auspicious hour.

As the National Association was desirous of having a vote on the
measure at this session, your committee began to work to that end
immediately after receiving specific instructions from the Board
June 17, 1916. The meaning of the suffrage planks in the
Republican and Democratic platforms was disputed by some men in
both parties. The leaders stated that the planks were silent as
to the Federal Amendment and thus left men free to vote on the
amendment as each decided. In order to ascertain the
interpretation which would be given by members of Congress it was
determined to push for a vote in the Senate. On June 27 Mrs.
Catt, Miss Hannah J. Patterson, corresponding secretary of the
National Suffrage Association, Mrs. Antoinette Funk,
vice-chairman of the committee, Miss Hay and the chairman held an
informal conference with the Senators of the enfranchised States
in the office of Senator Shafroth to secure their assistance. As
unanimous consent is required for the consideration of such a
measure, the Senators agreed that if we would have the vote taken
without debate it would probably be possible, since this would
not consume the time of the Senate. We believed that this was
best in order to make sure of the vote. On July 22 Senator Thomas
wrote to every Senator asking whether he would consent to a vote
being taken without debate. He informed us that on both the
Republican and Democratic sides there were men who would not give
such consent, some stating that they had been asked by certain
suffragists of the other organization not to consent. After the
endorsement of the Federal Amendment by Judge Hughes, the
candidate for President, frequent remarks were made in the Senate
on it by members of both parties. Senator Clark (Republican) of
Wyoming and Senator Pittman (Democrat) of Nevada were among those
who urged action at this session but finally in August Senator
Thomas gave up the effort.

The unfair treatment of the amendment resolution in the House
Judiciary Committee and its final suppression by Chairman Edwin Y.
Webb (N. C.) were described in full and the unsuccessful efforts, led
by Mrs. Catt, to obtain action on it. [See Chapter on Federal
Amendment.] The report continued:

Federal Elections Bill: On December 6 Representative Raker
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