soon as the Democrats
had voted in caucus. Knowing that this policy was diametrically
opposed to that of the National Association, which has always
been non-partisan--to hold the individual and not the party
responsible--we tried desperately hard to block the petition and
avoid the Democratic caucus at that time, but as the
Congressional Union had a lobby of forty women against our three,
it was impossible for us to head it off. The party caucused and
not only voted against a Standing Committee on Suffrage but Mr.
Heflin of Alabama amended the resolution before the caucus so
that the members were enabled to vote on February 3 by 123 to 55
that woman suffrage was a question to be determined by the States
and not by the national government.

It was now necessary for us to make a complete canvass of both
Houses of Congress, to tabulate the records of the men, in so far
as we were able to secure the information, and to determine at
the earliest possible moment whether or not it was advisable to
bring the Bristow amendment to a vote in the Senate.... My first
call was on Senator Borah of Idaho, who is a personal friend, a
suffragist, and has the advantage of being a progressive
Republican from an equal suffrage State. "I cannot vote for this
amendment," he said, "and want you to understand my reasons for
taking such a stand. I do not believe the suffragists realize
what they are doing to the women of the South if they force upon
them universal suffrage before they are ready for it. The race
question is one of the most serious before the country today and
the women must help solve it before they can take on greater
responsibilities. I am also a strong conservationist and
entertain a State's rights attitude of mind on both these
questions."

Mrs. McCormick then called on Senator Burton of Ohio, whom she
described as "a reactionary Republican"; Senator Johnson of Maine and
Senator Saulsbury of Delaware, "strong States' rights Democrats," and
she gathered the impression that the new amendment which her
Congressional Committee had in mind would have a better chance than
the original, to which the Congressional Union had given the name
Susan B. Anthony Amendment. The following men agreed to serve on the
Advisory Committee in the Senate: Borah of Idaho; Bristow of Kansas;
Shafroth and T