Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-18
COMMENDS WORK Of WOMEN
PRESIDENT Is INTERESTED IN
CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.
Executive Says he Movement Is
Philanthropic and Deserves
Support of the People.

Il doubt if there is a movement. among
! the movements that one can broadly term
philanthropic, in the country which bet
ter deserves the interest and support Of
our people than the movement for Young
Women's Christian Associations
Thus spoke President Roosevelt to a
gathering of young women of Washing
ton who called at the White House yester-
day afternoon on the Presidents invi-
tation to receive his congratulations on
the splendid work being done by the
Young Women's Christian Associa ton in
this city. and to shake hands with the
President and Mrs. Roosevelt.
Man Has Best Opportunity.
There has been in the past" the Presi-
dent continued, "a tendency to do more
for young men than for young women.
! l remember twenty-five years ago being
very much struck, in New York at time
when I had some connection with the
work on the East Side, with the fact that
there was so much more opportunity for
young man. without friends in the city,
| to get a place for himself, to escape
temptation, to receive aid, than there was
| for a young woman; that too often there
was no chance for the girl, the young
woman, who came to the city to receive
| the help and have the human sympathy
which she so much needed"
The President then reviewed the work
being done by the Young Womens Chris
tan Association in this city, expressing
his gratitude to the workers and bespeak-
| ing for them the support necessary to
erect an adequate building. Continuing.
he said:
Commends the Association.
This association is peculiarly to be
commended for the way in which it
works in harmony with all other bodies.
1t is very real misfortune to see phlan-
thropic organizations pulling against one
another. You have striven to make your
! work part of the general helpful work
of the community. You try to work In
connection with the various churches of
all denominations. to help hand in hand
with them; you try to work in connection
with the other philanthropic organiza-
tons. do not know in Washington an
organization which has a greater need,
and which has a juster warrant, for ask
ing outsiders to help it than this.
By Suggestion Of President.
Il desire to say that this is one Of the
few gatherings seen in the White House
that has come not Oh its suggestion. but
on mine. You may be interested in know
ing how you happened to get here. An
African missionary called on me one day.
He had just come back from Africa, and
had two or three people with him. among
them young lady. / was speaking to
the missionary about the need in mission
airy work Of insisting on industrial train
ing. a point, on which 1 have very strong
to come up that this young lady was con-
nected with the Young Women's Christian
Association in Washington.
Il at once began to question her about
the work. and she then spoke to me of the
needs Of the association and especially of
the urgent need of an adequate building.
said to her that this type of work-the
work Of the Young Women's Christian
AssociatiOn-appealed to me almost more
than any other kind: that l earnestly de-
sired to do everything 1 could for the
young women who have to earn their own
way in the world (for it is hard enough
under the best of circumstances, both for
those coming to the city from outside and
for those in the city without any person to
whom they can turn.
Would Like to Help.
Il told this young lady that l would like
to help out if could; II only in the way
of calling attention to your needs; and
that if she and her friends would bring
any one they wish around to the White
House l should be glad to receive them.
and to say just a few words Of greeting.
not in the way of giving any advice. of
anything that Is new to any of you, but
with the earnest purpose of calling atten-
ton to the admiral BILE work that is being
done and of the need that our people
should support it in every possible way.
Il am extremely glad to have the pleas
ure Of seeing you here, he assured the
young women in conclusion, land now ]
will ask if you will come this way so that
Mrs. Roosevelt and l may shake hands
with you"