With this promise of definite action, the Woman’s Party immediately ceased their demonstrations.
On September 26, Senator Jones brought the Amendment up. Maud Younger says, in her Revelations of a Woman Lobbyist:
Discussion began. Discussion went on. For five whole days it lasted, with waves of hope and waves of dismay, and always an undercurrent of uncertainty. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, the speeches went on. On Monday word went forth that the President would address the Senate on behalf of our Amendment.
I hurried to Senator Curtis, who was in his office signing letters. He said: “The other side claim that they have their men pledged: that the President comes too late. What do you expect?”
“I don’t know what I should expect. I hope.”
I went over to the Senate. There was very great excitement; a sense of something wonderful impending. On the floor there was the ceremonious atmosphere that attends the President’s coming.
“Look,” said a newspaper man in the gallery beside me, “he’s brought all his heavy artillery with him.” There on the floor of the Senate were the members of the Cabinet. Lesser dignitaries were scattered about the room. Congressmen stood, two-deep, lining the walls. The Sergeant-at-Arms announced in clear tones: “The President of the United States.”
The President came in, shook hands with the presiding officer, turned and read his speech. There is always an evenness about his public utterances, in manner, in voice, in reading; yet I thought he read this message with more feeling than his War message, or his Fourteen Points.
The President said:
Gentlemen of the Senate: The unusual circumstances of a world war in which we stand and are judged in the view not only of our own people and our own consciences but also in the view of all nations and peoples will, I hope, justify in your thought, as it does in mine, the message I have come to bring you.