ter Norbeck called a special session of
the Legislature to consider important State affairs, one being to
change the clause in the constitution relating to citizenship. Its
framers, to render settlement of a new, undeveloped country
attractive, made the requirement such that a foreigner might become a
qualified elector after having merely declared his intention of
becoming a citizen, without having sworn allegiance to the United
States. Thousands of aliens had taken out their first papers, filed on
government land, proved up and established their homes, failed to
complete their naturalization and yet were fully qualified to vote.
This had long been considered a menace to the government and
suffragists knew that it was principally to this class of voters that
they owed their many defeats. The war developed great disloyalty among
this class and the Governor announced that the situation was
intolerable and the requirements for citizenship must be changed. In
order to do this it was necessary to amend the section of the
constitution which stated the qualifications of a voter and which was
the same section that it was sought to amend for woman suffrage by
striking out the word "male." It was finally decided that the only way
was to have the two matters submitted as one amendment. The word
"male" was stricken out and full naturalization and a five years'
residence were required before the privilege of voting should be
granted and this was substituted for the original suffrage amendment.

In the course of a report made to the national executive board Mrs.
McMahon, one of its organizers, said:

There was a conference in the headquarters at Huron and Mrs. Pyle
faced the situation and took up the burden. The National Suffrage
Association had sent two field workers--Miss Mary Elizabeth
Pidgeon and Mrs. Albert McMahon. To the latter was given charge
of the organization department and together the two women set to
work with the State officers to district the State and organize
in each county a campaign committee. Eventually there was an
organizer for every six districts, each comprising from twelve to
fourteen huge counties. Each worker as she came into the State
had to be carefully instructed in everything that touched upon
the constitutional provisions for voting, the status of the
alien, the reason for putting the citizenship clause into the
suffrage amendment, th