The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-08-11
WOMEN'S CONGRESS.
international Council at Berlin, Ger
many. A Revelation.

The Information Council OF Women
has Just finished, in Berlin, Ger
many, it's third meeting. This Ooun-
Gil, which meets once in five years,
was organized in 1888 under the aus
pioes of Miss Susan B. Anthony, Mrs.
Elizabeth Oady Stanton, Mrs. Mary
Wright Sewall and other prominent
American women. Its first con-
gress was held in 1898 and its second
in London. Ida Hustled Harper writes,
from Berlin, for Golfers Weekly, of
this meeting AT Chicago, 10000
women daily poured into the big art
building on the Lake shore; in Lon
don, four different halls were crowded
to their capacity twice day for two
weeks, the delegates and speakers
were invited by Queen Victoria to a
tea in Windsor Castle, by the Lord
Bishop,of London and by the head of
the great Rothschild house to garden
parties, and by various members of the
nobility to afternoon and evening re-
captions where they met the most en-
inent men in all England; and now
the Berlin congress has eclipsed all
the rest -
In explanation of what the Council
stands for the writer says: 1t is the
largest, most comprehensive and most
progressive organization of women in
existence and represents several million
members. Twenty countries, extend
ing round the globe, have national
councils composed Of various associa-
tions which include practically all
lines of activity in which women are
engaged-religious. philanthropic,
industrial, patriotic, political, etc
These councils stand for no one propa-
ganda more than another, but at in
tervals the council of each country
brings representatives from all its
branches together in convention for an
interchange of ideas which will be of
benefit to themselves and of interest to
the public
What is said OF the congress in
Berlin is in substance as follows;
Ito mCObiBB JubV ClOoCu iiu5 pOOh q
revelation-to Berlin. which never
before had the faintest conception of
he tremendous possibilities Of wo-
manhood, and which, at the first, look
ed upon the proposed congress with
amusement and tolerance, at the last,
with establishment and admiration; to
the German women who had it in
charge and scarcely dared hope for
the favor of the government. the
press, and the people; but, above all.
to the visitors from other countries,
especially the United States. The
representatives of the latter country,
having always considered Germany
the stronghold of conservatism in all
matters of womens' progress, prepared
speeches in language of Cancellation,
agreed among themselves to refrain
from doing or saying anything that
might make trouble for the German
women who were managing the con-
gress, and sailed half afraid to
set foot ON Germ an soil. But sur
PiibO dW ohCbO iaoiCs, All hCNCi
in all history was there convention
of women where such bold, radical
and independent utterances were made
from the platform, and made, too,
with fire, intensity, and eloquence
seldom equaled. Freedom and fear
lessness in approval marked the au-
diences, and enthusiasm and apprecia-
tion were warm and hearty.
The German women, who are gem
orally supposed to confine themselves
exclusively to domestic life. display ed
an ability for organization which
could not have been exceeded by men
who are veterans in managing oonven-
tions. Frau Marie Stritt of Dresden,
president of the German council and
just elected vice president at large of
the International, is q woman of re-
markable beauty and oratorical power.
These women must have used the
greatest tact and discretion to achieve
so triumphant a success in this couser-
vative city, and especially to reach the
climax of official recognition by the
government. The latter was ex-
pressed in three ways: The reception
of the International officers and the
council presidents OF each country by
the Empress in the Royal palace OF
Berlin garden party, given by
Count Won Bulow, Imperial chancel-
Tor, and Count Won Posadowsky, min
lister OF the interiors the banquet in
the Rath-haus, or town hall, by the
burgermeister and municipal council
Tors, or board of alderman.
The meetings were held in Philhar-
monte. one of the largest music halls
in the world, where the four depart
ments of the congress were in pro-
gress at the same time. These in
cluded Education, Philanthropies.