s worked with the State and city suffrage
associations also but through their own they could carry the message
into the different sodalities and fraternal organizations of the
church and to its summer schools and conventions. Bishops and priests
were interviewed and a number of the latter were persuaded to speak at
the meetings held in twenty-six prominent parish school halls in New
York City. Ten meetings were held in Brooklyn and others in
surrounding towns.

Leaflets of opinions favorable to woman suffrage by the Catholic
clergy were prepared and widely circulated among priests, educators
and laymen. Space was secured in the Catholic press. Letters without
number were written. A delegation was received by Cardinal Gibbons in
Baltimore to explain the desire of its members for the vote. Many of
the clergy looked with favor on their work, which encouraged Catholic
women to take part in it, and 500 marched under the banner of the
association in the last suffrage parade in New York in October, 1917.
Miss McPike devoted every hour of her time outside of business hours
and gave $800 to the work of the association. Mrs. Mary C. Brown was a
generous contributor. Among the countless members who helped
unceasingly by writing, speaking and in many other ways were Elizabeth
Jordan, Janet Richards, Mrs. William A. Prendergast, Countess Mackin,
Mrs. Schuyler Warren, Sara H. Fahey, Mrs. William H. Yorke, Anne Sands
O'Shea, Catharine G. Hogan, Helen Haines, Aimee Hutchinson, Mary C.
Larkin, May H. Morey, Frances Gallogly, Annie Nolan, Rose and Fanny
Flannelly. The activities of the association were extended into
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other States.

* * * * *

The success of the suffrage amendment did not mean the disbanding of
the organization. At the 49th State convention, held in New York City,
Nov. 20-22, 1917, Mrs. Whitehouse was re-elected chairman, Mrs.
Laidlaw vice-chairman, and most of the old officers were retained. It
was decided to make the Federal Suffrage Amendment the chief object
and in order to work more effectively the State was organized by
Congressional districts, with the Assembly district organization
retained. Early in 1918 Mrs. Whitehouse, because of her remarkable
work in the suffrage campaign, was selected by the Government's
Committee on Public Information to go to Switzerland. Mrs. Laidlaw was
elected chairman at the convention and the name of the State Woman
Suffra