Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/107

 ment was passed by the Lower House, Caleb R. Layton, Delaware's one member, voted "aye." In the Senate, the newly elected Senator, L. Heisler Ball, was paired in favor, Senator Wolcott again voting "no." At a meeting of the State Board a resolution was passed rejoicing over the success and calling for a special session of the Legislature to ratify the amendment. A Ratification Committee was appointed with Mrs. Robin chairman for Wilmington and the State; Mrs. Cranston for rural New Castle county; Mrs. Henry Ridgely for Kent county; Mrs. Robert G. Houston for Sussex county; Miss Leah Burton, legislative chairman; Miss deVou, press chairman and Mrs, Brassington chairman of literature. Mrs. Ridgely of Dover was elected president and activities for the campaign were soon centralized.

. When it became evident that the Federal Suffrage Amendment would be submitted by the next Congress, the presidents of State associations began to plan for ratification and many asked help from the National American Association. In response to a request from the president of Delaware Mrs. McMahon was sent, arriving the last of June, 1919, and beginning an active campaign of organization. T. Coleman du Pont placed a motor at the disposal of the suffragists and in a few weeks Newcastle county had been covered with the assistance of Miss Downey and Mrs. J. W. Pennewell. Working out from Rehoboth with the assistance of Mrs. Robin, Mrs. Ridgely, Mrs. Houston, Mrs. John Eskridge and others, Sussex county was organized and later Kent with the help of Mrs. James H. Hughes, Mrs. Roswell Hammond, Mrs. Emma Burnett, Miss Winifred Morris and others. The interviewing of influential men was carried on with the organizing through the autumn.

Headquarters were opened in Dover in January, 1920, and effort from that time was for a special session. Resolutions endorsing ratification were secured from State and local Granges, from the State Federation of Women's Clubs, State Methodist convention, State Federation of Labor, State committees of Republican and Democratic parties, and the Wilmington City Republican Committee, the largest in the State. No