Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/93

CONNECTICUT 79 ton, went to New York by appointment to call upon Will Hays, chairman of the National Republican Committee, and ask him what the party was doing to secure ratification in Connecticut. He received them in the national headquarters and Miss Lud- ington, who spoke for the deputation, reminded him that his party was taking the credit for the ratification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment thus far but not bringing any effective pressure on the Republican Governors of Connecticut and Ver- mont, each of whom could insure its full success, and said: "What the women want is the vote in November. What the parties apparently want is a good record as a talking point in the coming campaign. What to the women is the supremely important thing is that 36th State. What to the parties seems to be most important is to exact their full due of gratitude from women who have not as yet received the gift that was prom- ised. ... In our own State, where the Republican party is responsible, the women are actually being called upon to aid its campaign while it is repudiating the policy and promises of the natiunal party in regard to ratification." The speaker then quoted the resolution adopted by the Na- tional Republican Committee Dec. 10, 1919, calling for special sessions before February to complete ratification, accompanied by the public statement : "The party managers will cooperate with the women in a determined effort to bring about the calling of special sessions." She quoted the resolution passed by this committee June i, 1920: "Such Republican States as have not already done so are urged to take such action by their Gov- ernors and legislators as will assure the ratification at the earliest possible time." She then gave a part of the plank in the national Republican platform adopted two months ago: "We earnestly hope that Republican Legislatures which have not yet acted will ratify the I9th Amendment to the end that all women may par- ticipate in the election of 1920," and said: "We have had no proof as yet that the party means to make good on these declare. 1 itions in fact many things seem to point the other way; the Republican failure to ratify in Delaware; second, the weak plank in the Republican national platform, which was emas- culated at the request of the Connecticut delegates until it was