that not only were women capable of war
service but actually liable for it. These facts were largely
responsible for the big majority vote cast by the men for woman
suffrage in November, 1917, and the action of this great State paved
the way for the success of the Federal Amendment in Congress.

It is impossible in this brief space to set forth the achievements of
the Woman's Committee, Council of National Defense, whose chairman,
Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, was honorary president of the National American
Woman Suffrage Association and had been for eleven years its
president; two of whose members, Mrs. Catt and Mrs. McCormick, were
now its president and vice-president, while five of the remaining
eight were prominent suffragists. Its accomplishments were on so large
a scale and embodied so much important detail that only a full review
could do them justice. The facts attested to the work of an
organization which built up branches in forty-eight States comprising
18,000 component units and capable in at least one instance of
reaching as many as 82,000 women in a single State. The reader is
referred to the excellent account by Mrs. Emily Newell Blair--The
Woman's Committee, United States Council of National Defense, an
interpretative report. (Government Printing Office.)

From the time Dr. Shaw called the first meeting, May 2, 1917, to the
middle of March, 1919, the committee labored unceasingly to perform
its great task. On New Year's Day, 1918, a telegram to Dr. Shaw from
Queen Mary expressed the "thanks of the women of the British Empire
for the inspiring words of encouragement and assurance from the
Woman's Committee of the Council of National Defense of America."

On Nov. 11, 1918, the Armistice was signed and on the 18th
representatives of New York organizations of women met in the
ball-room of the Hotel McAlpin at the call of Mrs. Catt. The second
vice-president, Miss Mary Garrett Hay, presided and Mrs. Catt offered
the following resolution:

"Whereas, the great war just ended has been a partnership of all
the people of all belligerent countries composing two vast
armies, one of soldiers in the trenches and one of civilians who
formed a second line of defense to supply the needs of the
fighters, thus making it possible to fight; and whereas, the war
could not have been carried to a victorious conclusion without
the aid of women in civilian activities, as is shown by the
testim