Slike strani
PDF
ePub
[graphic][merged small][merged small]

There was an absolute lack of the feminine hysteria that is unconsciously associated with the corporate endeavors of any body of women that commanded the admiring respect of all who witnessed their calm, judicial rulings and concise and accurate methods of despatching the business that was before the convention for consideration. The mere mechanical handling of that concourse of women was a remarkable feat, and indicated a new kind of ability on the part of women. The presiding officers were were levelheaded women who evinced as much knowledge of the psychology of situations as men who have been suspending the gavel over convention crowds since the beginning of the history of the country.

These women had trained themselves to such a fine degree of efficiency in the manipulation of convention machinery as to win the highest admiration and respect from those whose skepticism had hitherto led. them to scoff at the idea that women could ever be depended upon to successfully conduct the business of a great convention, because of the shoals that would be created by the emotional

Mrs. Francis Squire Potter of Chicago, chairman of the Library Extension work.

feminine temperament from the moment of its inception to the final hour of adjournment, without the necessity of flying one signal of distress.

That women have learned to control themselves, and have acquired the strength and sagacity to coordinate in action on the great issues of the day was clearly demonstrated at the Biennial Convention, and their air of competency in handling difficult situations of their own creation was an argument most convincing that the American woman to-day is ready and qualified to take on the responsibilities that are entailed in the privilege of equal suffrage.

That the body of women assembled at this National Federation of Women's Clubs could have adjourned and reconvened as a national convention of delegates for the nomination of a presidential candidate, and have conducted itself with as great a degree of dignity, efficiency and "fluency" as the three conventions of men that met for that purpose a few months later, was conceded by even the most skeptical who followed the work of the Biennial closely.

The knowledge of big affairs of

[graphic][merged small][merged small]

which they stand possessed, the ease and deliberateness with which they deliver their ideas from the rostrum, the freshness and clearness of their point of view, and the courage and enthusiasm with which they are filled, was a revelation to the men of San Francisco, who assembled in goodly numbers to listen to their discussions in the big Pavilion Rink.

The realization that there are at least 800,000 women in the United States of the same mental calibre and intellectual attainment as those who conducted the affairs of the Biennial Convention as their accredited representatives, is enough to put courage into the heart of any nation.

From a careful perusal of the programs of the various meetings and the subject matter of the speeches, could be obtained an accurate estimate of woman's intellectual and social status in the country to-day.

There was much in the addresses of value; much that evidenced a high degree of mental ability and an utter lack of the false note of vicious intolerance of opinions that were antagonistic.

From the evidence presented at the convention, "sex relationship" must

Mrs. Charles Howard McMahon, Chairman on Programme.

be conceded to be the subject of greatest importance to women. It was referred to in most of the scheduled speeches, regardless of their assigned subjects. Whatever was said about it was listened to with absorbing interest. There was an enormous attendance on the evening officially designated for its discussion, and its exponents showed a greater degree of excited earnestness than did the partisans of any other cause. Always it was approached with great reverence. The opinion was unanimous that reforms were imperative, but there was no agreement as to the methods to be employed to bring them about.

Dr. Rachelle S. Yarros, of Hull House, Chicago, Ill., Chairman of the Social Hygiene Committee of the General Federation, advocated the introduction in the public schools of the United States of courses in sexhygiene study. She had an able seconder of her plan in the person of Clayton Harrington, of the Department of Justice of the United States, who also advocated National governmental appropriations for the suppression of the White Slave traffic, and for the rigid enforcement of existing laws against the social evil.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

blind to the fact that every advance would have to be made at the sacrifice of ease, and by hard and persistent effort. At the same time they assumed for themselves and their fellow members cheerful willingness to do their share at any cost to themselves.

"Uplift," "progress,' "women's broader sphere," "vocational education for women," "betterment of rural conditions," "civic purification," and many other expressions of like character, repeated and reiterated from the platform every day, were unmistakable proofs of the convention's altruism.

Not one pessimistic report was offered. There was also surprisingly little evidence of the selfishness of those who were struggling to advance their own personal ambitions at the cost of the great universal beatitude which is the Federation's ultimate goal.

Federation politics were kept well in the background that the time might be devoted to an emphasis of the convention's aspirations, ideals and working plans. Some boasting was heard of work already performed, but not much. There was in evidence a greater eagerness to discover the best things to be done and the best ways to do them. All eyes were hopefully on the future.

It cannot be denied that many of the most earnest workers made speeches that were badly constructed; telling nothing of consequence; beginning nowhere, swinging around a circle devoid of ideas and returning again to the starting point. But the value of those very women to the Woman's Club cause is not to be measured by their failures as orators.

This great movement for the betterment of mankind gained much of its impetus through advocates with just such discursive and faulty mental methods. Mere intellectual skill and proficiency in the cheap logic of the schools could never have created the movement, nor could it draw vitality enough from abstract inductions to keep it alive to-day.

It is the earnest, consecrated, self

[graphic]

LESSON OF THE LAST BIENNIAL.

abnegating women of the rank and file, illuminated by true spiritual insight, who are the real dynamic force the virility working within like a pulsing engine, that give to the Federation its very life.

There were many speeches made which were equal to the best that man can make, but a great deal of time was devoted to vague prophecies of improved conditions for women, and to the elaboration of mere theories that might or might not prove to be of working value. That good which already exists in the way of law and government in civic life and rural conditions, was accepted too much as a matter of course, and was considered by the speakers of too little importance to be commented upon except as a foundation on which to build objections, or as a basis for suggested improvements. No practicable, workable plans were presented in toto. All such prosaic matter was left to be developed later by individuals or committees, so that the orator might be free to soar on the wings of euphuism.

Any speech which gave to the convention an inspiration, however intangible, toward better things, was accepted as a standard. No demand was made upon the speakers to map in detail the road to higher levels. It was considered satisfactory if they merely indicated its general direction.

Probably the most imposing figure at the convention was the Baroness von Suttner. She was typical of all that is noble, all that is able, all that is true and good and pure in woman. Her plea was for the abolition of war and the substitution of universal peace among the nations of the world.

Twenty yards from where she stood, a picture of physical frailty, her listeners were able to hear but a small part of what she said. Even those who sat at the press table, directly beneath the rostrum, followed her with some effort, when she spoke in English. When she addressed her fellow-countrywomen in German, the difficulty was less apparent, as her voice seemed to carry better in her mother tongue. But what

Mrs. Frederick Nathan.

[blocks in formation]
[graphic]

she said and the language in which she gave it expression were trifles. Her eloquence was in her appearance, her personality, her kindly heart, and her quiet, unconscious personification of passive power. Those won converts to her cause which arguments and logic could never have touched. She typified peace. Her presence was a benediction that soothed the tempers of those who looked upon her. Not during the whole course of the convention did a woman speak so few words about her life-work, and yet explain it so thoroughly. Nor did any other speaker win more enthusiastic converts to her cause with so little oratorical effort as did the Baroness von Suttner. One ceases now to wonder that before her persuasive, gentle eloquence, the Czar of all the Russias abandoned his long-cherished prejudice against taking a woman's advice in a national crisis.

Conspicuous among the other prominent women present was Mrs. Wm. Grant Brown, president of the New

York City Federation of Woman's Clubs, who spoke proudly of her 75,000 club children.

Mrs. Francis Squire Potter, of Chicago, Ill., delivered one of the lengthy addresses of the convention on the "Declaration of Peace," and was chosen as one of the Fourth of July orators at the exercises in Golden Gate Park. She was formerly professor of English literature in the University of Minnesota, and is notable as an ardent suffragist. She is chairman of the library extension work of the Federation.

Mrs. Helen Varrick Boswell, of New York, chairman of the industrial work of the Federation, presided at all the conferences conducted by her department. In 1907 Mrs. Boswell was sent by Roosevelt to Panama to inspect and report industrial and social conditions on the Isthmus. More recently she has been active in a campaign for the organization of woman's clubs in the canal zone.

Mrs. William Todd Helmuth, of New York, ex-president of the New York State Federation of Woman's Clubs, ex-vice-president of the General Federation, ex-president of Sorosis, and president of the Pioneer Workers, has the distinction of having been a guest at the famous breakfast, in New York, on March 18, 1889, when the General Federation was born, and is therefore one of its charter members. Although she is seventy-five years old, she is as active and bright as a woman of twenty. Mrs. Helmuth exhibited, with great and pardonable pride, a long white ribbon upon which she has fastened badges and insignia of all the clubs with which she has ever been affiliated, or in which she has held office. There were pins and badges from England, France, Austria, Australia and many other countries. Her special interest is now the advocacy of a national uniform divorce law for the United States.

Miss Florence Guernsey was one of the few unmarried women who represented their State at the Convention. She maintains an elaborate establish

ment in New York City, and a beautiful country home on the banks of the Hudson River. Twenty woman's clubs in New York, and the Endowment Fund of the Federation, claim her allegiance.

Miss Dorha Stone Pinneo, of Norwark, wark, delegate from Connecticut; Miss Bessie Winsor, of Seattle, delegate from Washington, were two other maidens of prominence present. As a matter of passing interest, it may be noted that there are only two unmarried State Presidents in the Federation, Miss J. Maclin Beattie, of the canal zone, and Miss Mary Garrett Hay, of New York.

Mrs. George Bass, present as representative of the largest and one of the most influential woman's clubs in the country (the Chicago Woman's Club) has centered the energies of her club life upon one department of one. club, and is to-day an enthusiastic advocate of the Juvenile Court Bill, which is creating so much interest and discussion in Chicago at the present time.

Mrs. Henry B. Fall, a society leader of Houston, Texas, is active and influential in philanthropic work in her own city.

Mrs. Frederick Nathan, who was a member of the New York delegation, is a woman of national fame. Although not an officer of the Federation she is one of the best known women of the country, and for many years has been prominent in women's work here and abroad. In 1899 she before the International Congress of Women in London, and addressed that body in Berlin in 1904. She was one of the speakers at the International Peace Congress in New York in 1907, the International Congress of the Consumers' League in Switzerland in 1908, and the International Congress for Labor Legislation at Lucerne in the same year. On her trip West to the convention, lasting six weeks, she delivered over one hundred speeches to crowds, from her automobile, and in public halls, on behalf of Woman's Suffrage. Her greeting to the Fed

« PrejšnjaNaprej »