The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-26
THE WAR or WOMEN.

The substantial support that Miss Phoebe
Couzens is receiving in her little unpleas-
antness with the Board of Lady Managers
of the Worlds Fair gives the issue between
them more importance than would attach to
a mere struggle for Office. The Lady Man
ayers, it is known, deprived Miss COuzeDs
Of the office of Secretary, to " hich she had
been unanimously elected in November, for
reasons that have never been clearly stated
The general understanding is that the Lady
Managers discovered that the Secretary
was getting control of the machinery of the
board aud, by superior fitness for the work,
making herself the real head of the board.
The famous Board of Control, which had
been organized osteDsibly to arbitrate be-
tween warning commissioners, but really to
take the management out of the hands of
the local directory, met in February and
gave to Mrs. Potter-Palmer and her CON-
mittee absolute rover in all matters relating
to the Board of Lady Managers. This
action of the Board of Control left Miss
COuzens mere clerk subject to the orders
of the PIesident-MrS. Potter Palmer. In
a remote sort of way the strife between
the two seems to be measure of strength
between two types of women. Mrs. Potter
Palmer is, through her husband, very rich
woman. She is a society woman, elegant.
fascinating, and in a pretty sort of way
always looking 10 some men or set of men
10 kePp her on her business feet Her CON-
mittees are ladies' of similar type. They
are authorities on matters of dress and the
ge neral usages Of society, but it has not yet
appeared that fhey have any very clear
comprehension of the duties Of their Office.
As ornaments they are an unlimited success !;
as workers their record is yet blank. Miss
Couzens is one Of the women who nave had
no time for society. She has had her
own way TO make in the world and
she has been kept pretty busy making it.
She is smart as they make Them" well
yersed in law and in business methods, and
not in the least bit awed by the social
prestige Of her laiy opponents. II is said of
Mrs. Potter Palmer and her 'chums" that
they can do what they please with any
board composed of men. Mrs. Palmer has
but to ask to receive. She went to the
Board of Control and told them that the
Secretary she had appointed had usurped
the functions OF President, and intimated
that she would like to have the stolen func-
lions restored 1t did not matter how, but
the sooner it was done the better for her
peace Of mind. The Board of Control called
meeting ami, as we have said, gave Mrs.
Potter Palmer entire control. The battle
would be uneven if Miss COuzens was con-
fined to her own resources; but the Board Of
Control has made host of enemies, and
most Of them are taking Miss Couzens' side
of the fray. 1t is reported that General
Butler has consented to take charge of Miss
Couzens' case if, upon examination, he finds
that she has case. As the Lady Managers,
liz removing Miss Couzens, only exercised
the right they had acted upon without
dissent in electing her, there is some doubt
if in legal sense she has a case. But there
is little doubt Of her ability to make Mrs.
Potter Palmer wish that the Worlds Fair
had gone TO any ether city in the country
rather than Chicago.