Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-14

way been connected with the poIy2a'nous
practices that characterize Mo:monism.
There are thousands who no more believe
IN polygamy than you or dc.
Resolution Under Consideration.
The committee on resolutions. Mrs. Eliz-
abeth Grannis of New York, chairman, held
the platform most of the morning. There
was trouble right In the beginning. Mrs.
Barns, recording secretary, wanted to know
If the resolutions committee had any right
to take resolutions offered by societies and
tear them to pieces or make them over
Mrs. May Wright Sewall replied that the
resolutions committee was made with
actly that purpose in view-to take resolu-
tons and make them over in presentable
shape, not losing the sense of the original.
Mrs. Barns declared that she did not like
the method. She also stated that she I'M
derstood that the committee had tabled sew
eral resolutions laid before il. She did not
think the committee should be clothed with
powers, which should be exercised only by
the council.
The anti-polysamy resolution was read by
MRS Grannis. chairman, but. having been
adopted yesterday. was passed.
resolution deploring the horrors of war
in general and of the war in the east in
particular, provoked some discussion but
was finally adopted.
That the knowledge of the progress of
the colored people of the United States
become better known. the National Coun-
Gil of Women resolved to keep before the
public in every way possible the facts pre-
sented on the subject, and to assist in
rounding and maintaining kindergartens
and day nurseries. especially among the
poorer classes of colored people.
Inc next resolution was so constructed
that the council could get very little light
on 1t. but proceeded to adopt 1t. 1t de-
clared for the initiative and referendum
as the most effective means of securing
rights for woman" resolution on divorce
called Miss Anthony to the front.
The resolution recited that where "coun-
sellers and agftators in church and state
are talking and writing much against d.
vorce, which Is known to cause most disas-
trous results in the family and state, the
National Council of Women should seek,
through cooperation with church and state,
to interest all organizations and individuals
pledged to social and civic betterment of
the people to ascertain what are the chief
causes which induce or lead up to divorce"
The resolution also declared that we, the
National Council of Women. practice and
teach better methods of scientific and spir-
itual marriage. which must result in the
higher preparation for offspring
Spirited Debate.
Miss Anthony declared she did not con-
slider divorce an evil by any means. 1t was
just as much refuge for women married
to brutal men as Canada was once refuge
from brutal masters.
Mrs. Grannis asked the privilege of de-
Tending the resolution. which was offered
to the society," of which she is president
She tried to explain to Miss Anthony that
the resolution was not intended to cut out
divorce entirely, but to seek out the causes
leading up to divorce.
Miss Anthony broke in on Mrs. Grannis
and said she could read and that she saw
in the resolution more than Mrs. Grannis
did. Miss Anthony declared she never
would vote for a resolution that would cut
women off from refuge from designing and
brutal men. There was some pretty plain
talk but in the end the resolution was
adopted.
Other resolutions adopted declared
against the indiscriminate use and desc
Grafton of the flag and the purpose of in
stilling in the minds of the children and
youth of the land a proper regard for the
principles the flag represents, and a be-
lief that equal moral and legal RESPONSE
bility should be placed on father and
mother in and out of wedlock, and that
the mother not be the only one to suffer
If a crime is committed.
The council considered and adopted
plan of work and parliamentary proceed
ure in the closing hour of the morning
session.
1t was expected that Mrs. Roosevelt
would receive the. members of the Ma
tional Council of Women at the White
House, but having been called to New
York by the illness of her nephew, the
reception has been given up.
Session Last Evening.
The evening session of the council, as
usual, drew the biggest crowd of the day.
Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey was the first
speaker of the evening, her subject being
in the nature Of a report from the commit
tee on legislation, and dealt largely with
the sacredness Of the marital ties and the
alarming increase in divorce. She spoke
principally of marital relations. There is
no more hopeful sign than that the minis
try has begun to accept the responsibility
for so many unhappy marriages" she said.
II believe that if there were not so many
hasty marriages there would be a decrease
of 80 per cent. III the divorces. There should
be universal legislation compelling each
to give notice of a week or six weeks
Interesting items of prospective partners
should be brought out before rather than
after marriage.
THE great difficulty in state divorce leg
islation is its diversity, for a man can be
divorced in one state and not in another
under the same circumstances. The cause
of divorce in most cases is the prospect of
immediate marriage to another party. In
Washington there have been second mar
riages before the ink on the divorce decree
was dry. l do not say that l do not be-
lieve in divorce, but that I believe in per-
manent marriage, because every child has
a right to be we'll born. Fifty per cent of
delinquent children come from the homes
of dissenson. To offset this there should
be a law making each parent equally re-
sponsible for the child
International Relations.
Mrs. Willoughby Cummings, correspond
ing secretary of the National Council of
Women of Canada. and editor of the In
ternational Bulletin, made an address on
Our International Relations" She spoke
generally of the practical work accom-
plished by the council in Canada I'VE
now have nineteen national councils in the
international body, and that means a won
derful power. 1t means much that all the
women represented should get to know
each other. 1t means much for peace, for
they have drawn the nations nearer to-
gether."
Mrs. May Wright Sewall, honorary presi-
dent of the International Council of Women
and also Of the National Council of Women
of the United States, spoke on THE Spirit
of Internationalism," in which she attacked
national bullying. THE spirit of interna-
tionalism is the spirit of democracy" she
said. This spirit is incarnated in two in
situations, the International Council of
Women and The Hague court of arbitration.
because they express the best spirit of de-
mocracy. They were not founded en- force
or on numbers expressed in majorities CO.
ercing minorities, but each counts alike