NAWSA       Congressional Union        
Subject file   Whitney, Charlotte A. [Anita]

Mutruy
Charlotte Aruta

2121 Webster St 
Oakland, Calif 
June 16, 1915

Mrs Carrie Chapman Catt 
Empire State Campaign Com 
303 - Fifth Ave N. Y.

My dear Mrs Catt -

I received a copy of your 
letter of May 20 sent to Miss 
Paul and the members of the 
Board of the Congressional Union 
[St?], [written?] the accounts in the 
papers of the Chicago meeting 
of the U. U. I. A. opens up 
a wide field for discussion. 

I wish to be considered 
as writing from the stand 
point of a suffragist [?] 
than a member of any 
organization for I frankly 
think there should be no 
antagonism between people 
who are working sincerely 
for a cause - but this 
one thing we must recognize 
that while we can unite 
on the cause we shall never 
be able to unite every one 
on the best method

But I cannot for the life of me 
see why the field is not big 
enough for the two organizations 
the one focusing its strengths 
on state campaigns, the other on 
federal amendment.

I think it very unwise 
to rely for sources of information 
on the daily newspapers 
as we so often have to do; but 
the accounts in the Suffragist, which I assume 
to be correct, of the deputations 
which waited on the President 
in Philadelphia and tried 
to [?] the President in N. Y. were 
not such as to lead me to believe 
there was any breach of propriety 
etc. and I can find no fault 
to find with either per se

I think New Yorkers must 
decide on the best way of conducting 
the campaign in their own 
state and it is not for me as 
a Californian to take part in 
that decision but to help to 
my uttermost extent to carry 
out the campaign in the manner 
laid down by the New Yorkers 
but Mrs Belmont is a New 
Yorker and her point of view 
as a local woman must be 
considered.

I very much deplore the 
statements given such wide 
publicity, made by U.A.I.A. 
workers and I would be inclined 
to consider them exaggerated 
in the newspapers 
if they were not supplemented 
by letters and telegrams 
coming with the slate from 
members of the Board. 
It is not honest to call the 
methods of the Congressional 
Union militant for everywhere 
now the term militant in 
connection with suffrage 
stands for violence

It is not honest to state a 
policy of an organization as 
one thing when that organization 
has made a definite statement 
in its official organ of its 
policy and the two do not coincide. 
I refer you to the article 
on p 4 of The Suffragist of 
May 29.

I do not believe that women 
should stoop to misrepresentation 
to gain a cause.

We know there are always 
people ready to take any 
pretext for an excuse and 
there may be some people 
who will use the methods of 
the Congressional Union as 
an excuse for lukewarmness 
or opposition. On the other

hand you must take into consideration 
the many friends for 
the cause that the Cong Union 
has made. No organization 
is without its friends & its foes 
and I can assure you that 
the open attack and unfairness 
of statements made against 
the Cong Union will also be 
a very good excuse for not 
joining suffrage ranks.

Why not stop all bitter 
denunciation and let each 
organization go on working to 
its utmost along its own special 
lines. The cause is the 
thing.

I truly want all those 
four eastern states to come 
in & would give anything 
to be giving my time and 
every ounce of my energy to 
the work and nothing will so 
much advance the cause of 
the Fed Amendm't as victory 
in [those?] states - and if you 
should fail what a boon 
to have a strong, well organized 
organization to push the 
Fed. amendment. I only 
[?] both organizations, 
both methods have their place 
and instead of denunciation 
and abuse, how much better to spend 
time & energy on work, work

And now I want to say a 
word for Mrs Sarah Field who 
has had experience in both 
Oregon's and Nevada's campaigns. 
She is a good speaker for clubs, 
gatherings of simpler folks, 
as well as for the crowd on 
the street corner. She has 
had newspaper experience 
Mrs Field is dependent upon 
her own exertions so must 
have a salary, and I have

urged her to go east if she can 
get a suffrage position. I am sure 
you could make no mistake 
in putting Mrs Field in the 
work in any of the campaign 
states. I worked closely with 
her in the Oregon campaign 
and Miss Anne Martin 
Pres. of the Nevada Franchise 
Society, 157 Mill St. Reno can 
speak for her work in Nevada

Mrs. Field can be reached at 
1607 Taylor St. San Francisco and I hope you 
can find a place for her 
in New Jersey or New York 
because she will be of great 
value.

I have had to write hastily but 
I write as a suffragist - any organization 
to me is merely a tool or a [?] - 
and I truly want the East and the 
West to unite for the freedom 
of women.

Please believe me with great regard 
Very sincerely yours, 
Charlotte Anita Whitney

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