Edith Wilson 1872-1961 First Lady of the United States, Opposed to WomenÕs Suffrage Written and Performed By: Kathryn Grimes Setting: Washington, D.C., 1919 Edith Wilson has brought Joseph Tumult, President WilsonÕs Secretary, into the hallway outside the PresidentÕs bedroom.Ê She wishes to discuss her husband's health, and confront Tumult about suffrage and its effect on the PresidentÕs stress level. Women suffrage is not a simple issue. It is something discussed by everyone, but it does not need to be discussed with my husband at this moment. He is tired and bringing this up would just cause unnecessary stress for him. The public cannot learn of WoodrowÕs condition at this point because the stress of leaving office would be too much for him. My job as his wife is to help him as best I can and that means protecting him for issues that are too much for him at the moment. The states ratifying the Anthony amendment is too much for him. I remember the day he told me of his plans to support the Anthony amendment. I thought he was a fool, simply trying to buy himself a third term in office and now that that is not possible, it wonÕt come across his desk again. I donÕt care of politics. In fact, I not been involved with politics at all before I married into being a First Lady, but I do have one opinion: Women do not belong in politics. It is not a womenÕs place to vote in elections and I will not support the ratification of this amendment nor will I let you influence my ill husband. All correspondence come to me. I will then read them and decide whether my husband is healthy enough to process them and provide guidance on the issue. I have been insulted for this; called an assistant president, a woman trying to run this country. That is not the case. I am simply a steward providing him with what he needs. And what he needs now is to rest as much as possible. All this talk of suffragist is causing his condition to worsen. And that s something I cannot allow.