Evening star., 1902-02-22
.CONGRESSOF|M0THERS
National Association to Meet
in Washington.
IT'S ANNUAL SESSION
MOVEMENT INAUGURATED IN
WASHINGTON SIX YEARS AGO.
The President, Mrs. T. w. Birney,
States the Purposes Of the
Organization.
ITS ANNUAL SESSION

The last but by no means least of the
great organizations Of women to assemble
in Washington in February win meet In
convention at the First Baptist Church.
corner Of 18th and streets. next Tues
day morning at 10 o'clock, at which time
the National Congress Of Mothers will be
called to order by National President Mrs.
Theodore w. Birney.
This Is the sixth annual session of that
unique body of women. 1t was organized
In Washington and seems to have filled
'long-felt want" for 1t has steadily grown
as to numbers and membership until eleven
states, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jer-
sey. Connecticut, Illinois, Ohio, Maryland.
Utah. Michigan, Iowa and Delaware have
formed state organizations and gone sys-
tematically to work in the cause of 1nte!I-
gent motherhood and the inculcation of
principles that lead to a broader compre-
hension of children and their needs and
necessities. In this great work Maryland
is the baby state, having just completed It's
organization.
The object of this organization is to
raise the standards Of home life; to give
young people opportunities to learn how
to care for children, that when they
assume the duties of parenthood they may
have some conception of the methods
lectual and spiritual nature of the child;
to bring into closer relations the home and
the school, that parents and teachers may
cooperate intelligently in the education
of the child: to surround the childhood of
the whole world with that wise, loving care
in the impressionable years of life that will
develop good citizens; to use systematic
and earnest effort to this end through the
formation of mothers clubs in every pub
lie school and elsewhere; through the es-
tablishment of kindergartens and the dis
tribution Of literature which Will be OF
practical use to parents In the problems OF
home life; to secure more adequate laws
for the care of blameless and dependent
children and to carry the mother-love and
mother-thought into all that concerns
childhood In home. church, state or legis-
lation.
Ambitions and Aspirations.
1--WE are not selfish in our ambitions and
aspirations" said Mrs. Birney yesterday,
"for we want to interest both men and wo-
men to cooperate in the work for purer.
truer homes, in the belief that to accom-
plish the best results men and women must
work together In this belief we always
have upon our programs some OF the most
famous educators in the country, as well
a 8 men gifted in many other call1ngS. one
of our highest ambitions Is to secure such
legislation as will insure that children Of
tender age may not be tried in ordinary
courts, but that each town shall establish
juvenile courts and special officers, whose
business 1t shall be to look out for care
which will rescue instead of confirm the
child in evil ways, and to work for proba-
tionary care Of the childish offenders in
individual homes rather than in fnstitu-
tions. To accomplish anything along these
lines we must have the active interest Of
our husbands and fathers and brothers and
sons.
'"To accomplish much we must arouse the
whole community to sense of its duty
nd ncih for tha lan
pendent and neglected children. because
there Is no philanthropy which will so
speedily reduce our taxes, reduce our
prison expenses, reduce the expenses Of In
stitutions for correction and reform. as in
telligent bending of the twig before the
character begins to FORM"
Mrs. Birney said in conclusion: 1.-THE
work Of the congress Is civic In it's broadest
and highest sense, and every man or wo-
man who is interested in the aims Of the
congress Is cordially invited to become a
member and aid in the organized effort for
q higher, nobler national life which can
only be attained through the individual
homes All our sessions are open to the
public"
Correspondents In Every State.
The congress has correspondents In every
state in the Union. Canada, England. Ger
many, France, Hungary. China, Japan. In
dia. Australia, Brazil, Chile. Peru and the
Hawaiian Islands. and it has organizers in
many Of the same states and countries.
1--WE can reach mothers in way that
most other clubs and organizations can
not" said Mrs Birney, because to organ
ize meeting of mothers requires no spe-
cial preparation, no great intellectual
power, no great display Of genius. We
need only the mother love that longs to lift
her little child out Of the depths in which,
She knows that there Is something better
II she can only find It, and we, with our
mothers clubs lift her into the higher.
clearer atmosphere of educated mother
hood. You know that to purify the foun-
tains OF evil will In time render reform
needless.
1--WE are proud Of the fact too" said Mrs
Birney, that the President Of the United
land are both enthusiastic supporters Of
the motherhood idea. When we met at
Albany. N. Y, President Roosevelt. then
governor Of the empire state. addressed the
congress of mothers and said in the course
of his remarks:
Fundamentally. the questions OF love
and confidence between parents and chill
dren underlie the whole social system-not
long run will rise or sink as the average
family is q success or failure. All questions
Of social life will solve themselves IL the
children are brought up to be the highest
family relations are as they should be-; If
not, no material prosperity, no progress in
literature, art, success in business or vic-
tory In war will make up for 1t to the ma
tion.'
Views Of Late President Harrison.
President Harrison once said: America
looks today not to legislative enactments
nor to public organizations. but to her
homes, a. containing the bud and promise
Of her future glory With such eminent
authority al this to back them up, the wo-
men who have made such q success OF their
noble organisation feel that It has q great
future before It.
The organiSation issues q neat little quar-
terly report put together In magazine form.
which bears on the cover the picture Of q
little Birney baby. and the legend. "A little
child shall lead Them" They have also
small travelling libraries on Mother sub
1ects and child life which are much In de-
nand and which include nearly everything
that an inQuiring young mother would
need In the way o. intelligent instruction "a
to how to rear q child. And there are SO
many ignorant mothers. Mothers educat-
cd In books. artists with the brush or
needle. paragons In the kitchen and re-
fined In the reception room. but careless
and Indifferent to the little children who
cliug to their knees. These devoted women,
who are % earnest In their endeavors to
lieiaten the cares ana burdens OF childhood.
find that not all the odium attaches to the