The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-04
Recommendations of
Worcester Wom-
ems Club.
DEFEATED BY THE COUNCIL.
A Committee for Reorgani-
cation Of the General
Federation Appointed.

Friday forenoon the council of the
General Federation of Women's clubs
in Philadelphia, declined to adopt the
recommendations of the Worcester NVo-.
mans club for the reorganization of the
representation at the biennials. This
may be regarded as a decisive defeat
for the Worcester club, for while the
resolutions in question were the result
Of feeling on the part of small group
of women il the club, yet the whole
club must bear the responsibility of
them.
Mrs. Archibald McCullagh, president
of the Worcester Womans club, intro
duced the resolutions at the Friday
forenoon session, and the discussion
provoked by it was the most animated
of the day. Mrs. McCullagh moved
the adoption of the Worcester Woman's
club recommendation and spoke in ia
vor of it.
1t was very evident that many of the
ladies present strongly disapproved of
the suggestion. Several stood up at
once to speak. Mrs. Helmuth, Of New
York, who was recognized by the chair,
said:
May I ask if the General Federation
has found the present system I'M
wieldy? I think it does not belong to
any individual body to say so. I viii
ask you, Madame President If you have
found the business of your office I'M
Wieldy?"
Mrs. Lowe replied: 4 have found it a
most charming office to fill, and that it
runs very smoothly"
Mrs. Lee of Boston and a number of
others spoke against the adoption of
the recommendation, but Mrs. McCul-
1agh continued to maintain that it
would be advantageous. The Worcester
Woman's Club, she said believes that
a business body of 1900 women is un-
wieldy She said she had communicated
with various state declarations on the
subject and would like to read letter
which she had received from the Wash
ington state federation endorsing the
reorganization.
She was greeted with cries of No! MOI
and half dozen ladies arose to their
feet.
Mrs Lowe pounded with her gavel on
the table for order, and Mrs McCulIagh
proceeded to speak 1t was the duty of
the council, she said, to listen to sug
gestions offered by the state fedora
tons.
At this juncture Mrs. Scudder of Flo
Tida, moved that speeches be limited to
Nv c ili4IuLtG. Ill the IllOA4pll was llOl
put. There was a great deal of talking
throughout the hall, and Mrs. Lowe in
sisted upon order. She asked Mrs. Ne
Cullagh to wait a minute or two, dur
ing which Mrs. Lowe said those who
wished to do so could leave the room.
But scarcely any one left. Mrs. Nc
Cullagh then continued:
1T seems to me-" she said, that the
suggestions in this letter are very valu-
able"
yes, Mrs. McCullagh," said the presi-
dent very courteousIy, I'm sure We
should all like to hear them"
The letter was from Mrs. Amy P 5.
Stacy, president of the Washington
state federation of womens clubs, and
was in reply to circular letter sent
out by the Worcester Woman's Club,
regarding the reorganization of the
General Federation ION a basis of rep
resentation through state federations.'
Mrs Stacy wrote: with the neces-
sary exceptions in favor of such ma
tional or foreign organizations as may
now belong to the G. F. w. c., and also
federated clubs in states wherein no
state federation now exists, l am heart
lily and unreservedly in favor of reor-
ganization. take this position be-
cause of what l saw and heard at the
Denver biennial. In my Judgment