Mrs. Funk was the speaker and the main points of her
address are included in Mrs. McCormick's report in this chapter. In
effect it prepared the way for the new measure afterwards called the
Shafroth Amendment and she began by saying: "Ours is the oldest
national suffrage association in the United States. It has been in
existence over fifty years and comprises a membership of 462,000
enrolled women in the non-suffrage States. In addition to these I
speak this morning in behalf of the 4,000,000 women voters in the ten
equal suffrage States." Further on she said: "Gentlemen, the dearest
wish of our hearts would be fulfilled if you would enfranchise the
women. I know pretty much whether you are going to or not and you know
that I know." The committee asked her a number of questions and she
concluded: "We feel that this question could at least safely go to the
people. It might be submitted by petition of the voters. In addition
let me make this point along the line of the States' rights argument:
You see, a Legislature _per se_ has no right; it is nothing; it has no
privilege--the privilege is all in the people themselves, and you
could not say it would be contrary to the rights of the people in the
State to take down an obstacle that was built up in front of them. So,
in view of the action of the Democratic caucus in the House, we think
you can at least do this much for us; you can take down this
obstacle--State Legislatures."

The Federal Women's Equality Association also had asked for a portion
of the time and its corresponding secretary, Mrs. Clara Bewick Colby
of Washington and Portland, Ore., had charge of it. Although this
association was organized twelve years before for the special purpose
of obtaining a bill enabling women to vote for Senators and
Representatives, it sponsored in the present Congress the same measure
which the old association had introduced for the past thirty-five
years and on this occasion its speakers discussed only the amendment.
Mrs. Colby introduced first Representative Frank W. Mondell of
Wyoming, who always was ready to champion the cause of woman suffrage
for every organization. He made the point among others that "as State
after State grants the franchise to women the condition is reached
where its denial in other States deprives American citizens of a
sacred right if they have moved from one commonwealth to another."
"Our Federal Union," he said, "will be more firmly cemented the nearer