The Washington times., 1908-08-24
Past Department President
of TIoman's Relief Corps
Talks Freely.
GIVES EXPLANATION
OF HER SUSPENSION
Trouble Started, She Alleges,
Seven Years Ago--Her
Defense.

Mrs. Newton. aided By some of her
disgruntled friends. has used up pretty
much all of her administration trying
to attack me-"
Mrs. Isabella WorreIl Ball, past de-
partment president of the Woman's Re-
lief Corps, talked freely today OF the
action taken against her by Mrs. New
ton. the present department commander,
and OF the decision Of the national
president revolling Mrs. Newtons order
of suspension, and upholding Mrs. Ball
She gave the history and the origin of
the entire affair.
Mrs. Ball stated that the trouble that
has prompted Mrs. Newton dates as far
back as 1901. when she (Mrs. BALD was
elected president of Old Potomac Corps,
No. 2, for the purpose of winding up the
affairs of that corps and turning in its
charter Mrs. Newton was at that time
department secretary, and Mrs Ball
had some shacn correspondence with
her, she says. AS department secretary,
she alleges. Mrs. Newton did not prop
erIy place the matter before the national
president.
Charter Surrendered.
The corps voted TO surrender its
charter" said Mrs. Ball, and l was
elected president for the purpose of
winding up its AFFAIRS. This surrender
OF the charter brought up a fine point
OF parliamentary law. Under the laws
of the corps, ten members OF any corps
have to vote in the affirmative 10 hold
a charter. When a vote was taken
there were only twelve members pres
ent, and the result was a tie. six to six.
OF course, ordinarily on a tie vote the
question is lost. But in view Of the law
requiring at least ten votes to hold a
charter, /, who had voted for the sur
render, decided, not that the motion to
surrender was carried, but that there
were not sufficient votes for the char
ter TO retain it, and it had gone by de-
fault.
Upon a statement Of the case pre-
pared by and received from Mrs New
ton, then department secretary, the ma
tional president decided that the charter
was. not surrendered Believing my de-
ctsiOn was correct I Immediately got
busy with the legal points, and the ma
tional president at last, having both
sides before her, reversed her decision
and the charter was turned in. This is
the first and only time a national presi-
dent has ever reversed herself. The de-
ciSiOn which is now famous, was made
by Mary L Carr, Of Colorado, a noted
legal light, and at one time a member
OF the Colorado Legislature Mrs New
ton has had very little use for my
opinions Of parliamentary law since
that time.
More Recent CLASH.
last year there was another clash,
when !, as department president, took
a stea forward in the proceedings of
the Relief Corps and rendered a de
Cision declaring that certain members
had been rejected in some OF the corps
becaUse of malice, prejudice, and spite,
and restored these members 10 the
rights and privileges Of which they had
been deprived by the rejection of Lin
coin Corps The corps appealed 10 the
national president, and she upheld the
decision. 1t was then taken TO the con-
ventiOn, and was again upheld by a
unanimous vote in a body Of nearly 800
women. Since then Mrs. Newton and
certain Of her disgTuntled friends have
used up pretty much all Of her admin
istratiOu in an effort to attack me-
Mrs Ball, continuing, said that she
did not think Mrs. Newton would want
10 butt her head against a stone wall"
and carry the matter 10 the national
convention, for she (Ars. BalD would
again be unanimously sustained.
The documentary evidence, in this
last case, has never been demanded BY
Mrs. Jones, the national president" said
Mrs. Ball, and the case was decided
upon the law. I fancy that all Of Mrs.
Newtons trouble has largely grown out
OF the fact that she does not realize
the scope Of the activities of the de-
partment commander is limited
Mrs. Newton couldn't start her
charges against me, until she had fired
one department secretary, who refused
70 act illegally, and had named Mrs.
Margaret J. Gallaher."