Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-06-30
WOMEN RUSH TO
DEFEND MRS. Lee
MEMBERS RESIGN FROM CON-
GRESS OF MOTHERS
EXPRESS DEEP REGRET AT CAT
TIsH ACTIONS
Chairman of Mothers Day Fund SUBJ
Iected to Humiliation and Insult
by Her Hostesses of Exec
utlve Committee

Mothers Congress of California and
the mothers' day committee over the
proper expenditure of the funds col
lected for Mothers day'-Sunday,
May 2-has been the cause of several
designations of prominent members OF
the Mothers congress.
The members who have resigned
from the Mothers congress but VINO
still retain their allegiance to the
mothers day committee have taken
their stand because they believe That
the treatment accorded Mrs. BAKER r.
Lee, chairman of the Mothers DAY
committee, at the joint committee
meeting June "a was UNJUST anu III
called for
At that meeting the followers of Mrs.
Lee disbanded their committee, but at
once reorganized, leaving off the name
of Mrs. Chalmers Smith. who Is the
head of the Mothers Congress OF Cali
fornia.
IL is said that publicity to the disa-
greement was given by members of the
Mothers congress who questioned the
disposition of the charity fund that mad
been gathered by public and private
subscription.
It is claimed by the Mothers day
committee that they were acting as a
separate body from the Mothers con-
gress in collecting funds, but with the
cooperation of the latter organiza-
ton, and that an executive committee
was organized, consisting of members
of both societies.
Trouble Over Chairman
The trouble arose, 1t is said, over
who was the chairman of the commit
tee Followers of Mrs. Smith declared
that her position as head of the state
congress entitled her to be chairman
of the committee, while. the followers
of Mrs. Lee declare the committee was
separate and that Mrs. Lee, originator
of the idea, was the only chairman.
The meeting, it is said, was a stormy
session, in which personalities We're in
dulged in and the result was the drop
ping of Mrs. Smith from the commit
tee
The disposition of the funds has not
been made. but the money is in the
possession of Gen. John X. Mathews,
treasurer of the fund.
Statements were issued yesterday by
those connected with the controversy,
including one from Mrs. w. A. Narcor,
treasurer of the state board of the CAL
ifornia congress of mothers, VINO mas
resigned her position as a result of the
controversy. In giving her reasons FOR
resigning Mrs. Varcor tells of the
meeting, which she attended, to ar
range for the celebra ton of Mothers
day in the public schools. AT this
meeting Mrs. Varcor said 1t was UNI
derstood that the committee of Moth
ers' day should dispose of the funds as
they saw fit, the main purpose being
} to aid needy and destitute mothers
She takes issue with the claim of Mrs.
Smith and declares that Mrs. Lee is in
the right as to the question of the dis
posal of the funds.
The following is the official statement
of the executive committee:
Executive Statement
1.-THE members of the executive COM
mittee of the Mothers day fund regret
the i'll advised and misleading state
ments that have recently been given
publicity in regard to their actions as
custodians of this fund, and they can
not but feel that in spite of the dis
agreement between certain members
of the Mothers congress and them
selves this matter would never have
been given to the press but for the fact
that three members of the Mothers
congress, who refuse to have their
names made public, attempted to have
published Infamous and false state
ments in regard to the committee and
the disposition of this fund.
This attempt on the part of these
three anonymous women, whose evil
dent purpose was to stir up strife hav-
ing resulted in the publication of con-
fiicting and inaccurate statements, the
members of the committee feel that as
the legal custodian of this fund, In JUS
tice to the generous citizens of Los
Angeles, they must make a clear sim
pie and dignifed statement
Each Individual member of this
committee was appointed by the per-
son who alone had the authority to
make such appointment-namely, the
lady who is the originator, founder and
- L. IA lr.r
Some of the members of this committee
are members of the Mothers congress,
others are not In a letter sent out to
the clergy, framed by Mr.. Lee, it is
emphatically stated that the Mothers
congress heartily approves the move
ment as being in line with their work,
and the president was given power to
appoint a special committee for Moth
ers' day MAY, the second Sunday, but
not for the Mothers day fund that
committee was appointed by Mrs Lee.
as every member of the committee will
testify.
Committee Honorary
1.-THE committee appointed by the
president of the Mothers congress for
Mothers day, and that day alone, was
more or less an honorary committee,
as the plans for the celebration of
Mothers day itself (May 2, Sunday
were prepared and carried out almost
entirely by Mr.. and Mrs Lee, includ-
ing the great mass meeting at the
Auditorium. at which meeting Mr.. Lee,
the presiding officer, ont of courtesy,
was the only speaker who referred to
the 'others' congress; the other speak
ers giving the credit of the entire
movement to the chairman of the ex-
ecutive committee of the Mothers day
fund. In addition to which, at the re-
quest of Mr.. Lee, the vestry of his
church appropriated the offering on
Mothers day to the Mothers day fund
that offering amounting to $22930.
"If as Is claimed by one of the mem
bers of this committee, who also hap
pens to be the president of the Moth
ers' congress, that this executive COM
mittee of the Mothers day fund is en-
tirely subservient to and under orders
from the Mothers congress. what was
the necessity of the appointment of
this committee?"
And how could the president of the
Mothers congress appoint as chairman
Of this committee the lady who for six
weeks prior to her knowledge of even
the existence Of the emergency work