The San Francisco call., 1909-06-14
WORK OF GRAND
PAHOR, N.DO.W.
Four Days Devoted to Politics
And Personalities and
One to Work of
Importance
BY ARTHUR L. PRICE


and energy. minute for minute. are
about the same.
1t takes a great deal of cleverness
to run a Marathon successfully. For
the first few thousand miles the ath-
lete holds back his eager limbs. sub
dues them into the pace of humility
in order that ultimately the first may
be last and the last may be first.
The analogy continues to apply. For
the first four days of recent grand
parlor held at Del Monte the delegates
did not aspire to show just what good
work they could accomplish. They had
that proper humility of spirit which
is the keynote OF great character in
organizations as well as in individuals.
They loitered over the birthstone pools
of politics; they toyed with the white
heat plowshares of personalities; they
juggled the flaming swords of gran
diloquent titles Felicitous reports and
communications were read. Tons of
flowers We're passed around. (The
official florist at Del Monte sold $50
worth of cut flowers before luncheon
one dull day.) Finally it was time to
adjourn.
The grand somewhere sentinel-why
'parlor'' is guarded by the grand
somewhere sentinel is rather than by
the grand somewhere parlor maid is
2 puzzle in frsternities and not a ques-
tion for this world. A sentinel be-
longs to battlefield! Oh, that is the
reason. thank you-anyway. finally it
was time to aGjourn and the grand
somewhere sentinel rushed to the
throne and declared. MY lord Cor
LADY,, the railroad waits
Instantly there was action. Person
alities, politics, grandiloquent titles
are forgotten. The order settles down
to business. Ream after ream of reso-
lutions were considered, acted upon
with rapidity and judgment. The ad-
vice of the leaders was listened to with
respect. The party lines" were erased.
In a few rapid minutes the grand par
lor of the Native Daughters of the
workers in reform movements; as
ardent and enthusiastic leaders in the
task of perpetuating the glorious his
tory of the state of California
The grand president raped her
gavel. the grand delegate grabbed her
with the other and dashed for the
painting train, and to show that her
honors have not made her too proud
the grand something else rode to the
station on the tailboard of the hotel
baggage truck.
Probably there always will be a diff
ference in opinion over just what status
the orders of Native Sons and Native
Daughters occupy in California. Many
members of each order consider that
their organization is quasi public in its
nature; that its function is to promul-
gate the splendid history of the occu-
patton and development of their state
during the various periods of it's his
tory. These people look upon the "se-
cret society" aspect of the orders with
benevolent toleration. But in the Ma
tive Daughters that element is in the
minority.
What may be considered the forcible
element in the women's order considers
that secrecy is a sort of fetish. No one
can tell a reporter who has, covered
Native Daughters convention that a
woman can not keep secret. Some
women can keep their secrets so earn
estly that one is inclined to doubt that
there is any secret to keep-and that
is the real proof of taciturnity.
Now there is no reason why the Ma
tive Daughters OF the Golden West
should have been secretive about what
the five days of last week on which
they were in session. One entire day
was devoted to work which makes the
Native Daughters of the Golden West
one of the most splendid womens or
ganizations in America. The $500
women in the order were dedicated.
during another days session, to the
noble work of finding homes of home
less children.
In fact, there were a number of ex-
cellent things accomplished by the
grand parIor after it had finished toy
ing with the soaring piowpoints of per-
sonalities.
But 1t is their grand parlor. at that.
Even IL the Native Daughters of the
Golden West is a quasi public organi-
zation no one has the right to say how
it shall do it's work.
No one can deny that for indefatf-
gability, energy, eloouence and eandor
the Native Daughters achieve distinc-
tion. When they go to their annual
conventions they work like galley
slaves for the good of the order as it
is given them to see that good. At
Del Monte, if the delegates wanted to
see the classic ruins in Monterey OF
California antiquity $3.50 they got up
early and went without their break
fasts in order that they might be back
at grand parlor." OF if the arboral