The National tribune., 1909-06-17

ledo At that convention the Committee on
| Revision Of the Code Of Discipline OF the
the section on discipline be abolished, and
| this recommendation was adopted by the
convention unanimously.
| the National Presidents commands up IN
the air, since there was no way OF In
stng PENALTY or Scnas Of nlSreng g,sH one II
fortunately for the morale of the Woman's
Relief Corps, there are women In 1t who
accept Office for personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT,
and who have so small a sense of honor
that to save their own pride prefer to be
| insubordinate, since command, disobeyed,
This condition of affairs has almost dis
| rupted two or three Departments, Ignorance
Of law, disregard Of justice and lack of re-
gard for personal obligation in the leaders of
those Departments resulting in discord, lax
ness In ritualistic work and utter discour-
agement Of those who love the organization
other year without adequate-yes, stringent
laws on discipline will hurt the Woman's
tions need strong disciplinary laws. It is
the fate of all organizations, political, liter
ary, religious or patriotic, to be bnrdened
with certain members who are in the So
ciety for what they can get out Of 1t. Church
societies experience great embarrassment
from this class Of people; there are few In
Department Of the Womans Relief Corps is
afflicted with same sort Of leech.the women
who suck the very life blood OF the Corps,
| but give back nothing.
l: Is true that the Corps themselves are
largely to blame for this condition; they
are not careful enough in selecting their
many very worthy women who have no
business in the Woman's Relief Corps. The
Army Of the Republic must OF necessity be
an enthusiast, II she is going to help her
Corps and the Grand Army. 1t takes hard.
unremitting labor. an undauntable spirit,
and heart running over with love for the
Flag and Its defenders to keep up interest
In the work Investigating committees
fee. and Corps too often rely entirely upon
proforma report that II find her loyal
and think she will be an addition TO our
Corps" and let it go at that: to find that
in very short time the addition to the
Corps has to have help probably joined
the Corps for that express purpose. not hav.-
| ing been Informed by the committee that
the w. II. G. is not a beneficiary organiza-
tion. The Woman's Relief Corps is not
those members belong to the families Of
veterans.
woman known to be a misehef-maker,
a scandal monger. or stingy and penurious
in her dealings, should never be admitted
TO the Woman's Relief Corps. But SO long
as investigating committees fall TO do their
duty, end Corps equally Indifferent.
women get into the Woman's Relief Corps
| who should have been quietly informed tha:
women, once in, become the disturbing ele-
ment which makes discipline necessary, and
without discipline, chaos will be the result.
Lack Of proper disciplinary law has
brought us altogether too near the verge OF
chaos to be entirely comfortable, and this
brings US back to the original thought,
"WhO shall lead us next yeaET' 1t must
needs be strong woman: strong for several
reasons. One Is that she must follow
soul into her work, and though handicapped
by inability to punish insubOrdination. has
at all times maintained the dignity OF her
| tuStirp. and her wise cnuueel has off vra-
| vailed over turbulent elements. and by very
force Of her Christian example and sound
where the laws of the W. X. c. failed.
Another reason is that the full effect
Of lack Of a code OF discipline will be
President undertakes to put~fhto effect the
disciplinary code which will be adopted at
the 27th National Convention, to be held in
good, strong law on discipline is now con-
ceded by all. The gentle confidence of the
leaders in the mo discipline" ranks having
been rudely shocked by the rank disregard
of common courtesy, to say nothing of the
obligation OF office.
Belle c. Harris, of Kansas, and Mary
Hartwell, OF California, seem TO be the only
ones up to date who are hunting trouble Of
the character mentioned The Department
OF Kansas has unanimously endorsed Mrs.
Woman's Relief Corps knew what it was
about. Among the 1000 members of the
order in Kansas. there are many bright
women delightfully."- remembered in National
Convention, but Belle Harris stands out
from among them all. Who that heard her
at the Mckinley memorial exercises will
ever forget the swelling emotions as sh,
sang Face to Face" and just two years
ago, when our own Lizabeth Turner went
away from us, what comfort and what hone
voice.
1t is true, to. Sing is not a prerequisite
for qualification as National President but
to have voice is almost a necessity and
Belle Harris's talking voice Is equal to her
singing enc. Then, as they say out West,
she has the "sabe," she "knows howr Mrs
Harris is a Past Department President and
had splendid year. She has been National
Chief OF star, and National Senior Vice