Bio of Carrie Chapman Catt--Intro and Chapter 1

Chapter 15

Fresh from the victory in New York, Carrie went to Washington, D.C. in December 1917 to lead the NAWSA convention.  She also met with members of Congress, for she felt that 1918 would be the year in which the federal suffrage amendment could be pushed through Congress.  The state suffrage organizations were letting their elected representatives know that this was the time to stand up for women’s voting rights.

            Early in January 1918, the House of Representatives passed the suffrage amendment, with just barely more than the required two-thirds vote.  Women won national voting rights in England on the same thrilling day.  Now it was up to the U.S. Senate.  Carrie urged the state suffrage organizations to pressure their senators to consider the amendment and to pass it.  She also bought a new dress to wear while campaigning around the country for state approval of the amendment after the Senate had acted.

            But the Senate did not act.  Opponents, mainly from the conservative South, did not let the amendment come to the floor for a vote.  Carrie visited personally with President Wilson, asking him to persuade the Senate to approve the amendment.  He wrote a letter to the senators but they paid no attention.  The delays continued.

            Carrie felt terribly frustrated.  Her grand plan for a final victory was being held up by a small group of stubborn old men.  In late September, the President made a personal visit to the Senate floor and spoke out in favor of the amendment.  The next day, the Senate voted, but the amendment lost by two votes.

            The opponents in the Senate had delayed almost until the elections in November, but they had not delayed long enough.  Under Carrie’s direction, NAWSA made an exception from its usual policy of not working for or against particular candidates.  The Association picked four Senate opponents that it would actively work against to prevent their re-election in November.  In spite of the short amount of time available for campaigning, the suffrage forces were successful in defeating two of the four targeted senators.

            This was also the first election in which the women of New York were allowed to vote.  Although she was very ill with influenza, Carrie got up and went to the polls with her dear friend Mary Garrett Hay.  A group of reporters was there to greet them, as Carrie voted for the first time in her life, at the age of 59.

            The war in Europe came to an end a few days later.  No longer did Carrie have to support a war effort that she did not really believe in.  Immediately, she began working to try to prevent any future war from occurring.  This would be her next great crusade, one that would continue long after her suffrage work in the U.S. had been successfully completed.