save the honor and freedom of our country in
aiding you to accomplish that end, but I have been unable to do
so...."

The President said in reply: "I realize the weight of argument that
has controlled your attitude in the matter and I would not have
written as I did if I had not thought that the passage of the
amendment at this time was an essential psychological element in the
conduct of the war for democracy. I am led by a single sentence in
your letter, therefore, to say that I do earnestly believe that our
action upon this amendment will have an important and immediate
influence upon the whole atmosphere and morale of the nations engaged
in the war and every day I am coming to see how supremely important
that side of the whole thing is."

On August 8 the State Bar Association passed a strong resolution
endorsing woman suffrage by Federal Amendment. The president, Colonel
Ed Watkins, in his annual address, included a strong plea for it and
Judge David V. Puryear introduced the resolution. Miss Elizabeth Lea
Miller and Mrs. Ford, the first women members of the association; Mrs.
John Lamar Meek and others worked for it. Col. Joseph H. Acklen gave
his services as attorney for years to the State association without
charge. Urgent petitions which bore the names of all the leading
Democrats of the State, arranged on a large sheet with the photograph
of and a quotation from President Woodrow Wilson, were sent to Senator
Shields. The State board sent petitions to the legislators urging that
they ask him to vote for the Federal Amendment resolution, which
lacked only two votes of passing the Senate, but he opposed it to the
end.

The remainder of Mrs. Warner's regime was filled with efforts in the
Legislature for the Presidential suffrage bill. She began in September
and worked unceasingly until its passage the next April, financing the
campaign with some small assistance from her board. During the
hundredth anniversary of the city of Memphis in June, a notable State
event, a suffrage "victory" celebration was held with addresses by
Mayor Monteverde and leading suffragists.

The eleventh annual convention was held in the Tulane Hotel,
Nashville, June 4, 5, 1919. During the second day's session news came
of the submission of the Federal Amendment by the U. S. Senate and
excitement ran riot. Telegrams of congratulation were sent to Mrs.
Catt, Dr. Shaw, U. S. Senator McKellar and the Tennessee
Representatives who voted for