Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-25
BEFORE THE BOARD
MONTANA INCIDENT WHICH
AROSE IN d. A. r. CONGRESS.

or the Daughters Of the American Reyolu-
tion. there was an echo in the late board
meeting yesterday afternoon of the Mon
tana' fndident related in The Star at the
time OF the ratification of the nominations
OF state regents by the fourteenth CONT
mental congress. There were named in the
congress as having been chosen by Mon
tana for state regent Mrs w. w. Nc
Crackfn and for vice regent Mrs. w. H
Weed. When Montana was reached in the
roll call Mrs. Amos Draper asked that
Montana be passed. as she held letters
from prominent D. A. r. women Of Mon
tana asking that Montana's election for
regent and vice regent be held up for in
vestigation.
Mrs. Draper stated that she knew nothing
of the merits of the case personally but
that the contents Of the letters were Of a
character that In her opinion made it wise
to pass Montana over for the board of
managers to investigate conditions.
I am not member of the board of man
agement," declared Mrs. Draper, but 1
know the investigation will be fair
The president general, Mrs. Fairbanks
placed the matter before the congress and
the congress gave it's assent to the sug-
gestions OF Mrs. Draper. She stated at
the time that she made the motion be-
cause she did not care to have the trou-
bles of the D. A. r. aired in public, and II
there was to be any discussion she pre-
doors and in executive session, where all
mouths would be closed.
Declines to Discuss It.
Mrs. Donald Mclean. president general.
who presided over the board meeting for
the first time yesterday. courteously, but
positively, declines to discuss the board
matters for publication.
What transpired behind closed doors
yesterday was executive business, and does
not concern the public, but the d. A. r.
alone" she said this morning. Il declined
to be interviewed for morning papers on
'rumors' of what was done in the board
meeting" she stated. land though 1 have
been enormously reported. and might say
misrepresented, shall not, even to set my
self right before the public. enter into
discussion Of what transpired In the board
meeting. further than to say that 1t was
utterly devoid of sensationalism. and the
business transacted was purely routine"
A member of the national board. how
ever. who resents the imputation that Mrs.
Mclean Is ruling with an iron rod, declares
that the Montana incident opened and clos
ed in the mildest manner. The roll of states
was called and state regents and state vice
regents answered. Montana was omitted
by Miss Desha, recording recretary general,
on calling the roll.
Mrs. Heben Hill Weed, at the end of the
roll call, directed attention to the fact, and
stated that vice state regent for Mon
tana she was present to answer for that
state.
Miss Desha said that Montana was not
the official list as presented by the vice
president general in charge of organization,
Mrs. Charlotte Emerson Main.
Mrs. Weeds View.
Mrs. Weed stated that her name should be
on the rolls as she had been elected and
the election confirmed by the congress
Mrs. Main then stated that the congress
Rod fha oil md hot
the matter had come over for the national
board to settle. Mrs. Main further stated
that she could not make any report on the
Montana case until she had correspondent
with the Montana chapters and ascertained
the cause Of the request to hold up confir-
nation of Mrs. Weeds nomination.
Mrs. Weed desired to address the board
on some matter little later and the presi-
dent general reminded her courteously, this
member said, that after the statement of
the vice president general in charge of or
ganization. Mrs. Main. the chair could
recognize no representative from Montana
until the matter could be settled by the
board. Mrs. Weed then retired from the
room -.-..
Mrs. Main, vice president general in
charge of the organization, in view Of al
legged misSt statements that have been made,
makes the following statement:
THE legality of the election of the state
regent and state vice regent of Montana
being questioned in the congress at the
time of the announcement of the election
of state regents. it was moved and carried
that the election of the state regent and
state vice regent be referred to the ma
tional board of management for investt-
CATION pending which Mrs Main declares
these Montana officers have no seat In the
board of management
Mrs. Main says there has been no time
for investigation.
Mrs Amos Draper states that 1t is a mis-
take to even suggest that this is a rem
nant of the Sternberg- Mclean contest.
THE letter came to me from Montana"
she declares land 1t contained the infor-
nation that the chapters wanted to be
heard from before state officers were con-
frmed. / am not a member of the
tional board of management Of the D. A. R.,
so l laid the matter before the board"