Jailed for Freedom | Page 6

the sole object of proving
that we were wiser than she imagined. I had never discussed this point
with anybody, as I had been in Washington only a few months and it
had never occurred to me that we were not right to talk of getting the
amendment in that particular session. But I answered my patronizing
friend, in effect, that of course we were not fools, that we knew we
would not get the amendment that session, but we saw no reason for
not demanding it at once and taking it when we got it.
When Miss Paul saw the carbon of that letter she said quietly, pointing
to the part where I had so nobly defended our sagacity, "You must
never say that again and never put it on paper." Seeing my

embarrassment, she hastened to explain. "You see, we can get it this
session if enough women care sufficiently to demand it now."
Alice Paul brought back to the fight that note of immediacy which had
gone with the passing of Miss Anthony's leadership. She called a halt
on further pleading, wheedling, proving, praying. It was as if she had
bidden women stand erect, with confidence in themselves and in their
own judgments, and compelled them to be self-respecting enough to
dare to put their freedom first, and so determine for themselves the day
when they should be free. Those who had a taste of begging under the
old regime and who abandoned it for demanding, know how fine and
strong a thing it is to realize that you must take what is yours and not
waste your energy proving that you are or will some day be worthy of a
gift of power from your masters. On that glad day of discovery you
have first freed
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yourself to fight for freedom. Alice Paul gave to thousands of women
the essence of freedom.
And there was something so cleansing about the way in which she
renovated ideas and processes, emotions and instincts. Her attack was
so direct, so clear, so simple and unafraid. And her resistance had such
a fine quality of strength.
Sometimes it was a roaring politician who was baffled by this
non-resistant force. I have heard many an irate one come into her office
in the early days to tell her how to run the woman's campaign, and
struggle in vain to arouse her to combat. Having begun a tirade, honor
would compel him to see it through even without help from a silent
adversary. And so he would get more and more noisy until it would
seem as if one lone shout from him might be enough to blow away the
frail object of his attack. Ultimately he would be forced to retire,
perhaps in the face of a serene smile, beaten and angered that he had
been able to make so little impression. And many the delicious remark
and delightful quip afterward at his expense!

Her gentle humor is of the highest quality. If only her opponents could
have seen her amusement at their hysteria. At the very moment they
were denouncing some plan of action and calling her "fanatical" and
"hysterical" she would fairly beam with delight to see how well her
plan had worked. Her intention had been to arouse them to just that
state of mind, and how admirably they were living up to the plan. The
hysteria was all on their side. She coolly sat back in her chair and
watched their antics under pressure.
"But don't you know," would come another thundering one, "that this
will make the Democratic leaders so hostile that . . ."
The looked-for note of surprise never came. She had counted ahead on
all this and knew almost to the last shade the reaction that would follow
from both majority and minority leaders. All this had been thoroughly
gone over, first with
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herself, then with her colleagues. All the "alarms" had been rung. The
male politician could not understand why his wellmeaning and
generously-offered advice caused not a ripple and not a change in plan.
Such calm unconcern he could not endure. He was accustomed to
emotional panics. He was not accustomed to a leader who had weighed
every objection, every attack and counted the cost accurately.
Her ability to marshal arguments for keeping her own followers in line
was equally marked. A superficial observer would rush into
headquarters with, "Miss Paul, don't you think it was a great tactical
mistake to force President Wilson at this time to state his position on
the amendment? Will it not hurt our campaign to have it known that he
is against us?"
"It is the best thing that could possibly happen to us. If he is against us,
women should know it. They will