President Wilson's Involvement

During the first term of his presidency, Wilson had not exactly been in favor of women’s suffrage.  He was somewhat indifferent and apathetic about the issue and never made a huge effort in helping the women at the beginning of their quest for suffrage. Alice Paul believed that President Wilson held the key. Although a Democrat, Wilson believed each state should decide for their own. However, in private, he told a corespondent that his personal judgement was strongly against it.  Although he was never in favor of women's suffrage, Wilson never wanted to be seen as the enemy.  He was in the midst of waging war with Europe, so during his first term he was focus on other responsibilities as President.

According to the website Historynet.com, "Wilson claimed that a president should not try to influence Congress, but should follow the dictates of his party.  Women scoffed at this, since Wilson was known as a autocratic president, constantly exerting influence on Congress even in trivial matters.  But the more they pressed him, the more he resisted, and the standoff lasted throughout his first term in office."

http://www.historynet.com/nineteenth-amendment

As the picketing at the White House became more intense, Wilson began to lose his patience. Alice Paul was arrested and the hunger strike began. 

When Wilson learned that the suffragists were being force-fed, he ultimately stepped up and started to defend their cause.  According to History.com, “suffragists and their supporters agreed that Wilson had a debt to pay to the country’s women, who at the time were asked to support their sons and husbands fighting overseas in the First World War and who were contributing to the war effort on the home front.”

One year after the picketing began, Wilson announced his support of the 19th amendment.

In an article by Andrew Glass it states, "On September 30, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson gave a speech before Congress urging them to guarantee women the right to vote."  Even though the House had already approved the 19^th amendment granting women suffrage and the right to vote, Senate had yet to vote on the amendment.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/6071.html

In the same speech, Wilson stated, “We have made partners of the women in this war. …Shall we admit them only to a partnership of suffering and sacrifice and toil and not to a partnership of privilege and right?”

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-woodrow-wilson-speaks-in-favor-of-female-suffrage

Although Wilson’s words were captivating, they failed to inspire seats in the Senate and the bill failed to collect the necessary votes to pass the 19^th amendment and the bill died.

"Although the amendment did not pass on September 30, 1918, it finally did pass one year later on May 21, 1919 through the House 304-89, and finally on June 4, the Senate followed, finally approving the amendment 56-25 and sending it to the states for ratification."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/6071.html

Watch from beginning to 2:43

Sources used for this section include:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/6071.html
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-woodrow-wilson-speaks-in-favor-of-female-suffrage
http://72.22.72.207/History102/Articles/Alice%20Paul2.pdf
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/jazz/jb_jazz_sufarrst_1.html