El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-25

] 100000 club women, are delegates at.
! tending the 18th biennial convention OF
( the General Federation of Women's
/ clubs. meeting today in san Francisco
1 for two weeks of work and pleasure.
] This is the greatest organization OF
/ women in the world. The significance
/ OF Its power is expressed in its motto,
/ Unity in Diversity" EACH of the TO-
OUO WOmen's clubs may have a different
OBJECT and seek to attain that object
by different methods, but they all are
Women'S clubs working for the better
l ment OF the race, and they all are
united for greater strength and for
I greater efficiency in the General Fed
! GRAFTON of Women's clubs, a typically
american and a marvelOusly modern
| organization.
The wonderful work which the fed
] Grated clubs are doing throughout the
country has now come to be recognized
even by those who a few years ago
were opposed to women'S organizations
and each "bienniaI' of the great gem
7 eraI federation has scored some new
| triumph of enthusiasm and success.
The city of San Francisco. aided By the
whole state of California, is giving a
nearly welcome TO the visiting club
women. The leading civic Organiza-
| lions have united their forces to pro-
vide for a continuous series of bril-
liant entertainment for the delegates
sandwiched in between meetings de-
h
federation Is sober minded body, hav-
ing to grapple with many problems
Gaining Tor careful consideration and
earnest conferences. One feature Of
the entertainment Will be the day
spent IN Berkeley a the guests of the
University of California curing which
every part Of this great educational
institution viii be thrown open to the
observant eyes Of the visiting club
women.
l. Ouf.ro,xtb Of so-osfs
The General Federation of Women's
clubs IS the direct OutgrOWth of So
rosis, that wonderful first Women's
club from which so many good results
have proceeded To celebrate its goth
birthday anniversary, Sorosis sent out
cards Of invitation to all of the other
WOmenS clubs it could discover These
numbered only 81 They have now in
creased a hundredfold since a recent
conservative estimate shows that there
are 10000 women's clubs in the United
States, and the number is constantly
increasing. The meeting called by So
rOsls at which plans for the general
federation were formulated, was held
in March, 1889, so that in % years this
marvellous growth has been secured.
The first federation meeting was held
in New York in April, 1890, and it in
Guided delegates from So clubs, repre-
senting II states. In addition to the
large number of individual clubs repre-
sented in its membership, the general
federation now includes a branch fed
Grafton in each of the IS states and also
in the District of Columbia and the
canal zone. making 50 federal tons each
of which includes a large number OF
clubs.
All Are For UpIIft
The direct objects of these several
clubs may be as varied as their lOcai-
ties, but indirectly they all tend to the
general uplift of the nation. The mot
TO, Unity in Diversity" is the key
n he ON Fl
the federation women have been
brought from all parts of the country
and have ben trained to differ AMIGA
bly, when there must be differences. al
though a better understanding has re-
duced many seeming differences Of
opinion. Federation has practically de-
stroyed sectional feeling among Amer
lean women. In working for the good
of the whole nation, the women of the
north and south, of the east and the
west have been brought so closely to-
Sether that all sectional prejudices are
forgotten BY means of this strong
unity Of influence they have accom-
plished many seemingly impossible
things. They have set higher educa-
tiOnal ideals and have trained the
mothers Of America to approximate
these ideals.
The organization of the general fed
Grafton is simple, effective and BUSH
nesslike. Its officers include a preSi-
dent, two vice presidents, two secreta-
rtes, a treasurer, an auditor and eight
directors. These are elected at the BIZ
delegates who come from every state I
in the union. Consequently, the exec
uuve board represents the entire cOunS |
try. There have been but six presi- |
dents during the whole existence Of the |
federation, so that with one exception, |
each has served two terms. There has /
been little or none of the friction usu- /
ally credited to WOmen's organizations /
l. H.
emit president is Mrs. Eva Perry Moore, !
of St Louis, who is serving her sec /
Ond term and has been active IN the |
work of the federation for years, hav- \
ing filled other Offices in the executive /
board. During her first term of office |
Mrs. Moore visited the isthmus of Pan 4
anna and under her leadership WOmen's /
clubs were established in each of the |
important towns upon the canal zone. /
The canal zone federation was or /
gained with her active cooperation and /
the help of the officers Of the canal /
The permanent location of the gen
eral federation is supposed TO be in the |
national capital and there Is proVls-
ion that the charter shall always be |
kept there, but permanent headquar-
ters have not yet been established al
though this matter will likely come up /
at the biennial in San Francisco. While |
some of the members are in favor of
establishing the headquarters IN city
more centrally located, than Washing
ton, the majority feel that it would be
better to conform with the original
plans and to locate permanently in the \
capital. Owing to the lack of availa-
bic funds, or to their utilization for
other purposes. the general federation /
has never yet had regular headquarters.
Its work along its different lines has
been conducted from the homes of the
chairman of its various departments
and its officers. In this connection it /
is only fair to state that no salary has
been paid to any Of these, but each
contributes freely Of her time and mon
ey in forwarding the special branch OF
work in which she is most interested.
The State FederGtiOns.
The state declarations are modelled
after the general federation and their
procedure is similar Each has a list
Of standing committees representing
the different departments of work, an
outlook committee to investigate and
suggest new lines of work, and special |
are appointed as the need
arises. In the subjects covered by the
standing committees are included art |
civics, civil service reform, education, |
food and sanitation. forestry, household |
economies industrial and child labor,
literature and library extern
sion, and waterways. In addition TO