Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-14
TIE MONTANA CASE
DAUGHTERS DISTURBED By LEFT
ovER DIsPUTATIoN.

Despite all EFFORTS to the contrary. the
Montana affair bids fair to become Gel
ebrated case before the national society OF
the D. A. r. gets through with II. The
manner Of Investigating the charges. ped
lions and appeals In the matter IL causing
some Of the members OF the national board
a good deal of concern. 1t was not intend
ed that particulars OF the case should &c.
into print at all. The president general
Mrs. Donald Mclean, has positively de-
clined to discuss the matter for public
consumption" She declares that 1t Is
family affair."" capable of adjustment UNI
der the rules OF the society. that all par
ties shall have exact Justice. and she can
not see that the public should have any
concern in the matter at all. as. 1t can be
neither judge nor jury.
While the president general is so sure
matter. members of the national board are
being deiuged with out-of-town papers in
which the case 10 being discussed. and in
which the parties have been tried. con-
ters declares
1t In stated by some Of the prominent
members of the national society that 1t Is
not settled yet whether the COMMITTEES as
constituted by the national board of adj
ministration was competent under the laws
of the society to consider the case.
It Is stated that the president general APP
pointed a committee to take the matter In
hand. and the national board of admins
tration took the matter out of the hands
OF the president general and declared its
right to elect committee. ignored the
committee appointed by the president gen.
eral and proceeded to elect the committee
named in The Evening Star of Thursday.
The president general thereupon permitted
the board to go on with it's election.
Discussion Of Statutes.
But In quiet way. It IS stated. informa-
tion was conveyed to some of the members
of the national board that the statutes OF
the Daughters OF the American Revolution
| expressly lay down tho manner In which
all committees shall be created The
statute reads land the president general
shall appoint all committees not otherwise
provided for" These statutes are the laws
of the D. A. r. made by the continental
congress.
1t is said that this clause has caused not
a little CONSERVATION. 1t fs pointed out that
TINS investigating COMMITTEES is not one OF
those provided for in the constitution and
bylaws, hence is one that the president
general must make herself The question
Is, rs the investigating committee legally
constituted? If not legally constituted, can
1t legally try case which affects the rights
OF members to vote In the continental con-
gress?"
IF not legally constituted. no action taken
body. and SO what's the user" one member
plaintively put 1t to The Star reporter, who
passed 1t on
Declines to Serve.
Mrs. Patton, state regent of PennsyIva-
MIA, who was elected a member of the COM
mittee by the national board of administra-
ton In its recent sitting, has declined to
serve upon 1t. Mrs. Park Of Georgia Is
not In the city, and will not be until too
late to act on the committee, 1t is thought,
and the national board OF administration
has adjourned. This would leave the COM
mittee in bad shape, 1t Is stated even il
1t is legally constituted. only four of six
members being left.
Tho publication In the morning press of
letter signed by Mrs. Helen HarveS Weed
and addressed to the recording secretary
general Of the national board of admins
tration. has complicated matters greatly II
Is stated, and caused CONSERVATION among
the members OF the D. A. R., who are
irving today by the hundreds. and con-
gregating at national headquarters where
the national board Is In session.
The national board disclaims all knowl-
edge of the letter which censures several
of the national officers and some state and.
chapter regents. The fact that anybody
should have caused 1t to be printed Is de-
plored. Miss Desha, recording secretary
general, declares that it was never filed in
the national society, and the investigation
committee, to which was referred the whole
matter, rejected the letter when 1t was laid
before that body, because the charges It
Is alleged to contain were signed by but
one party. and the constitution requires
that they shall be signed by three parties
to have any standing legally.
Mrs Haskell Here.
Mrs Ella kellogg Haskell, regent of the
Silver Bow Chapter, Montana, arrived yes
terday, as stated in The Star last evening.
and Immediately sought the members of the
investigating committee. After a hearing
last night, which it is stated was lively and
full of interest, Mrs. Haskell appeared be-
fore the national board this morning, and
for three hours held the floor In statement
of what Montana did not have to do"
with the troubles which have been bubbling
in Washington and an arrangement of all
those who have been trying to stir up these
troubles and foment strife In the society.
1t is said that in her statements to the
national board Mrs. Haskell has sustained
Mrs. Amos Draper in all that she said and
did In the last congress concerning the Mon
tana case, and that she supports her state
ments with a suit case full of aff1davits and
documentary evidence OF various sorts and
kinds. She said that Montana had been
flooded with letters. circulars. petitions and
bers of the D. A. R. If they did not support
the appeal, which she said was presented
by Mrs. Weed. but which Silver Bow Chap
ter never was favored with until recently
the national board.
Members Of the board repeatedly ex-
pressed regret that the matter had been
made public and were disposed to be sus-
picious Of everybody. Mrs Weed this
morning deplored Its publication. It was
intended, she said. to be personal only I'M
less made official by action of the board.
Substance of the Appeal.
The appeal Swhieh-Mrs. Weed laid before
the national board of administration is a
printed pamphlet OF several pages, and
consists principally of letters alleged to
have been written In the case. The case
refers back to the action OF the continental
congress last April. when the election of
a state regent and a state vice regent for
Montana went over on the objection of
Mrs Amos Draper for the national board
of administration to inquire into the man.
ner of the election. The matter was adj
1usted at the first meeting OF the national
board. and the vice regent. Mrs. Weed, rec
ognized as a member OF the board.
1t is statedsthat she has exercised those
rights without objection throughout the
year. The pamphlet contains the letters
which sustain Mrs. Weeds contention. but
as Mrs. Weed has been fully recognized the