The Washington times., 1909-04-18
WOMEN IN BUREAU
MAY SUE FOR LIBEL
Mass Meeting Held to Dis
cuSS Article Rejecting on
Their Morals.

All the indignation felt by the women
toilers of the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing at the article which yesterday
appeared in a New York newspaper. as
sailing their good name and morals,
crystalized this afternoon at Typo
graphical Temple at a meeting called
by the members OF Federal Labor
Union. No. 12776-as the women's union
of the Federal moneyshop is officially
known-to adopt resolutions demanding
that the offensive article be retracted.
AT a joint meeting of the men and
women workers of the bureau, the de-
cision Of its participants will voice a
4nit of resentment
The meeting was suggested bv Mrs.
Eva Mcdonald Valesh. vice president
Of the Women's National Civic Fedora
tion. under whose tutleage the women
workers Of the bureau were recently
organized. Inasmuch as the Civic Fed
eration-or at least two Of its most
prominent members, Miss Anne Morgan,
daughter of j. Pierpont Morgan. and
Mrs. J. Borden Hartman. of New York,
had been represented in the offensive
article as about TO demand the dismissal
Of fifty women employees OF the bureau
on the ground OF immortality, Mrs.
Nalesh felt IL incumbent upon her to
give a vigorous and significant disclalm
er. What is an advance supplement OF
this disclaimer was issued by Mrs.
Nalesh last night as follows:
Mrs. valesh's Disclaimer.
'As a vice president of the Woman's
National Civic Federation and a men,
ber of its executive council, 1 desire to
state most emphatically that the Ma
ticnaI Civic Federation has not made
any investigation as to the morality Of
the women employed in the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing, nor has il
recommended the discharge of fifty
girls. Such statement is an insult 10
every woman employed in the bureau.
No matter how definite the denial, the
gossip started by such a statement will
persist, and every girl who leaves the
bureau for any reason whatever will
be branded by some people as dis
charged for immortality
am absolutely certain that neither
Miss Anne Morgan. Mrs Hartman, nor
any other member of the National Civic
Federation of Women has initiated any
fuch investigation.
In the course of organizing this
union. 1 have personally come in con-
tact with nearly all the women work
ing IN the bureau. ] have found them
a remarkably fine lot of women. bright,
well hammered. upright in conduct,
and many of them devout church mem
bers- 1 think IL would not be possible
10 find several hundred women in any
walk of life where the average of
morality and genuine good conduct
would be any higher than among these
women who work for low wages and
under terribly hard conditions in the
bureau.
Mrs. SpenceT's Denial
Mrs. Samuel Spencer. chairman of
the Washington local section OF the
Women's Civic Federation. authorizes
me TO say that the local section has
never made any investigation nor
OF alleged lax morality Mrs. Spencer
is very much distressed over the hurt
full statement, because she and the
other members of the local Civic Fed
Grafton have taken genuine interest
in the welfare of the bureau girls,
and have been very favorably impressed
with the high character of the girls
After the form Of resolution Is adopted
tlon of suing the New York newspaper
responsible for the publication of the
story will be discussed. There is
decided feeling that substantial dam
present state of mind, few of the women
workers, and none OF the men as FAR
as has been learned, are inclined TO
temporize.
Opens Meeting.
: Mrs. Valesh opened the meeting. The
Federal Labor Union was represented
by Miss Louisa Dangel, president; Miss
Gertrude McNally. secretary; Miss
Edna Hardy. recording secretary; Miss
Ada Hudson, treasurer, together with
fits welfare committee. composed of
Miss Sallie Graffiin, Miss Bessie A.
Trouland, Miss Narcissa o. Birdsall, in
addition 10 the Misses Ballenger and
McNaily.
The plate printers, whose interest in
seeing the name OF their assistants vim
dicated is no less keen than the women
themselves. are represented by w. d.
Iissler, president OF Plate Printers
Union. No 2. and George P Foster
chairman OF the executive board of that
union.
Men Aroused.
Mr.. Foster said before the meeting
opened this afternoon that the men
workers OF the bureau were fully
aroused to the necessity Of such definite
and determined action in demanding re-
traction for the offensive article that
their feelings could not be misunder-
stood II full and satisfactory retrac-
tion does not come willingly and quick
ly, Mr.. Foster added the next step
might ne appeal TO the law for damages
Widest publicity Of the substance Of
the resolution which the protesting
women are now preparing will be sought
both in this city and in New York. A
copy Will also be forwarded 10 the New
York headquarters of the Women's Ma
tional Civic Federation. together with
request that the organization take suit
able action 70 repudiate the immortality
charges.