idence, which of course they
did. His public statement of August 1 was therefore no surprise
to them but was nevertheless most gratifying.

On August 1 Mrs. Catt and your chairman called on President
Wilson in Washington. He reiterated his belief that woman
suffrage should come by State action. We presented the arguments
in behalf of the Federal Amendment but he remained unconvinced.
He is a fair and openminded man and your representatives have by
no means given up hope of proving to him the justice and
advisability of the amendment.

Conferences: At the last national convention a special committee
recommended that the Board of Officers should consider the
suggestion of conferences between the Congressional Committee of
the National Association and the Legislative Committee of the
Congressional Union, with a view to securing more united action
in the lobby work in Washington. Nine such conferences were
held--one in January, three in February, three in March, one in
June, one in July. Your chairman was present at each and Miss
Anne Martin, representing the Union, was present at each. At some
of them each organization had additional representatives. Mrs.
Catt attended two and our corresponding secretary, Miss
Patterson, attended one. The subject was the time at which action
on the Federal Amendment should be secured in both branches of
Congress. When on July 20 it was found that the National
Committee wished to obtain a vote in the Senate before
adjournment and the Congressional Union wished to postpone it the
conferences came to an end. It is the unanimous judgment of your
committee that they were of no value to the work on the
amendment.

General: The congressional work done in Washington this year by
the National Association has not been spectacular. Your committee
had not been on duty long before they realized that many members
had been irritated by the too-frequent calls of suffragists and
by the inconsiderate demands on their time. As our last national
convention was held at the opening session of this Congress,
delegations of suffragists used the opportunity to call on their
Senators and Representatives. Considering the strain of work of
Congress during the past months and the fact that the men had
already been interviewed b