Again we were greeted by the affable secretary, who on this occasion recounted not only his chief's many pressing engagements, but his devoted family life-his Saturday and Sunday habits which were "so dreadfully cut into by his heavy work:" We were sympathetic but firm. Would Mr. Hoover not be willing to answer our letter? Would he not be willing to state publicly that he thought the amendment ought to be passed in the Senate? Would the secretary, in short, please go to him to ascertain if he' would be willing to say a single word in behalf of the political liberty of women? The secretary disappeared and returned to say, "Mr. Hoover wishes me to tell you ladies he can give no time whatever to the consideration of your question until after the war is over. This is final."

The Chief Food Administrator would continue to demand sacrifices of women throughout the war, but he would not give so much as a thought to their rights in return. Mr. Hoover was the only. important man in public life who steadfastly refused to see our representatives. After announcing his candidacy for nomination to the Presidency he authorized his secretary to write us a letter saying he had always been for woman suffrage.

Mr. Bainbridge Colby, then member of the Emergency Fleet Corporation of the Shipping Board and member of the Inter-Allied Council which sat on shipping problems, now Secretary of State in President Wilson's Cabinet, was approached as a suffragist, known to have access to the President. Mr. Colby had just returned from abroad when I saw him. He is a cultivated gentleman, but he knows how to have superlative enthusiasm.

"In the light of the world events," he said, "this reform is insignificant. No time or energy ought to be diverted from the great program of crushing the Germans."

"But can we not do that," I asked, "without neglecting internal liberties?"

Mr. Colby is a strong conformist. He became grave. When I was indiscreet enough to reveal that I was inclined to pin my faith to the concrete liberty of women, rather than to a vague and abstract "human freedom," which was supposed to descend upon the world, once the Germans were beaten, I know he wanted to call me "seditious." But he is a gallant gentleman and he only frowned with distress. He continued with enthusiasm to plan to build ships.