Evening star., 1912-09-03
REFUGEES FOR GIRLS
Guarding of American Women
While Abroad Planned.
HOME IN EVERY BIG CITY
Club Will Be Aid to Thousands of
Students and Travellers.
CHICAGOANS HEAD MOVEMENT
idea Broached at International Con-
gress of Artists, Musicians
and Literateurs.
HOME IN EVERY BIG CITY
CHICAG0ANs HEAD MOVEMENT
Foreign Correspondence Of The Star

Foreign Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON, August %. 1912.
A comprehensive plan of safe guarding
the thousands Of American girls studying
and travelling abroad was formally
launched at an International congress of
artists musicians and literateurs held in
London this week.
A number of Chicago women Of wide
prominence socially and philanthTopically
have been the pioneers of the undertake
ing Chief among these is Mrs. Kather-
inc Todd Appleton. the originator OF the
idea, who recently arrived in London
to arrange the preliminaries for the con-
gress to establish the various European
headquarters. Mrs. Philip D. Armour
Of Chicago has been made an honorary
vice president for the United States,
while Mrs. J. Bruce Ismay has accepted
a similar post on behalf Of Great Brit
ain.
President Taft also is personally inter-
ested in the movement. and has given
Mrs. Appleton semi official credentials as
ing American girls abroad" The organi-
zation has been named the World Tray
elers' and Artists Club. and will have
branches with permanent headquarters in
all of the European cities most favored
by the class Of students it is designed
to benefit
Homes in All Big Cities.
'It is the intention Of the club" said
Mrs. Appleton. Ito establish inviting and
homelke headquarters which American
women abroad can feel free to visit in
practically all the important cities Of
In uyif
the larger cities it is hoped to have
dormitories for the accommodation OF
unchaperoned students who are unfamil-
lar with the customs and language. and
find themselves at great disadvantage
as a consequence. The chief object. how
ever. Is to render assistance to the hun
dreds OF American girls. who. far from
home and friends, meet with some con-
tingency which renders them utterly
helpless. Few plights are more desperate
than that Of the American art. music or
language student who Unexpectedly finds
herself without funds in a European
city.
IF she applies to the American con-
sllate all that can be done is to turn her
case over to some European charitable
organization, for cOnsuls are not provided
with funds to give help. Scores of girls
in this situation, however, would rather
starve than submit to the humiliation of
appealing to any foreign charity. If they
happen to have any jewelry. they cannot
pawn to tide them over until the de-
layed remittance arrives, for on the con-
tinent. especially in France, that privilege
is reserved for natives.
Must Sell Their Treasures.
The only recourse left them is to sell
their treasured keepsakes, and very often
their clothing. at quarter of its value.
Even then the money so raised does not
always bridge the difficulty. and the end
has been suicide, or worse. in altogether
too many cases. A great many OF the
girls. it is true bring sufficient funds with
them to last through their course of
studies, but the majority are usually de-
pendent upon monthly remittances from
home. Remittances, however, have a way
of becoming unexpectedly delayed, wheth-
er in transit or otherwise, just when they
are most needed, and that is when the
tragedy begins.
1T is this very contingency which our
club is intended to meet by establishing
branches. with a motherly woman in
charge, to whom these girls can go in
their distress. knowing that the transac-
tion will be treated in absolute confidence.
Sufficient money will be advanced them to
meet their needs until they Mar from
their relatives or friends, or If they de-
sire it, their passage home will be paid.
These advances will be made without any
security or conditions other than the
personal promise to repay the advance to
the nearest local branch whenever they
are able to do so. In addition to the
emergency fund feature, the lady mana
will perform all of the valuable Offices
which a resident host or hostess in a
strange city can do for a newly arrived
guest.