and wide. Let the people everywhere know that in Berlin women
from all parts of the world have banded themselves together to demand
political freedom. I rejoice in the presence of these reporters, and
instead of excluding them from our meetings let us help them to all
the information we can and ask them to give it the widest
publicity."[446]

This won the battle for the reporters, who gave her rousing applause,
and the news flashed over the wires was sympathetic, dignified, and
abundant. It told the world of the formation of the International
Woman Suffrage Alliance by women from the United States, Great
Britain, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, Norway, and
Denmark, "to secure the enfranchisement of women of all nations." It
praised the honorary president, Susan B. Anthony, and the American
women who took over the leadership of this international venture,
Carrie Chapman Catt, the president, and Rachel Foster Avery,
corresponding secretary.

To celebrate the occasion, German suffragists called a public mass
meeting, and Susan, eager to rejoice with them, was surprised to find
members of the International Council disgruntled and accusing the
International Woman Suffrage Alliance of stealing their thunder and
casting the dark shadow of woman suffrage over their conference. To
placate them and restore harmony, she stayed away from this public
meeting, but she could not control the demand for her presence.

"Where is Susan B. Anthony?" were the first words spoken as the mass
meeting opened. Then immediately the audience rose and burst into
cheers which continued without a break for ten minutes. Anna Howard
Shaw there on the platform and deeply moved by this tribute to Aunt
Susan, later described how she felt: "Every second of that time I
seemed to see Miss Anthony alone in her hotel room, longing with all
her big heart to be with us, as we longed to have her.... Afterwards,
when we burst in upon her and told her of the great demonstration, the
mere mention of her name had caused, her lips quivered and her brave
old eyes filled with tears."[447]

The next morning her "girls" brought her the Berlin newspapers,
translating for her the report of the meeting and these heart-warming
lines, "The Americans call her 'Aunt Susan.' She is our 'Aunt Susan'
too."

This was but a foretaste of her reception throughout her stay in
Berlin. To the International Council, she was "Susan B. Anthony of the
World," the woman of