Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-29
WORK OF THE WOMENSCLUBS
Club Women Make Conservative
Boston Take Fstioe. z
PRESIDENT MAKES SUGGESTIONS
Mrs. Decker would DroR Household
Economics, LeaHinR IL 10 states
Mrs. May Afdrh ward Not
n Candidate. *

To the thousands Of club women over the
eoultfy unable to attend the Boston bien-
Mai save in spirit, Il is at least a 'satisfac-
ton TO know that the ninth biennial con-
Yention OF The General Federation oil
Women's clubs Is causing staid, cultured
Boston to wonder and the men of Massa'
chusetts 10 recognize In spite Of themselves
that there are close TO 100000. women IN
the United States quite. competent to sus-
tain with credit all the liberties ana
rights claimed for them for the last ttty
years by those pioreer women Of New Eng
land that men have only recently left of
calling "cranks." Though accustomed 10
women of brain and culture, the Boston
press seems to find something surprising
in this aggregation Of thinking, acting CLUB
women.
The chairman Of the credentials commit
tee reported LIS voting delegates present
at the opening session, Massachusetts hav-
ing the largest delegation, 227 delegates and
2U9 alternates. Illinois is next with ninety
two delegates and forty-nine ~alterrates;
Iowa forty-nine delegates and twenty-three
alternates; Nebraska twenty-four delegates,
New York is third with fifty-nine delegates
and far-off Texas has sent seventeen dele
gates and four alternates. The papers esti-
mated the attendance of visiting club
women besides the delegates at from 5000
to 5000. All the morning sessions. except
ing business sessions, have been duplicated
In the afternoon for the benefit of visiting
women, delegates and alternates not being
admitted. F6rthe delegates and a~lternates
there have been numerous excursions dur
ing the week to the various places Of his
toric interest in the vicinity.
The financial condition of the federation
is gratifying, the treasurer, Mrs. Josiah
Cowles Of Los Angeles, reporting 1858 in
the treasury. The expenses of the biennial
will. of course, have to come out of this.
In her annual address Mrs. Decker made
several suggestions that must appeal to
club women who are in touch with the ma
tional work as thoroughly practical. 1t Is
probable, however, that the adoption of at
least one of these suggestions by the con-
~vention, that pertaining to household econ
omics, will meet with protest and criticism
from many who do not realize the demands
upon the national. Among the recommen-
dations made by Mrs. Decker were the fol-
lowing: That the household economic de-
partment of the General Federation be
dropped, as it's work is something that can
not be conducted successfully by a ma
tional body, but that state declarations con-
tinue there committees under that name.
She suggested that the library extension
and the literature committees become one
department, and that the reciprocity COM
mittee be merged in the bureau OF Informal
ton, IL the latter department is continued.
She suggested that the pure food commit
tee be changed to one Of sanitation, as
the question is now one of clean food more
particularly. Mrs Decker advised that the
ct,,I,s conypittaa no divided 'intO two de-
partments, one to be called civics, the
other a health committee, with especial in
te~rest1in the tuberculosis problem.
Among the conspicuous figures at the
convention are Mrs. Julia Ward Howe of
Boston and Mrs. d. n. Cooley of Dubuque,
Ia, two Of the venerable pioneers in the
woman's movement. Both have been made
honorary vice presidents Of the Fedora
ton, and both, in spite of their advanced
age, are keenly alert to the problems with
which IT is dealing.
Mrs. Alden Ward Not a Candidate.
II the following announcement from one
Of the Boston papers is true, one of the
strongest possible candidates for the pres
ldency Of the General Federation is re-
moved:
Mrs. May Alden Ward announces, before
the convention opens formally, that she Is
not and has not been a candidate for the
presidency Of the General Federation. All
who know Mrs. Ward and are familiar
ministered the affairs OF the otfice OF
president of a Massachusetts federation
feel that she would make an admlrable
and wholly competent president or the
General Federation and they VIII regret
that she d%ecline9 to be a candidate, And
rectly of her ability, feel that she may DC
regarded as a "favorite daughter and
that New England should possess a presi-
dent of the great organization. Many have
therefore assumed that Mrs. Ward Woulo
be a candidate and without word or per,
her to be such. Some have gone so tai
as to work up an imaginary contest foI
women's clubs, but there viii be nothing
OF the kind. There will be an election
of Officers. OF course; there must pc, a.
ending now, but there will be nothing Ik'
a tug of war
with a delegation of 227 Massachusetts
will have an important voice in the cleo
ton. II is possible, according 10 GOSSIP
in the letters home, that Mrs, PhiliI
Moore of st. Louis will get this support
although the New York women are saiC
to be confident that with Mrs. Ward GU
of the field their candidate, Mrs. PhiliI
: CARPENTER. will be the next choice OF thu
Massachusetts, women. as the east gen
orally feels that the office should SO t
an eastern woman.
For Literature Department.
Lists of books have been placed upoI
the bulletin boards Of the public librar!
for the use of the literature department
r of the Omaha WomAn's club. The topi,
; Of study for lsOs-'Os viii be the shor
= story, its evolution and place in litera
ture. one set of books viii be in circula
ton and one set will be reserved for us.
, at the library. Members of the class ar,
: urged to contrast the recommended novels
with recommended stories Of the sam
authors.
Hospital Association Meets.
A meeting Of the Clarkson Memorta
, Hospital association viii be held Wednes
day morning, July l, at 1880 o'clock Il
: the chape OF Trinity cathedral. The meet
ing Is TO be important.