia a man whose interest in real democracy is in full harmony with your own, Frederic C. Howe, Commissioner of Immigration in New York. As you doubtless know, he has made an exhaustive study of the forms of European government as well as of democracy, and has written a book along broad, liberal lines. He is sincerely interested in the extension of self-government to women as well as to men, and would do all that he could to carry to both men and women in Russia your message of democracy founded upon the consent of all of the governed. It would be a tragedy, indeed, Mr. President, if there should be fastened upon the Russian women any burden of inferiority to their men before the law because of advice, - or the lack of it - from the American Commission. I am sure that you will recognize not only my right but my duty to urge in choosing the personnel of the Commission as large The President. -2- a measure of care for the future interests of those women as you can possibly give. As president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, also, and in the name of our two million American members, I assure you that the women of America no less than the women of Russia are looking to you with strained and eager eyes, as the leader not only toward a larger democracy for men, but to the first real democracy for mankind. I have the honor to remain, Sincerely yours, (Signed) Carrie Chapman Catt. President International Woman Suffrage Alliance President National American Woman Suffrage Association. Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.