to march. Inadequate police protection allowed roughs to attack
them and all but break up the beautiful pageant. The fact of ten
thousand women marching with banners and bands for this idea was
startling enough to wake up the government and the country, but
not so startling as ten thousand women man-handled by
irresponsible crowds because of police indifference.

An investigation was demanded and a perfunctory one held. The
police administration was exonerated, but when the storm of
protest had subsided the Chief of Police was quietly retired to
private life.

It was no longer a secret that women wanted to vote and that they
wanted the President and Congress to act.

A few days later the first deputation of suffragists ever to
appear before a President to enlist his support for the passage
of the national suffrage amendment waited upon President
Wilson.[1] Miss Paul led the deputation. With her were Mrs.
Genevieve Stone, wife of Congressman Stone of Illinois, Mrs.
Harvey W. Wiley, Mrs. Ida Husted Harper, and Miss Mary Bartlett
Dixon of Maryland. The President received the deputation in the
White House Offices. When the women entered they found five
chairs arranged in a row with one chair in front, like a class-
room. All confessed to being frightened when the President came
in and took his seat at the head of the class. The President said
he had no opinion on the subject of woman suffrage; that he had
never given it any thought;[2]

[1]There had been individual visits to previous presidents.