March 1912: Suffrage Literature is Flooding Oregon--"Organize, Advertise, Give Something"

Esther Pohl and the members of the Portland Woman's Club Suffrage Campaign Committee knew that mass campaigning had helped Washington State suffragists (1910) and California suffragists (1911) achieve votes for women. They were determined to use popular culture to reach male voters in Oregon in their 1912 campaign.

The Portland Evening Telegram reported on March 13, 1912 that the club was "flooding" the state with suffrage literature. "Every publisher of a newspaper is being asked where he stands on the subject of equal suffrage and if he will be willing to accept leaflets and 'boiled down' arguments of readable character that the committee will agree to send him for publication."

"Suffrage Literature is Flooding Oregon," Evening Telegram, March 13, 1912, 3.

Pohl and the PWCCC sent out one leaflet in suffrage yellow, the paper reported, urging people to act:

"If you are a woman, give a suffrage tea. If you are a man invite a suffrage speaker to your club. Join some suffrage organization; if there is none, form one. Write suffrage articles for the papers. Use suffrage post cards,  rubber stamps, distribute material. Ask your minister to preach on suffrage. Provide students with material for debate. Organize, advertise, give something--time, service, monty, yourself. Everything counts."