infinite tact we owe much, led the way to
victory for the amendment. Mrs. Helen H. Gardener, whose
diplomatic abilities made her the constant adviser of the
committee, Miss Marjorie Shuler, chief of publicity, Miss Mabel
Willard in charge of social affairs, Miss Caroline I. Reilly and
Mrs. Minnie Fisher Cunningham, secretaries, formed the personnel
of the Congressional Committee at the time of victory.

During the months preceding the passage of the Federal Amendment
the National Association had carried not only the burden of the
actual amendment campaign but had planned and carried out the
preparatory work for ratification. Legislatures had been polled,
Governors interviewed on the subject of special sessions and
organization and publicity built up, looking forward to the final
ratification battle. The presidential suffrage campaigns and the
resolutions calling upon Congress to pass the suffrage amendment,
which the National Association had secured in State Legislatures,
were all part of the ratification strategy, a test of the
suffrage sentiment in the current Legislatures as well as an
impelling force on Congress to pass the amendment.

We had hoped that from this point the State associations would
undertake their own campaigns and to that end Mrs. Catt issued a
bulletin May 24 telling each one just what steps to take. She
stated that the National Association would immediately ask
Governors of all equal suffrage States to call sessions and would
circularize all the Legislatures. She called upon the State
associations to (1) circularize their legislators with the news
of the final victory; (2) send deputations to secure the pledge
of the vote of each legislator for ratification; (3) begin a
statewide campaign through the press, petitions, literature and
meetings to secure their own special sessions. It soon became
apparent that the States as a whole were not carrying out these
plans and instead of promises of special sessions excuses came
from the men with the endorsement of the women themselves. It was
evident that the national office in New York must be in command.

During the following weeks up to the present time the days and
nights have been filled with intensive effort. Never before have
the members of the national force, the board,