iod than the children
of Israel wandered through the wilderness, coming to this Capitol
pleading for this recognition of the principle that the
Government derives its just powers from the consent of the
governed. Mr. Chairman, we ask that you report our resolution
favorably if you can but unfavorably if you must; that you report
one way or the other, so that the Senate may have the chance to
consider it.

The Chairman: "In behalf of the committee I desire to thank the ladies
for the splendid arguments they have made and to say that we
appreciate them most heartily. It is my intention to call the
committee together at a very early date and we will give a careful
and intelligent consideration to this measure, and, I hope, make a
report on it."

Notwithstanding this promise no further attention was paid to these
logical and eloquent appeals or to the immense petition, and no report
whatever was made by the committee.

* * * * *

All but four of the members of the House Judiciary Committee were
present, including the chairman, Richard Wayne Parker (N. J.), a
remarkable attendance, and they showed much interest.[69] Mrs.
Florence Kelley, second vice-president of the National Suffrage
Association, was in charge of the speakers and the hearing was opened
by Representative A. W. Rucker (Col.), who had introduced the
resolution for the Federal Amendment, as also had Representative F. W.
Mondell (Wyo.). Mrs. Kelley called attention to the petition of
404,823 names, saying: "Among those who have signed the petition are
sixteen Governors, a large number of Mayors and many State, county and
city officials; many of the best-known instructors and writers on
political economy and many presidents of colleges and universities. It
includes the names of many Judges of Supreme Courts and among them the
Chief Justice and Associate Justice of Hawaii. It contains a long list
of the names of persons engaged in various trades and from those in
the thirty-three States which are classified are 7,515 professional
people, lawyers, doctors, clergymen and others; also 52,603 listed as
home keepers."

Mrs. Susan W. Fitzgerald (Mass.) said in part: "I come here to speak
for those 52,000 home makers who signed the petition to Congress
asking for equal political rights in this democracy.... To ask woman
under our modern industrial conditions to care adequately for her home
and famil