"You seem very well able to speak for yourselves, ladies," with a
broad smile, followed by a quick embarrassment when no one
stirred.

"We mean, Mr. President, who will speak for us with authority"
came back the hot retort from Dr. Shaw.

The President made no reply. Instead he expressed a desire to
shake the hands of the three hundred delegates. A few felt that
manners compelled them to acquiesce; the others filed out without
this little political ceremony.

Alice Paul's report to the national convention for her year's
work as Chairman of the Congressional Committee of the National
American Woman Suffrage Association, and as Chairman also of the
Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage, showed that a budget of
twenty-seven thousand dollars had been raised and expended under
her leadership as against ten dollars spent during the previous
year on Congressional work. At the beginning of the year there
was no interest in work with Congress. It was considered
hopeless. At the close of the year 1918 it had become a practical
political issue. Suffrage had entered the national field to stay.

At this point the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage was
obliged to become an independent body in order to continue this
vigorous policy which the conservative suffrage leaders were
unwilling to follow.

Hearings, deputations to the President, petitions to Congress,