In the early 1900’s, specifically the period between 1914 and 1920 the United States encountered two major political agenda’s that seemed to clash as often as they were debated. These two political agendas were one; The Women’s Suffrage Movement, and two; the War Hawk movement in support of U.S involvement in World War I. The War Hawks, were very persistent in their pursuit of the success of their political agendas, however never did they publicly or officially state their opposition to women’s suffrage. The passing of the 19th Amendment was not adamantly opposed by War Hawks but indirectly affected by their lobbying for intervention in World War I. Confusing, as it seems, leaders of the Women’s Suffrage Movement were publicly opposed to U.S entry in WWI and this firm stance further stalled their cause due to the ever-growing popularity of the War Hawk movement.

The Women’s Suffrage movement infused with great vitality in 1900. Women’s Suffrage is the right of a woman to share on equal terms with men the same political privileges afforded by representative government and more specifically the right to vote in political elections and referendums. The growing ranks of middle-class women increasingly well educated and in touch with current events, found it absurd that they could not vote, particularly when recently arrived immigrant men, often less well educated than themselves, enjoyed this right. The women’s suffrage movement’s shining moment was on January 10, 1918, when the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S Constitution was passed into law, which granted “The Right of Women Citizens to Vote.”

Even though the War Hawks never officially declared opposition to Women’s suffrage, their political involvement in the period between 1915 and 1918 helped stall the ratification of the 19th Amendment. A constitutional amendment to grant women suffrage had been proposed many times between 1912 and 1918 but it wasn’t until January 1918 that the amendment was finally ratified. The ratification process took such a long time because of the unbending stance women’s suffrage activists took on entrance in World War I. Jane Addams, for example, pointed out that the international movement to reduce infant mortality and provide better care to the aged had been “Scattered to the winds by the war.” As early as August 1914, fifteen hundred black clad women had marched slowly down New York’s Fifth Avenue, protesting the War. Even more halting to their initial political agenda (of course being women’s suffrage) suffragist leaders; Jane Addams, Carrie Chapman Catt, and others formed the Woman’s Peace Party to strengthen the peace cause. If you ask yourself; what in the world does this have to do with the War Hawks? Well, the answer is simple. As World War I progressed and the War Hawk movement became stronger, Women’s opposition to the war did nothing more than hinder their own cause by hurting their image in the public eye. Jane Addams, was noted in a Chicago newspaper as “mutinous and unpatriotic.” Such public opposition of entrance into WWI in a time of heated national emotions and reborn patriotism obstructed the Women’s Suffrage movement (and it’s leaders) main objective and made it’s credibility questionable in the eyes of the public which in turn led to a delay in the ratification of the 19th amendment.

As previously stated, the WWI War Hawks never really made a stance on the issue of Women’s Suffrage, however many of their actions and beliefs leave one to believe that even if they did not oppose female suffrage, they had many ideological differences with those who supported it. Theodore Roosevelt, who was most likely the original WWI War Hawk, said on the record of then President Woodrow Wilson’s Too proud to fight speech; “This is abject Cowardice and Weakness.” Another group of War Hawks in the private sector composed of bankers and industrialists called the National Security League stirred up patriotism and promoted armament and universal military training. Both of the previous powerful influences, and hostile actions by the German Military lead President Woodrow Wilson to change his neutrality stance and join the War.

To understand just how influential Theodore Roosevelt was in the President’s decision to enter the war one must look at TR’s track record and history as President. Theodore Roosevelt led the United States in an economic restoration that grew confidence in his decision making amongst the American People. TR fought the almighty “Trust”, played arbitrator to help end the Russo Japanese War, and had helped establish Open door policies in China (he won a Nobel Peace Prize for his role in solving the conflict between Japan and Russia). Such political success built a great rapport between TR and the American people so when he beat the drums for war, the American people responded in his favor. TR instilled patriotism, nationalism, and a sense of urgency to join the war among the American people, which drew focus away from issues such as women’s suffrage and towards war in Europe. Adding to the loss of publicity towards the struggle for women’s suffrage, marches by the Women’s Peace Party to continue the search for peace despite German provocations on the high seas did little to sway President Wilson from inevitably joining the conflict, but helped label the members of the Woman’s Peace Party as unpatriotic and anti-nationalistic.

The other group of WWI war Hawks was comprised of bankers and industrialists who called themselves the National Security League and stirred up America with Patriotic spirit and pro war sentiment. Like TR, the National Security League had no official stance on Women’s suffrage but they were adamantly opposed to the Woman’s Peace Party and did everything they could to provide bad publicity for the group. Through mediums such as radio, magazines, and newspapers the National Security League promoted it’s cause while sometimes inadvertently or purposely attacking the Woman’s Peace Party. “Real Patriots Keep Cool” was a slogan carried by the Woman’s Peace Party when they marched on Capitol Hill to gain attention. The National Security League immediately struck back by issuing a nationwide newspaper sign that read; “Real Patriots Fight Hard.” Even though Woman Suffrage was not the grounds on which these two groups fought, the success and popularity of the National Security League led to a national despise and disenchantment with the entire Woman’s Suffrage movement not just the Woman’s Peace Party.

Even though the WWI War Hawks never really made a stand on Woman’s Suffrage and their main focus was the entry into WWI, they had a huge impact on the Suffrage movement and the passage of the 19th Constitutional Amendment. The goal of the WWI War Hawk was to sway all political attention toward the war effort and to assure success in the military involvement. As the War Hawks succeeded in achieving their political goals, and raised attention toward war, issues such as Woman’s Suffrage were placed on the back burner of the American political limelight. Bad publicity and poorly planned antiwar protests by Women’s Suffrage leaders such as Jane Addams and Carrie Chapman Catt did little to gain anti war sentiment, but classified them as unpatriotic, and anti-nationalists. The War Hawks did very little to directly hinder the Woman Suffrage Movement of the early 20th Century, but indirectly scarred the movement and delayed the ratification of the 19th amendment. It now seems very little coincidence that the ratification (passing) of the 19th amendment came in January 1918 just as World War One was finally winding down and the American forces with their allies were beginning to prevail.

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