[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 29 (Tuesday, February 14, 1995)] [Senate] [Pages S2640-S2645] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS Mrs. KASSEBAUM. Mr. President, I rise today in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the League of Women Voters. Across the country, the League of Women Voters has presented women the opportunity to study national, State, and local issues without the spin of outside interest groups of one kind or another. A nonpartisan organization, the league has played a historic role in not only the women's suffrage movement, but in a variety of issues including child labor law, education, and environmental concerns. As a woman from the State of Kansas, I believe it is important to recognize the league's efforts to reach out to women from rural areas. Providing a forum for honest discussions, with a concentration on the facts rather than prejudiced thought, the league has proven an inspiration and an awakening for many. The league encourages women to think analytically and independently, creating opportunities to lead discussions, present the pros and cons of an issue, and learn practical use of parliamentary principles. As a result, the league has instilled in many women the belief that their contributions and opinions can and do make a difference. More importantly, however, is the realization that world issues, no matter how complex, can be understood and discussed by ordinary people. Our current political climate includes and welcomes the participation of women at all levels of national debate and government. This is a sharp contrast from the early days of the League of Women Voters. Today, I imagine that many young women find it difficult to comprehend that women's suffrage was even an issue at the time. And, although I believe this means we have made progress, I also feel it is important to remember our history. We owe a debt of gratitude to the League of Women Voters for encouraging women everywhere to help bring this about. Freeing women of all educational backgrounds to believe they could study significant issues is a gift the league has given to women all over America. the 75th anniversary of the league of women voters Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, February 14, 1995, marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the League of Women [[Page S2641]] Voters of the United States, a nonpartisan organization with more than 1,100 chapters and 150,000 members throughout the country. In 1848, the first national convention for women was held in Seneca Falls, NY, to discuss the conditions and rights of women in America. The suffrage movement grew out of this meeting, and in 1890 the National American Woman Suffrage Association was formed. In 1920, this organization became the League of Women Voters. Due to the efforts of the National American Woman Suffrage Association and later the League of Women Voters, the 19th amendment to the Constitution was declared ratified by the legislatures of 36 of the 48 States. This amendment, which declares that the rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex, was first proposed to the State legislatures for ratification by the 66th Congress on June 5, 1919. My own State of Maine was the 19th State to ratify the amendment on November 5, 1919. Fortunately for the millions of Americans over the last 75 years who have benefited from the work of the league, the vision of Carrie Chapman Catt, the league's founder, was much larger than the single- minded achievement of the ratification of the 19th amendment. She envisioned an organization which would continue to educate and motivate Americans for citizenship and responsible voting. And the league has done an excellent of achieving this vision. For example, in my own State of Maine, the Maine League of Women Voters has over 400 members, with local branches in Portland, Brunswick, and Mount Desert Island, in addition to many members-at- large. One very important objective of the Maine League is to understand and improve the way Maine's government works. I am particularly proud of the way the Maine League carefully analyzes issues to develop consensus and follows that with strong advocacy efforts. Issues studied recently include health care, families at risk, and the environment. I would like to submit for the record two very informative articles which were recently printed in the Brunswick Times Record. One article, written by Julie D. Stevens, discusses the history of the National League of Women Voters, while the other, written by Nan Amstutz, discusses the history of the Maine League of Women Voters. Together, these articles illustrate the profound impact of the league on Maine and America, and I ask unanimous consent that these full articles be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: [From the Times Record, Feb. 10, 1995] The League of Women Voters of Maine--75 Years (By Nan Amstutz) ``If only one woman in Maine wants to vote she should have that chance,'' Governor Carle Millikan argued in November 1919 when he opened the special session of Maine's legislature called to ratify the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution. Although the amendment giving women the right to vote was ratified in Maine with only a few votes to spare, it was the successful culmination of a long struggle by the Maine Woman Suffrage Association. Within a year, the Association would hold its last meeting and be replaced by a new organization, the Maine chapter of the League of Women Voters. The road to equal suffrage in Maine had not been a smooth one. Success had appeared near when the legislature in 1917 amended the state constitution to allow women to vote, only to have the measure overturned at the polls several months later by a vote of almost two to one. Some of the parties on both sides of the debate bear names which are still familiar today. One bill to give women the right to vote had been introduced by Senator Guy Gannett and Representative Percival Baxter, both of Portland, and women's suffrage had been supported by most of the state's newspapers, including the Brunswick Record. In few other states, however, had women anti-suffragists played so conspicuous a role as in Maine, arguing that most women didn't want to vote and that participation in political life was inimical to women's natural role. Giving active support to this view was Miss Elizabeth McKeen of Brunswick. Many of the same women who had been active in the suffrage movement now became active members of the new League of Women Voters of Maine, which began with some 60 to 75 members. Its principle legislative interest in the early years concerned the welfare of women and children, and it supported aid to dependent children, strengthened child-labor laws, improved adoption procedures, and better court treatment of juvenile offenders. Today the Maine League has over 400 members, with local branches in Portland, Brunswick, and Mt. Desert Island. As a rural state, Maine has many members-at-large, too scattered to belong to a local branch, although they sometimes gather as an informal unit as has happened in Ellsworth. Issues studied by the state League today, health care, families at risk, and the environment, are as relevant to contemporary problems as were the issues studied in 1920 to concerns of that era. Throughout its almost 75-year history, the League of Women Voters of Maine has retained as a major focus, understanding and improving the way Maine's government works. This has meant taking on issues that are important, studying them carefully, reaching a consensus among members, and then undertaking concerted advocacy. It has meant studying such subjects as jury selection, better ways to reapportion the legislature, lengths of term in office, the state tax structure, and how to finance education. An early example of the League's focus on state government was its long and successful effort to interest the public in the need for a merit system in Maine government, an effort which culminated in the passage of the 1937 Personnel Law. In promoting the active and informed participation of citizens in government, the League's goal is to train it's members to become leaders, although, as a non-partisan organization, it can not support them if they run for political office. A number of League members are in the present state legislature. Rep. Jane Saxl of Bangor, a former state League president, sees the League as a training ground which gave her background and information on local and state issues and also provided her with confidence to run for office. ``I met elected officials and discovered they weren't all that different from the rest of us. Then when I read the Wisconsin League's publication, See Jane Run, I knew it was meant for me.'' Saxl served first on the local school board and later on the Bangor City Council, before running for the state legislature. ``My one claim to fame on the City Council, curbside recycling was a direct result of my League experience. Where else would I have studied subjects such as waste management or water quality?'' On February 14, members of the League throughout Maine will celebrate the national League's 75th birthday at the State House in Augusta during the League's annual ``Keys to the Capitol'' program. As Nancy Neuman, keynote speaker at the celebration, has written, ``The purpose of the League is as relevant today as it was in 1920. Making a success of American democracy is a never-ending commitment, requiring tenacity, patience, and a sense of humor.'' ____ [From the Times Record, Jan. 27, 1995] League of Women Voters, at 75, Is Still Going Strong (By Julia D. Stevens) On Feb. 14, 1995, the League of Women Voters of the United States and of the state of Maine will celebrate 75 years of promoting the active informed participation of citizens in government. Although the League was not officially founded until February 1920, on the eve of final ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution giving women the right to vote, its roots had begun almost 75 years earlier. In 1848 the first national convention for women was held in Seneca Falls, N.Y., to discuss the social, civil, religious conditions and rights of women. The women at this meeting decided to fight for the right to vote, but it was not until 1890 that the National American Woman Suffrage Association was formed. In 1920, this organization became the League of Women Voters. mighty experiment Carrie Chapman Catt, the League's founder, designed the League to be ``a mighty political experiment''--``an anomaly, we will be a semi-political body--we want political things; we want legislation; we are going to educate for citizenship . . . we have got to be nonpartisan and all-partisan.'' Seventy-five years later, the League is still an anomaly in American politics. It is non-partisan and political. It educates and advocates. Its members are feminist, but the League describes itself as a citizens' organization. It trains women and men leaders, but it cannot support them if they run for public office. social reformers The founders of the League were social reformers, concerned with protecting the rights of working-class women and advancing the status of women in American society. The first League program included: protecting women factory workers against sweatshop conditions; promoting pay based on occupation, not gender; maternal health and child welfare; independent citizenship and equal property rights for married women; uniform marriage and divorce laws; jury service for women; election law reform; a Women's Bureau in the Department of Labor; pure food laws; prevention of venereal disease; a merit system at all levels of government, and compulsory education. [[Page S2642]] voter education Voter education has always been a central focus of the League. Before every election, the League provides voters with nonpartisan information about candidates and issues. In its early days, citizenship schools to study basic principles of government were conducted across the country, and women voters were instructed how to register and vote. Nonpartisan voters guides were distributed and many state and local Leagues held candidates meetings. In 1923, ``Know Your Town'' questionnaires were developed to help new Leagues study conditions in their own communities. Nonpartisanship, consensus on issues, and concerted advocacy are central to the League's philosophy. The League thoroughly researches and studies issues before it arrives at a public position. After weighing the pros and cons of policy choices, League members discuss areas of agreement and disagreement, eventually arriving at a consensus. changing issues During World War II the League educated the public about the importance of American democracy and was a vocal advocate for the formation of the United Nations. The 1950s were years of growth in membership--by 1958, the League had 128,000 members. The League was active in water resources issues and through its ``Freedom Agenda'' took a visible leading role in opposing McCarthyism. In the 1960s, the League was involved in apportionment, air and water pollution control, equal access to education, employment and education, civil rights and the women's movement. During the 1970s, the League was active in issues such as campaign finance, voting rights, international trade, land use, solid waste, urban policies and presidential debates. In 1974 the League admitted men as full voting members. Membership peaked in 1974 at 177,838 members, with 1,340 local and 50 state Leagues. The 1980s were years of involvement in social and environmental issues, fiscal policy, arms control, reproductive choice and agriculture. In the 1990s the League has established positions on health care and gun control, and has been instrumental in the passage of ``motor voter'' legislation. middle of the road Within the American political system, the League is a moderate organization: It has been attacked by the left as too conservative, by the right as too liberal. Maud Wood Park, the League's first president (1920-24) noted that the League: ``has chosen to be a middle-of-the-road organization in which persons of widely differing political views might work out together a program of definite advance on which they could agree. . . . It has held to the belief that no problem of democracy is really solved until it is solved for the average citizen.'' For 75 years the League has prodded the nation to fulfill its promises. Making a success of American democracy is a never-ending commitment, requiring tenacity, patience and a sense of humor. In the next 75 years, the League intends to continue its efforts to educate and motivate citizens. The League plans to further diversify its membership, programs and approaches to better meet the needs of U.S. citizens. The League welcomes any citizen over 18 years of age to become a member, either as active participants or as supporters. The League's 75th birthday party will take place on Feb. 14 at the State House in Augusta during the League's annual ``Keys To The Capitol'' program. the 75th anniversary of the league of women voters Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to the League of Women Voters which is celebrating its 75th anniversary today. On February 14, 1920, in anticipation of the ratification of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote, this group was formed to educate these new voters about politics. By encouraging informed and active participation in government, this organization continues to play an important role in American politics. The league deserves both thanks and recognition for its efforts. The fight for women's suffrage is a part of our history that, in my opinion, doe not receive enough attention today. We would all do well to reflect on the incredible courage and strength the women of that era demonstrated in their quest for the right to vote. The battle for women's suffrage lasted generations, and many forget that women were jailed and physically punished simply because they believed that women were created equal to men. The suffragists hoped that by winning a say in their Nation's affairs, they could better the conditions of all Americans. They were right, and the continued work of the League of Women Voters is testament to that fact. Carrie Chapman Catt, founder of the National Woman Suffrage Association, proposed ``a League of Women Voters, nonpartisan and nonsecretarial, to finish the fight and aid in the reconstruction of the nation.'' By encouraging the participation of all citizens in government, the league has adhered to that charge, and remains a powerful force for productive change. Today, the league is composed of both men and women who work together to strengthen the democratic process and to seek positive solutions to the problems of our time. Their efforts to increase citizen participation and educate voters exemplify the spirit that makes American government unique in the world. Eleanor Roosevelt, one of the league's more famous members, once said: ``Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.'' These words accurately describe the league's ongoing activities. On issues ranging from agriculture to arms control, the league has been a tireless voice, and it continues to influence the course of our Nation. I would also like to take this opportunity to commend the members of the League of Women Voters in my home State of Connecticut. Their work is indicative of the broad range of activities the league is now involved in nationwide. In addition to the many local voter education projects, Connecticut members have been extremely active working behind the scenes to gain passage of numerous pieces of crucial State legislation. They have also participated in several recent international fellowship programs. This past summer, the Connecticut League of Women Voters hosted two Hungarian fellows in the interest of promoting the exchange of democratic ideas worldwide. It is this type of information exchange that embodies the work league members have accomplished during the past 75 years. Through its efforts, the League of Women Voters demonstrates that politics need not be partisan, and that increased participation in a democracy is always a change for the better. I congratulate and commend all members, both past and present, who have worked on these efforts. We should all take time to reflect upon the womens' suffrage movement that brought the league into existence and the vital work this organization continues to do today. the 75th anniversary of the league of women voters Mr. HEFLIN. Mr. President, I want to take a moment to congratulate the League of Women Voters as it turns 75 years old today. Many congratulations are certainly in order for this outstanding organization that has done so much over the decades as ``a voice of citizens and a force for change.'' The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political group which encourage the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of public policy issues, and influences policy through education and advocacy. Every American has benefited from the league's many contributions at the local, State, and national levels of government during its 75 years. In 1976, the league sponsored the first Presidential debates since those famous ones in 1960. This capped a nationwide petition drive to have candidates for Nation's highest office ``Meet in public debate on the issues facing the country.'' The league also sponsored debates during the general election campaigns of 1980 and 1984, and during the primaries of 1988 and 1992. Most of us know the league through our local chapters, since it is organized in more than 1,000 communities, in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Its education fund, founded in 1957, provides local and State leagues with information and educational services on elections and on current public policy issues. It is renowned for its ability to make complex and controversial issues accessible to the average citizen in a clear and balanced way. There is no more important civic duty we have as Americans than expressing ourselves through informed, consistent voting. I am proud to commend and congratulate the League of Women Voters for helping to foster that civic expression for 75 years. commemorating the 75th anniversary of the league of women voters Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, today we celebrate an important organization in the modern history of American politics. The League of Women Voters, a [[Page S2643]] nonpartisan organization which encourages informed and active participation in the political process, celebrates its 75th anniversary. The League of Women Voters is open to all of American voters. The League of Women Voters is an established grassroots organization; encouraging and enabling individuals to become true participants in the important public policy and political debates of our time. The League of Women Voters has an active presence in each of the 50 States. In North Dakota, the League of Women Voters has had an active presence for the past 45 years. The North Dakota League of Women Voters' activities include preparing voters' guides which explain ballot measures, helping communities draft governing documents, and supporting bills before the State legislature. The North Dakota League of Women Voters is a valuable asset to my State. Mr. President, I join my Senate colleagues and the American people in congratulating the League of Women Voters on its remarkable achievements. I wish the League of Women Voters many years of continued success. the 75th anniversary of the league of women voters Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, 1995 is the 75th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment, which granted women the right to vote. The year 1995 is also the 75th anniversary of the founding of the League of Women Voters. I want to commend the league for its efforts to encourage the informed and active participation of citizens in government. I particularly want to recognize the activities of the League of Women Voters in New Mexico. In 1924, 4 years after the formation of the national league, the New Mexico League started its first chapter in Albuquerque. The league concentrated upon informing citizens on legislation before the New Mexico House and Senate. By 1949, three league chapters were active in Albuquerque, Los Alamos, and Las Vegas, NM. By 1953, two more chapters had been added in Las Cruces and Santa Fe, and members were being recruited for chapters in Tucumcari and Gallup. As membership grew, local league chapters began to work on local and federal issues in addition to issues before the State legislature. Today, before every general election, local leagues publish voters guides and hold candidate forums and debates. Between elections, the league publishes Who's Who pamphlets listing the names of local elected officials and holds seminars on issues important to New Mexicans. Issues including health care, transportation, and children and youth have been the topics of recent seminars. These publications, forums, and seminars are valuable resources for citizens. I would like to salute the New Mexico league for its untiring efforts to inform citizens about State, local, and national issues. I would like to particularly recognize five members of the New Mexico league who will be honored by our Governor Gary Johnson on February 24: Trula Johansson, Jessie Rudnick, Marjorie Burr, Barbara Bell, and Elizabeth Platts. Trula Johansson joined the New Mexico league in 1948 and was president of the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County chapter; Jessie Rudnick started a league-sponsored farmers market in Los Alamos; Marjorie Burr was a founder of the Las Cruces chapter; Barbara Bell organized a member-at-large league in Grants; Elizabeth Platts is past president of the Santa Fe league. These five women are outstanding examples of the contributions the league has made to New Mexico. I also want to recognize the efforts of those who helped New Mexican women gain the right to vote. The New Mexico Federation of Women's Clubs and the Congressional Union, an organization of suffragettes, were instrumental in pressing the New Mexico State Legislature to ratify the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Mr. President, I request that an article that better describes women's suffrage in New Mexico be inserted into the Record at the conclusion of my remarks. Mr. President, I salute those who worked to give women the right to vote. I salute the members of the New Mexico League of Women Voters and the principles in which they believe and support. The league believes in representative government and in the individual liberties established in the Constitution of the United States, that democratic Government depends upon the informed and active participation of its citizens, and that responsible government should be responsive to the will of the people. The league's education and advocacy activities in support of these principles have served all New Mexicans well by helping them better exercise their right to vote. On behalf of all New Mexicans, I want to express my appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the members of the League of Women Voters. [From The League of Women Voters of New Mexico, Winter 1995] Suffrage in New Mexico (By Shelly Shepherd, President, LWV/ABC) I recently spoke before the Federal Aviation Administration for Women's Equality Day on the topic of Women's Suffrage in New Mexico. I am particularly interested in this topic, as we are approaching the 75th Anniversary of Passage of the 19th Amendment and the 75th Anniversary of the National League of Woman Voters of the United States. I was surprised to find that little has been written about the Women's Movement in New Mexico. I learned that most people, including myself, have little or no knowledge about the efforts that were made and who made them. Older accounts of Women's Suffrage in the west omit New Mexico because it was the only western state without Women's Suffrage by 1914. I thought I'd share a few historic facts that I have uncovered in my research. The first organized pressure groups for Women's Suffrage in New Mexico came during the Constitutional Convention of 1910. Before 1900, Hispanic and Anglo support was insufficient to make suffrage a real issue. In 1910, the National Women's Suffrage Association (NAWSA) had only two subscribers to its publication on suffrage. One name had ``dead'' scribbled after it, and the other person was in a Silver City sanatorium. This was hardly a suitable base for an active women's movement. Letter from Ada Morley to the Congressional Union reporting on the campaign to have the New Mexico delegation support passage of the Susan B. Anthony Women's Suffrage Amendment in Congress, together with other letters in the National Women's Party Papers in the Library of Congress, indicate the existence of an active women's movement in New Mexico during the early 20th Century. During the first decade of the 20th Century, several hundred New Mexico women organized into nine clubs in which women could work together on civic, educational, and cultural affairs. In 1909, women's clubs federated into a state organization. In 1910, the president of the federated organization presented a petition to delegates of the State Constitutional Convention in support of women's suffrage. Of three published memoirs, only two mention women's suffrage. One says, ``Members compromised on women's sufrage'' while the other notes, ``The very nature of New Mexico's background was against giving women the voting privilege with men.'' The 1910 Constitution gave women the right to vote in school district elections and made them eligible to hold public office as superintendent, director, or member of a local board of education. However, Article VII restricted the right of women to vote for these officials if enough men objected. In addition, the constitutional compromise protected the elective franchise of Hispanic males, through whatever mechanism it might be achieved and `make it virtually impossible to amend the Constitution to give women the right to vote.'' To amend the franchise provision, three quarters of the voters in each county had to approve; and this made it exceedingly difficult to achieve voting rights for women. Ada Morley wrote to the Congressional Union, ``Federal action is our only hope.Amid the celebrations of new statehood, a small group of women were dissatisfied with their disenfranchisement. At first, some of the club women worked through the National American Women's Suffrage Association (NAWSA) which attempted to expand its activities in New Mexico between 1912 and 1915. Deane Lindsey, an active club woman and former teacher from Portales, became State Chairman. NAWSA offered little incentive for New Mexico to become politically active, however, because it had begun to focus on suffrage referendums that were inappropriate in New Mexico. More important than NAWSA for fueling the engine of women's discontent in New Mexico was the National Federation of Women's Clubs (NFWC) with which the New Mexico Federation of Women's Clubs (NMFWC) became affiliated in 1914. When the Congressional Union sent their first organizer to New Mexico in 1914, New Mexico club women were ready to act. A splinter group under the leadership of Alice Paul that separated from NAWSA in 1912, the Congressional Union (CU), had adopted the militant and sophisticated pressure tactics of the ``British Suffragettes,'' as the British called their campaigners. The group of women that the CU pulled together in New Mexico launched its first campaign in 1915, [[Page S2644]] continued to mobilize during the war, and remained the most active organization during the ratification battle. Once the state network was set up, CU organizers planned the type of pageant that the CU had made famous--a mass meeting, a parade, and a deputation to Senators Thomas Catron and Albert Fall. The woman who rallied to the CU were not representative of various regions of New Mexico, ethnic groups, or classes. They were predominantly Anglo elite centered in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and other northern cities. An overwhelming number of the members' husbands identified with the Republican Party, the dominant party in the state at the time. Ella St. Clair Thompson, CU organizer in New Mexico in 1915, made efforts to recruit daughters of Hispanic politicians. Thompson had leaflets printed in Spanish and English. Although the CU records only mention six Hispanic women as participants, these six were key players. Aurora Lucero, daughter of the Secretary of State, joined, as did three nieces of Solomon Luna, including 34 year old widow Adelina Otero-Warren, who became the most influential woman in the CU. If any woman could be credited as being the ``Susan B. Anthony of New Mexico,'' it would be Adelina Otero-Warren. Beginning as a timid woman unwilling to speak in public, Adelina gradually became a political force. Her uncle, Solomon Luna, the powerful and popular head of the Republican Party, had died in 1912; but her father was still active in politics. And other Otero males were moving into positions in the Republican Party. In 1917, Otero-Warren was appointed school superintendent in Santa Fe, and in 1918 she defeated a male opponent to retain this elective position. Otero-Warren guided the last phase of the campaign to pry the amendment out of Congress. She accepted leadership of the New Mexico CU and was soon skillfully evaluating local tensions among factions. She stated, ``I will keep out of local fuss but will take a stand and a firm one whenever necessary.'' Otero- Warren kept the group intact through the war and only resigned from the CU to become chair of the Women's Division of the Republican State Committee for New Mexico. The women in the CU realized, after storming the office of US Senator Catron (Senior congress Member) on the suffrage matter, that he would not budge from his anti-suffrage position. ``He thinks all we are good for is to stay home, have children, have more children, cook and wash dishes,'' a suffragette complained bitterly after Catron rebuffed one delegation. Other U.S. Congressmen from New Mexico were unwilling to openly endorse suffrage as long as Catron opposed it. Republican women moved into action by nominating another candidate to Catron's seat. They were unsuccessful in urging the Republican party to nominate pro-suffrage candidate Frank Hubbel in 1916. That year, for the first time, parties in New Mexico supported the suffrage amendment. The CU maintained its bipartisan stand in the election of 1916, opposing Democrats who would not endorse suffrage and refusing to campaign for Republicans. Both Hubbell and Hernandez (Republicans) were defeated in the Wilson landslide of 1916. The 1916 election placed two pro-suffrage Democrats from New Mexico in Congress--William Walton and Andreius Jones. Senator Jones, who replaced Catron in Congress, moved into the chair of the Senate Committee on Women's Suffrage. He proved his support by visiting CU militants jailed for their Washington protests. When Senator Walton began to waiver on suffrage, Otero- Warren turned up the political heat. This last minute pressure steadied Walton so that he voted for the 19th Amendment that passed the House of Representatives in January, 1918. The Senate voted favorably in June, 1919. With the federal amendment out of Congress, political focus now shifted back to New Mexico where the Legislature had to approve the amendment. Suffragettes were so confident that the amendment would easily pass in the January, 1919 session that the new head of the state CU, now calling itself the National Women's Party (NWP), made the mistake of leaving for California. Otero-Warren lobbied among the Hispanics, and the amendment passed the House early. New Mexico was predicted to be one of the first states to ratify the amendment. However, in the Senate a Republican member sidetracked the amendment by substituting a state referendum measure which, as everyone knew, could not pass. This defeat bitterly disappointed women and national suffrage leaders. Women knew that the longer the ratification process took, the more the opposition would organize against its passage. Anti-suffragists began labeling those supporting suffrage as disloyal and Bolshevik agents. Suffrage leaders were compelled to spend time refuting claims of the ``anti's'' that women would vote socialist once they were enfranchised during this ``red scare'' period. The National Women's Party was militant in its activism during the war, even picketing the President. This distressed more moderate suffragists. The two major suffrage groups thus became divided because the leadership believed in different tactics. Early in 1920 Arizona and Utah ratified after governors from these states promised their support. Governor C.A. Larrazolo of New Mexico promised the NAWSA and NWP leaders passage of the amendment at a special session called for February 16, 1920. If New Mexico ratified as the 32nd state, only 4 more would be needed for passage of the 19th Amendment. Final victory in New Mexico resulted from coalition work by NWP and Republican Women. Otero-Warren swung into action in January, lining up Republican leaders behind the amendment. Republican anti-suffragists hoped to convince Hispanics that women's suffrage was against their interests and convince them to vote it down. Anglo politicians could then blame Hispanic males for the defeat of a law Anglos did not want enacted. Suffragist women packed the Senate galleries to hear the final debate, and Republicans shifted support to the amendment. On February 19, 1920, the Senate ratified the amendment by a vote of 17 to 5. On the last day of the struggle, February 19, 1920, after the Senate had ratified and the House had balked at passing the amendment, Otero- Warren spent three hours in a Republican caucus. Dan Padilla withdrew his referendum proposal; Republican leader R.I. Baca shifted to support the amendment; and the House ratified the amendment 36 to 10. New Mexico became the 32nd state to ratify. Oklahoma, Washington, and West Virginia followed New Mexico. The final battle was fought in Tennessee, where anti- suffragists were accused of buying votes and instigating opposition of every sort. On August 15, 1920, Tennessee ratified! After almost a century of talk about suffrage and more than a decade of campaigning in New Mexico, women had the right to vote. We owe a great vote of thanks to Adelina Otero-Warren and all those who worked with her for so many years. I only hope that we can have this type of dedication to work toward favorable resolution of issues which face the League and our country both now and in the future. the 75th anniversary of league of women voters Mrs. FEINSTEIN. I am proud to join today with my colleagues in celebrating the 75th anniversary of an organization that has focused on bringing women into the political system: As people who are informed. People who ask questions. People who take an active role. People who can make a difference. People who would become U.S. Senators. I believe that it is fair to say that the League of Women Voters, not alone, but with others, has served as the backbone, a sort of grassroots engine moving women forward, not only as activists, but as leaders. The league was founded in 1920 at the Chicago convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, 6 months prior to passage of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote. On the eve of its establishment, Carrie Chapman Catt, its founder said: Winning the vote is only the opening wedge, but to learn to use it is a bigger task. And thus, for 75 years the league has been teaching its membership and all citizens how to use the power of the vote. The league fought to make candidate debates part of campaigning for elective office. At the national level, it has educated and engaged women in the debate over foreign policy and organized the grassroots on domestic issues--the equal rights amendment, the Voting Rights Act, voter registration reform, and campaign reform to name a few. At the local level, the league has served to educate the electorate about important public policy issues by sponsoring forums for candidate debates, and providing guides to the issues on the ballot, and more. In the February 1995, issue of ``Today's Voter'' a newsletter put out by the League of Women Voters of San Bernadino, CA, the organization's president, Jan Green, said there are four kinds of bones: She said, and I quote: The body of a club or group is made of four kinds of bones: the wishbones, who spend all their time wishing someone would do all the work; the jawbones, who do all the talking but very little else; the knucklebones who knock everything that everybody else tries to do; and the backbones who get under the load and do the work as they enjoy the fun of fellowship that come with it. These words were obviously prodding the membership of the organization toward greater participation in the work of the league. But I believe that these words provide something even more for both elected officials and the electorate. For elected officials, it is a call for quality representation. Leadership not filled with a lot of talk--political rhetoric on partisan bickering. It is a call for leadership that respects the political process, and the institutions that have served this country well for over [[Page S2645]] 200 years and hopefully long in the future. For the electorate, it is a call to greater engagement in the political process and the decisions that will shape our future. To go beyond the surface of soundbites and look deeper to the heart of the issues. And most importantly, to vote on election day. While the influence of the League of Women Voters in shaping the role of women in politics cannot be overstated, I believe their role in the coming years will be equally as important, if not more important. Important victories have been won for women, in terms of the number of elected officials at the national, State, and local levels, and in terms of the legislative victories that have resulted. In this session, alone critical issues for women are on the table-- research for women's health, reproductive choice, welfare reform, and equal opportunity to name a few. The role of the league becomes vital in preserving those gains, whether it be by energizing women voters on election day or galvanizing their forces behind important issues on the legislative agenda. I want to thank the League of Women Voters for the valuable work it has done for 75 years and for it continued work on issues important to women, in particular, and the electorate at-large. Thank you, Mr. President. the 75th anniversary of the league of women voters of the united states Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, today marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the League of Women Voters. It is with pleasure on this auspicious anniversary to salute this organization that has become an American institution. Founded in 1920, the League of Women Voters was born out of the women's suffrage movement, just 6 months before the 19th amendment granted women the right to vote. During its 75-year history, the league has made unparalleled contributions to the advancement of public policy and to groundbreaking legislation that changed the Nation. Across the United States, the League of Women Voters has worked tirelessly to educate citizens about their rights and responsibilities, and to increase voter participation in the political process. Initiatives such as the public policy forums, candidate debates, voter guides and courses in the schools are just a few examples of the contributions by the league to the best of the American political tradition. Through its membership, the league has played an essential role in promoting the involvement of citizens at all levels of government. Its success in mobilizing voters and improving the policymaking process is evident in the history of this Nation's most significant legislation. The Social Security Act, the Clean Air Act, and the National Voter Registration Act are examples of the league's policy and legislative accomplishments. In Massachusetts, the league has been a valuable and respected presence. The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts was founded in 1920 as one of the first leagues in the country, and continues to have the largest number of local league chapters in the United States. The Massachusetts league has been vigorous in the achievement and protection of basic advances in reproductive rights, gun control, education, and civil rights. It has worked hard to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect, and to combat domestic violence against women and children. It has also had a significant impact in the struggle to preserve and protect our environment, and has been an effective leader on issues such as recycling and hazardous waste collection. I commend the League of Women Voters for its success, and for its outstanding contributions to the Nation. It has been an honor to work with the league over the years, and I look forward to working closely with the league in the years ahead. the 75th anniversary of the league of women voters Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today we celebrate 75 years of achievement by the League of Women Voters. In the 75 years since women won the vote and the League of Women Voters was founded, the league has enabled millions of women and men to cast an informed vote through political education. The League of Women Voters in my home State of California, while excelling at that worthy goal, also has been a leader in the effort to promote equality, involve citizens in shaping their government, and build a better California for our children. From filing a brief advocating a minimum wage in 1923, to producing award-winning environmental videos in the 1990's, the League of Women Voters of California has had a long and distinguished history. In 1992, the League of Women Voters of California held their first convention at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, and 70 delegates attended. Today, the California league has over 70 chapters around the State and over 10,000 members. In 1935, the league of California spoke out in support of unemployment insurance and they worked for tougher child labor laws in 1942. In 1969, the league helped pass stronger water pollution laws, and then in 1976, they helped pass the Coastal Act Initiative to protect California's coastline. In 1987, the league registered thousands of high school seniors to vote. In the 1990's, the league in California has spoken out and provided crucial information to voters on issues ranging from hazardous waste to reproductive choice. Most important, the efforts of the League of Women Voters to ensure equality at the ballot box, in our schools, and in the workplace, have helped open up opportunities for women to succeed at all levels of American life. The league has inspired millions of women to learn the issues, get involved, and vote. The past 75 years have been filed with both struggles and accomplishments. As I look back at the rich history of the League of Women Voters, I can only hope that future generations of women will have the league to educate them, inform them, and motivate them to become involved in their communities. the 75th anniversary of the league of women voters Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise this morning in honor of the 75th anniversary of the League of Women Voters of the United States. Founded in 1920, out of the Women's suffrage movement, the leagues has served 75 years educating voters about the most complex public issues of the day. The league has an impressive history. It has a long tradition of providing voters information--from the first national radio broadcast of a candidate forum in 1928, to its Emmy-Award-winning 1976 debates between former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford. The league encourages citizen participation in the democratic process. The organization has educated and advocated on issues ranging from--passage of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution giving women the right to vote--to the passage of the motor-voter law in the last Congress. And, the leagues doe not shy away from taking on the issues. For example, in 1955, the league's president testified against Senator Joseph McCarthy's abuse of congressional investigative powers. Organized in thousands of communities throughout the Nation, the league emphasizes the need for government to be representative, accountable, and responsive. Mr. President, the League of Women Voters is an excellent organization and I am proud to honor the league's 75th anniversary today. Mr. FORD addressed the Chair. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kentucky. ____________________