East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-02-01

To be the leader ana Inspiration TOT
an army OF $4,000 men is not slight
task for a woman. but Mrs. Maud
Ballington Booth, 1.-The Little Mother"
OF the Volunteers OF America, an or
ganization which was separated from
the Salvation Army in 1896, occupies
this strenuous and unique position.
Mrs. Booth arrived in Pendleton on
delayed No. at $3.50 last evening, on
her way to Walla Walla. where she
was billed to lecture last night, but
owing to the Generalization or the
train service by the high water, was
forced to remain in the city, occupy
ing an apartment in the Pullman
coach "Shoshone." which remained
on the side track here last night.
She is on a lecture tour through
the west on the Y. NJ. c. A. lecture
course, her subject being Lights and
Shadows of Prison Life" She lee
tured at Boise Wednesday night. hav-
ing arrived from Salt Lake the same
day after a tour of California. She
is billed for Seattle tomorrow night,
and consequently win go direct to
that city, cancelling her date in Walla
walla. To the East Oregonian last
evening Mrs. Booth said this is the
second lecture date she has ever been
forced to cancel in her long career
on the platform.
The Manner OF the Leader.
When one sees and talks with Maud
Ballington Booth the reason why her
faithful soldiers in the Volunteers OF
America call her Little Mother" is
made plain. There is leadership in
her voice. her actions. her very pose.
She is a born organizer. Even her
husband. Ballington Booth. son OF
the founder and father of the Saliva
ton Army does not surpass her in
leadership. management, organiza-
ton. There are now $4,000 members
In the Volunteers of America and
headquarters and relief works are
conducted in 25 of the large cities.
over this immense system of charity
with its complicated military organi-
zation, the Little Mother" reigns with
ease and grace and perfect conf
dence.
Her finger is on the pulse of every
branch of her beloved organization.
She knows what each branch Is doing
today. what is did yesterday, what It
expects to do tomorrow. Her mind
grasps an infinite scope OF minor de-
tails, while yet directing powerfully
the main objects and aims OF the
Volunteers.
Her speciality Is prison work. To
the East Oregonian last evening she
said she believed more criminals were
made in penitentiaries and prisons
than outside of them. The treatment
of criminals. the herding of the young
and inexperienced with the hardened
and calloused, all tend to encourage
and strengthen the criminal instinct
in young men and boys who would
ordinarily reform after a short term
In prison.
She believes in segregating prisoners
according to their nature. and not ac-
cording to their height and weight
Young and inexperienced boys who by
some unfortunate chance are sent to
prison, should be kept away from the
old veterans in crime.
BlameS Newspapers.
Mrs. Booth, while believing in and
supporting the press for IT'S power for
good in the world, yet criticises the
daily paper sharply for giving all the
glaring details of crime, holding the
criminal up before the public gaze.
making him feel that he Is perpetually
disgraced before the world through
this publicity.
In this way she believes the press
makes many fatal mistakes in striv-
ing to glut morbid curiosity of the
public. If the press would walk on
tiptoe" speak in whispers, concern
ing crime, and leave the forces of
good to work out the salvation of the
criminal. she believes that many a
man would be saved from career of
crime.
Volunteers Are Growing.
It was heart-breaking disruption
I'm the Booth family. which caused the
secession of Mr.. and Mrs. Ballington
Booth from the main BODY of Saliva
ton Army in 1895, and which re-
suited In the formation by them
of the Volunteers of America, an Or
ganization so similar to the parent
body that It differs only in name and
leadership.
Mrs, Maud Ballington Booth and