The times., 1899-07-10
WOMAN'S WIDENING Field
Varied Topics Discussed at the
Congress in London.
Women From Every Quarter of the
Globe Present Mt the Conference
Wage Earning, Politics. servants,
and the Stage All Popular Subjects
work of Eccentric Artist Menpes.

ulkuliAfles, ana IOT cneerIul contrast Las
rejoiced generation after generation to
echo the livelier steps and gayer voices of
the Westminster schoolboys who play in
the classic close But the venerable walls
must have wondered on Monday last what
was meant by this feminine invasion.
Crowding TO the church house were wo-
men from the United States and Canada,
from Germany, Sweden, and Norway, from
Denmark, from Holland, from France,
Switzerland, Italy. Austria, Russia, Pales-
tine India from everywhere, even from
China There were English duchesses and
countesses, and women from the great
cities OF the world clothed in all that the
goddess of fashion demands for the present
moment. With them were Parsee and
Hindu women wearing the graceful folds
OF the native sari, while here. there, and
everywhere were conspicuous the uniform
and bonnet of the Salvation Army. 1t was
indeed very epitome of womankind that
had gathered from the four corners of the
earth to attend the quinquennial meeting
and the international congress, convened
by the Information Council of Women.
OF ali the delegates who supported Lady
Aberdeen, the chairwoman. on the plat
form, none received a warmer welcome
than Mrs. Shen from China She comes
with the official approval of the court at
Pekin, and was received by the Chinese
Minister. Mrs. Shen is the daughter of
the late Viceroy of Nanking, and was con-
spicuous among her colleagues by reason
OF her native costume, a figured and striped
red and white petticoat, with an oyerdress
of blue and black beautifully embroidered
in flowers. 1t was noticed, too, that the
feet in the tiny shoes were the true tot
tering lilies
Even if home be her first mission,
woman is allowed by the International
Council to have a considerable latitude if
she wishes for variety outside the domes-
tic circle. At the present congress they
have discussed or are to discuss subjects
such as international arbitration and gen.
orally consider nearly every field of mod
ern thought and labor from psychology to
horticulture. One of the interesting dis
cussions was concerning the effect on do
mestic life OF women's entry into the pro-
fessions." Mrs Fenwick Miller read the
opening paper and said, though she did
not expect men to believe it, it was the
case that many able women would not ac-
cept marriage If ii necessarily implied Civ
ing UP the work of their choice, and she
thought it would be unfortunate II the
strength of will and ability that made a
successful professional woman were not
TO be carried into motherhood and made TO
benefit the next generation. The great
rock on which she had observed the mar
riages of professional women to be wrecked
was the pecuniary one. 1t was SO common
as to be appalling for men whose wives
earned part of the income to grow lazy, or
10 selfishly spend all they earned on their
own dissipation and amusement, that she
could not advise any professional woman
to marry with a view to continuing her
work for an income. She urged that a law
should be passed under which wife liv-
ing with her husband could obtain an order
for the maintenance of the home in the
same manner that she now could do In case
OF desertion. II would not often be put
into force, since the fear OF exposure would
compel men inclined to take up the de-
grading position of living on their wives
u act differently.
In Politics.
Another discussion which attracted at
tention was in the political section, where
the subject of the parliamentary enfran-
GAASS4ANIA VI ndH GOusiuEItus over
this meeting Mrs. May Wright SewaIl,
from the United States of America, pre-
sided with great firmness and dignity
Twice Mrs. Sewall had TO exercise her au-
thority. At the outset she was obliged to
request the delegates to remove their hats,
incidentally remarking that she came from
4 State in which the men had passed a
law obliging women to take OF their
headdresses at public gatherings, where a
clear view added to the comfort OF each
person present. After the offending hats
had been removed Susan B. Anthony and
Fraulein Augsburg, a German doctor OF
jurisprudence, spoke on the value of po-
litical rights 10 women. Then Mrs. Sewall
pointed out that 1t was one OF the prin-
ciples OF the International Council that
every subject should be discussed from
every point Of view, so that those opposed
10 the suffrage had the same right as those
in favor of it She then called on Mrs
NJ. Moore to read a paper contributed by
Mrs. Frances Scott, President of a Massa-
chusetts society, in opposition to the ex-
tension OF the franchise to women. The
appearance OF Mrs. Moore upon the plat
form was greeted with a storm of hisses
Evidently the majority OF the delegates had
come, not TO debate, but TO be confirmed
in their faith. They chafed TO see any Of
their sisters tamely submissive under the
yoke OF bondage. And so for the second
time Mrs. Sewall had to interfere, ad-
ministering a grave rebuke. And ever
then the paper was received with fout.
and ieers and cries OF "Time,"
On Wednesday the women talked OF ser
wants and literature. Each subject attract
ed a crowded house, especially the former
at which every seat was occupied. an
many women stood during the whole pro
ceedings, so anxious were they to hea
whether any solutions OF their trouble
might be forthcoming. Miss Black startet
with the old complaint. There was neithe
sufficient supply OF servants nor wer
those obtainable good enough. She though
that service was at a somewhat differen
stage OF development to other trades. in
asmueh as it preserved still the feudal re
lationship. and was the only calling ii
which an employer expected those engage,
10 sleep on the premises. BY compellinj
this. young woman was cut of from al
social intercourse with her own people an,
class. II was necessary to try and NEE
the wishes OF the class from which ser
wants were drawn, and she would say
Encourage living out rather than in, an
raise the status of service by putting
on the same footing as other trades" Mrs
W. Steads said that the root OF the evil wa
the same all the world over, and many mis-
tnesses did not recognize that their ser
wants were women as much as themselves
From no class was so much servility de
manded. She thought that labor-savinl
apparatus and outside help would do NOR
and more TO lessen domestic labor, and a
we had given up making our cakes an
bread at home, or doing our own laundr
work, so organization would in time clea
our plate and our boots. Mrs. Gates, tn
United States delegate, suggested tha
mistresses needed training as well a
maids. She would see the course Identical
as the maid Of today will be the mistres