The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-09

| by President and Mrs. Palma at the palace and I thought her extremely at- tractive."
 She was very smartly gowned. req piled Mrs. Orr; "and was quite prominent in all the meetings and social affairs What part does the suffragette move ment play in the federation work?' in quired.
 There is no evidence of it whatever" laughingly remarked Mrs. Orr. And that reminds me of very funny thing that happened to me when l went to New York to assist in the organization of the federation Reporters from the various newspapers were around us in great num- bers, and Miss Gertrude Becks, the sec- retary, was talking to them and giving out information here and there, when fin- ally slim, delicate-loolSing woman turned on the suffrage question and appealed to me, whereupon I said, Where did you ever see a woman with a good husband and seven children who cared anything about woman suffrage? and to my amaze ment l picked up one of the papers the next morning, and staring me in the face were my very words on the subject, and my name in flaming letters.'
 That is quite coincidence" l quickly remarked. T happen to know the woman in question, and she told me last winter in New York of having had an interview with a townswoman of mine and recalled your name.'
 The incident was rather amusing and after hearty laugh over it, said to Mrs. Orr:
 q understand that the attention of the foreign countries is greatly enlisted In the federatio work, and I believe the president, Hon. Seth Low, quoted the late German ambassador, Won Sternburg, as saying that he thought the Civic fedora ton was solving the hardest of modern problems, and that it was real field for women, in which they can be very help full"
 That is true" said Mrs. Orr. and you may be interested in my report of condi- tions in the territory under my jurisdic- ton.
 Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi are sister states, having about the same cli- mate, productions people and industries. Louisiana and Florida, with their large foreign and creole population, their many ports and sea industries present prob lems which may not be for our solution at all. The one large city, New Or leans, while 1t is totally different from any other on this continent, Is an ex- ception, and presents a fine field for well fare work. The generosity of the people is proverbial and an organization which can harmonize the two elements-French
 
 and widespread success. 4 l would recommend Texas for Texans, and Texan for Texas. Also that we watch the way Texas does her work. Florida might be attached to any section. I see little for us there. Once distrieted the work in Alabama Mississippi and Georgia would naturally go into three channels: department stores, mines and furnaces, and cotton mills. Having few large cities, the department stores prob- lem is not acute. In my own state Of Alabama missionary work on the part of the conciliation department seems the crying need of the hour in the coal and iron industries, and may precede welfare work.
 'The third department, that of the cot ton mills, is one that appeals to me this situation is complicated by no for eign element, or practically none. Here is a place where we do not have to make Americans. We only educate, en- courage and sustain them with all the faults and some of the virtues of the pure American type, they sometimes seem refractory ones, but with the proper Aux none yield so fine return of the pure metal. They are the illiterates of whom we hear so much, at once the menace and the hope of our southern country. Among them are the men who would make the bed rock of our civilization. Failing them the gaps in our structure of democracy will affect every part of our great coun- try. This work in cotton mills is along the lines of least resistance. Manufact- urers are already doing their work, and will welcome our assistance. We have taken from the east some of their earn est workers, and We have already mills which are garden spots in the counties where they are located. Nothing suc- ceeds like success and although the suc- cess was not ours we can use It.