The National tribune., 1910-12-22
THE WoMAN's RELIEF CORPS.
National President Belle {. Harris Is
sues Christmas Greetings and Deci-
sfons of 2Sth Convention.

General Orders No. 8 brings from the
National President beautiful Christmas
sentiments, which will appeal to the
heart of all patriotic people. She says:
Nineteen centuries ago there rang out
in the stiffness of the night over the
city of Bethlehem joyous chorus of
angel voices, singing: Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace, good
Will to men; for unto you is born this
day In the city of David a Saviour, who
is Christ. the Lord The echo of that
song has come down to us thru the in
tervening ages, and sounds as clear
to-day as ii did to the wondering
shepherds on Judah's plains: Peace on
earth, good will to men, May that
sentiment f1ll all our hearts at this
blessed Christmastide. May we not
only remember our own dear ones, but
also in material way those who are
bound to us by the ties of Fraternity
Charity and Loyalty
The 2sth Convention of the W. r. c.
accomplished great deal of work at
Atlantic City, and the decisions of that
body, numbering about so, have been
promulgated and have become law.
Most of the alterations and amend
ments Of the rules and regulations and
ritual were largely of a technical char
acter and of interest only to those Off
GERS of Corps and Departments who are
Instructed by them.
One of the very important sections
Is added to Chapter 2, Article 5, which
declares: Corps must establish, eth
er by bylaws or direct vote the hours
for convening Corps meetings, and
these shall not be changed until due
notice, in writing, has been given each
member, and the change has then been
approved by a majority vote of the
Corps. Some Corps have been in the
habit Of meeting at any old hour and
this led to chances for fraud. If ma
Hcious people had underhanded work
to do they did il before the regular
hour of meeting.
One of the most important decisions
of the National Convention was that
which restored discipline to the Order
For two years the Woman's Relief
Corps has been without any character
of discipline. which left the organiza-
ton wide open to the Vaccinations of
designing women, and there are just
as many of them in the w. r. g a.
there are in any other organization
and these women created an unthink-
able amount of disturbance, helping
the w r. G. not a bit In the estima-
ton of the public. The old discipline,
which has stood the test of some 18
or 20 years, was readopted in full. A
new section was added to discipline
Presidents of Corps and Departments
who wilfuliy and with malice pre-
pense refused to obey lawful orders of
NdtioIsdI anu department PRESIDENTS. |
This section recites that IN case or will |
full disobedience of lawful orders of Ma |
tional Convention or from National |
President or refusal 70 enforce such |
orders Of Department 10 Corps officers
the National President shall have full |
power 10 prefer charges and order an |
investigation. The National President |
Will appoint the Investigating Commit |
Tee, and its evidence shall be reported |
TO the National Council, and from the |
council there is no appeal TO National
CONVENTION. This is IL should be- !
SlN or seven hundred women in Ma |
tonal Convention can have but small |
opportunity TO find out the real facts
IN cases where members have been
Bullty or acts prejudicial to the good
Of the Order. and in most cases NAV he |
dissuaded by the personal friends of
the parties appealing or those appealed
IRON. Certainly the adoption of this !
discipline will decidedly clear up the
atmosphere for National Presidents.
women who can find no other vent for
their malice and prejudice and who
have taken il out in silly endeavor T.,
get even with some other members,
WIZ now hesitate some time before they
rush into court of inquiry or an in
Sestigation where they must prove the
charges which they make.
one amendment to the ritual which
was adopted states: Corps may mark
sAAt SehAiOii VI instructor with
a flag like those used by Color Bearers"
This does not seem like very good
amendment. 1t destroys the symmetry
or the arrangement of the Corps room
and dctracts from the work of the Color
bearers. When flags are in standards,
marking stations. every flag should be
used In the color work. There is no
provision for this, 80 that while the
four Color Bearers are performing their
part the Patriotic Instructor of a Corps
will placidly sit by her flag and look on. |
1t was decided to continue support |
OF the movement TO preserve the Fran