Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-18
BUSY W.C.T.U, SESSION
Gov. Guild Welcomes Them on
Behalf of State.
LADY HENRY SOMERSET
Letter From Her and Exchange Of
Messages.
MRS. STEVENS WILL PRESIDE
Mayor Fitzgerald on Behalf Of Boston
Extended the City's Welcome
to the Delegates.

BOSTON October 1s.-The actual busi-
ness Of the triennial convention Of the
Worlds Womens Christian Temperance
! Union in this city was begun today. An
early forenoon devotional service in the
| Park Street Church was followed by the
| opening Of the convention proper in Ire
mont Temple. the delegates being called to
order by Mrs. Lillian M. N. Stevens OF
Portland. Me-, vice president-at-large OF the
Worlds w. c. T. U. The president, Lady
Henry Somerset, being detained at home by
| illness, Mrs. Stevens will preside through
out the convention. The program provided
that Gov. Guild should extend the welcome
of the state and Mayor Fitzgerald that of
| the city before the roll call Of members.
| The remainder of the day was to be taken
| up with organization and the reports of
| officers, committees and missionaries.
This evening there will be a public meet
| ing in the fremont Temple, at which ad-
dresses will be made by prominent foreign
| delegates.
| Mrs Stevens called the convention to
| order, and after brief devotional exercises
| and the roll call of official members several
committees were appointed Mrs. Stevens
! then read a letter of greeting from Lady
| Henry Somerset of England, president OF
the Worlds w. c. T. l. who was unable
to attend the convention.
Lady Somerset's Letter.
The letter from Lady Henry Somerset,
president of the Worlds w. c. T. u,
which is dated October 2 and addressed to
my dear friends and comrades says, in
part:
my heart is with you today, on the open
ing morning of the convention of the
Worlds Woman's Christian Temperance
Union, and my memory goes back to the
day in Faneuil Hall, when for the first time
1 came face to face with SO many comrades,
now we'll known and beloved friends. The
tie that was formed so long ago has not
loosened with the years, but rather in the
stress and strain Of work has 1t been drawn
closer.
you come gathered from many coun-
tries, you bring to the convention expert
ences many and varied. You are glad to
be refreshed by companionship. to learn
! from one another and to get new inspira-
ton from this great assembly. To protect
the weak and to preserve the strong, these
are your intentions in your warfare against
the liquor traffic. And there Is another mo-
tive power, for it is the fulfilling of the will
Of God which gives the great impetus to
your work, the fulfilling Of His will, as well
in the legislative history of nations as in
individual lives. This is the reason for our
very existence as a great worldwide So
ciety. 1t is the foundation upon which the
whole structure Of our temperance work Is
built
Nothing. we believe, today is more de-
structive to the well-being Of any people
than the organized liquor traffic. Nothing
makes 1t harder for men and women to full
fill the destiny for which God created them,
nothing undermines principle, saps vitality,
wastes resources and devastates homes
more than the drink habit, which Is the
fateful heritage Of nearly the whole civil
lied world.
"In your convention many subjects may
arise over which you may differ or dis
agree, but 1 pray most of all for you that
| the power of the spirit Of God may be in
your midst. May there be in your midst a
deep sense of that power. May the golden
light of charity be round you as an aureole
and may hand clasp hand In that loyal
comradeship which gives united strength,
and may this convention draw you closer
| to the Unseen
1t was voted to send a cablegram Of ap-
probation to Lady Somerset. Mrs. Stevens
| announced that the representatives Of the w.
! c. T. us different countries had presented
| to Lady Henry bell. to be placed in the
| chapel at London where she worships. The
| bell is already in place. A telegram from
| Lady Henry was read in regard to this, as
| follows:
Grateful, humble loving thanks for the
| silver-toned voice.
| Gov. Guild then welcomed the delegates
on behalf Of the commonwealth and Mayor
Fitzgerald for the city of Boston.
Report Of the Secretary.
The report Of the executive committee
caused some discussion with reference to
| the status of life members. Finally a
recommendation that life members be al
lowed to vote in worlds conventions, pro-
vided they are active members of some
| local union, was adopted.
| The report of Miss Agnes E. Slack, hon.
orary secretary of the Worlds w. C. T.
| u, was presented. 1t showed that gains
had been made nearly everywhere in num-
| Der of members and in activity. The great
est proportional gain has been made in
| Sweden, where a membership Of 1913 three
years ago has been raised to 2,36S.
! In India there are thirty-three local unions
! with total membership Of 1914. Scientific
| temperance instruction has been introduced
| in the schools.
In South Africa, where Miss Slack spent
| several months last year, many new unions
| have been organized.
There are 165 branches in Great Britain,
with a total membership of 1O9,O53. The
! licensing act passed by parliament In 1904
| has proved an obstacle in the way of the
| people by preventing them from suppress
| ing the liquor trade in their own localities.
Much work has been done in the way Of
| establishing coffee houses and temperance
| restaurants.
| There has been a large increase in men,
| bership in Ireland.
The work is proceeding slowly but stead
| lily in Germany. The w. c. T. U. of that
| country sent petition to the war depart
| ment to discontinue the issuance of wine
| and rum to the troops in South Africa, and
| received a favorable reply. The depart
! ment is now introducing non-alcoholic fruit
| liquor, although it is not yet ready to
| discontinue the of rum entirely.
i Encouraging reports have been received
! from various parts of Australasia, Dem
| mark, Iceland, Egypt and Palestine.
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