The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-28
BITTER FIGHTS
ON BETWEEN WOMEN
Daughters of American Revo-
luton Shaken BY Quarrel
GIRL CLERK DISMISSED
President General Mrs. Matthew
Scott Is Cause of the Trouble Due
TO Fact That She Told the
Girl to Resign

New York, March Especial The
Daughters of the American Revolution
are lining up for the bitterest fight of
their lives.
The insurgent spirit has entered into
the sacred precincts of the national head
quarters of sthe society--memorial hall at
Washington, and the recording secretary
general, Mary B. Wilcox, is leading bit
ter fight upon Madam, the president
general, Julia r. Scott and Madam, the
registrar general, A. G. Draper.
Mary B. Wilcox does not mince mat
ters In an open letter to the heads OF
the various chapters throughout the
country she declares that Mrs. Draper
is preparing to seize the organization and
through the president-general has clerks
and officers not pleasing to her Mrs.
Draper summarily discharged or forced
to resign.
The insurgents have taken their stand
upon the dismissal by Mrs. Scott of Miss
Agnes Gerald, clerk in the employ or
the national society, who was appointed
in April, 1909 Mrs. Scott in her letter
of dismissal alleged continued and per-
slstent acts of INSTRUMENTATION as an
employee
| Recording Secretary General Wilcox has
taken the stand that Miss Gerald was
dismissed because Mrs. Draper had trou-
BILE with the girls mother at the time OF
the last election. The ball was opened on
February %, when the president general
informed Miss Gerald that she had
been dismissed and at the same time
directed her not to report to headquarters
again. Miss Gerald placed the matter In
the hands of her attorney, Ia Cabell
Williamson, who in a letter informed
Mrs. Scott that as the young woman
could only be dismissed by the board
which had appointed her, he had advised
the young woman to continue her duties.
To this communication Mrs. Scott made
no reply but on March / she sent
note to Mary b. Wilcox, In whose de-
partment Miss Gerald was employed, in
forming the recording secretary general
that Miss Gerald was no longer an EN-
ploye of the society.
| Mrs. Wilcox at once took up the fight
for the clerk In the following plain letter:
Madam President General have to
acknowledge receipt of your note of this
morning officially notifying me that Miss
Gerald no longer belongs to the clerical
department of the society and is no
longer on its payroll. Holding that an
others character as we'll as her bread
and butter is above whatever courtesy
may be due between you and me, l have
to respectfully inform you that / do not
| t1,nr ~ dismiss
Gerald, she having been appointed by
the national board of management and,
therefore will continue her services in
my department where they are needed
until she shall have been dismissed by
the said national board of management
| or continental congress-
Before closing this note permit me,
in the name of common humanity, to ap-
peal to your motherhood and ask you
to reconsider and recall your action,
which will be duly appreciated, not only
by the clerk in question, but by every
member of the organization. Very re-
spectfully,
MARY r. WILCOX.
Recording Sec. Gen. n. s. ID. A. r."
No reply was made to this letter, and
on March IS Mrs. Wilcox returned to
the charge with an open letter to the
heads of the various chapters through
".
my Dear Misunderstanding to the
recent action against Agnes Gerald. an
| ernploye of the national society, d. A. r.,
| permit me to call your attention to the
yiolation-1, of the letter and spirit OF the
Declaration of Independence; 2, OF the con-
stitution of the United States, article vi,
section 2, and bylaws (articles III ana
XVD of the national society, ID. A. RI
| and D. of the divine law (appearing IN
| rtal,
oppress not the widow nor the rather
LESS. the stranger nor the poor; and let
none of YOU imagine evil against His
/ brother in your hearts,
| "And TO the following facts: l. That
the appointing power is always the as
missing power and as Miss Gerald was
appointed in April 1909 to the permanent
payroll of the society by the national
board of management, on recommenda-
ton of Mrs. Donald Mclean, former pres
ident general, the opinion is held that
onlv In the national board of manage
ment or congress belongs the right to
| dismiss Therefore the act of the pres
ident general. Mrs. Matthew T. Scott, In
| attenanting to dismiss Miss Gerald, was
illegal and il allowed to stand would es-
tablish a most dangerous precedent
| .2 That the ALLEGED characterization was
not to the present general, but to MRS
| Amos q. Draper, cleIh oh INC PAs
of the society. That this act Is the Gull
mination of trouble between Mrs. Draper
and Mrs Gerald mother of the clerk,
which arose at the time of the election
] of the former as registrar general. That
a relentless persecution has been worked
against this young girl ever since the
| close of the congress of. 1909 by three
members of the district S. d. a. r. 1t
is clear in the minds of the daughters in
Washington that the Illegal action oil
the president general was prompted by
Mrs. Draper and If allowed to- stand
will only be the beginning. to be followed
Inv other acts which VIII practically dis
miss every one not agreeable to the lat
ter individual
IS. To intimidate the clerks Tor so
called INSTRUMENTATION followed by dis
lmissal to so annoy the officers until they
are forced to resign seems to be her we'll
planned scheme. Along these lines she
is hoping to get control of the organiza-
ton.
II have the honor to remain.
MARY r. WILCOX .
i DTNJApn SAWS THAT