New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-22
MEN CANNOT Be SPUGS,
MRS. A. BELMONT SAYS
This Settles It, Because She
Is Elected President and
Ought to Know.
MISS MORGAN, TREASURER
Organized on Military Plan,
Anti Givers Will Now Start
Campaign and Branches in
Ships and Factories.

No. John Henry, you can't be spus.
There won't be any society to give you
respectable reason for not making your
lady love Christmas present, unless you
form one yourself.
Mrs. August Belmont's Society for the
Prevention OF Useless Giving 10 TO be
strictly a feminine organization.
Miss Gertrude Robinson Smith, Its vice.
president, announced this in firm accents
at the first business meeting OF the
charter spugs. held at the headquarters
Of the vocation committee OF the wom-
ems department Of the National CIVIC
Federation, No. los West 10th street, last
night.
And yet the society appeals to men, too.
Even the bent little elevator man who
has the night shift at No. 16 West 10Th
street likes the idea.
IT'S a fine thing" he said last night TO
a carload OF Spugs he was taking up TO
the meeting This Christmas gtvin' Is
an awful burden. We don't none OF us
realize the ms an outs OF It till It's ex-
planned TO us like"
meeting Mrs. Belmont explained, and
Miss Anne Morgan explained, and Miss
Smith explained, exhorted and tried to
sell Spug buttons at 10 cents apiece until
Miss Morgan said she guessed they'd
make Miss Smith the scout OF the Spugs.
And II that sounds military it's all right
for the Society for the Prevention Of
Useless Giving is to be run on military
lines. Mrs Belmont said so.
There are TO be squads OF not less than
five nor more than ffty Spugs and each
will be a propsgating committee, OF which
Miss Morgan Is the general.
rs spuss in Attendance.
About seventy-five Spuss attended last
night. There were young Spugs and old
spugs, big Spugs and little spugs One
was white haired woman who has
worked in a department store forty years
One was a mere child. who feeds a ma
chine in a factory, and she wanted TO be
a Spug because they had tried 10 make
her contribute s. toward a Christmas
present for the superintendent OF the fac
tory, and she couldn't. because she got
only IS a week, and her father was sick
Not one OF her mates at the factory
had spoken 20 her since she refused, but
she was quite a heroine among the
Spugs.
When the Spugs we're all seated, and
had stopped gigglins, Mrs. Belmont was
put into the chair. The chair was a door
against which she stood. and talked to
them
We've been asked II We want 10 pre-
vent all giving" she said. I'VE don't
mean that at all. But one often hears
nowadays that Christmas Is burden,
and il is that-the forced giying-that We
would check.
But II a girl wishes TO give flowers or
any token OF love and friendship, we
wouldn't prevent that for the world
That comes from too hne feeling In
the heart"
First in the order OF business was the
election OF officers. A nominating COM
mlttee of three went into the next room
and came back in about forty seconds
with a ticket, which Miss Smith read.
Mrs. A. Belmont, President.
For president, Mrs. August Belmont
for vice-president Miss Gertrude Robin
son Smith for treasurer. Miss Anne
Morgan: for secretary. Miss Marian Oh
liver. Does that suit you, girls? Ayes
and nays, please"
The Spugs giggled, and none said nay.
Then ! cast the ballot, girls" cried
Miss Smith.
She didn't cast II, she waved II aloft;
but It was all the same TO the Spugs
Can men be Spugs7" inquired a small
voice from the rear OF the room.
They cannot" said Miss Smith, en-
phatically. They can be sympathizsrs,
but not Spugs"
I'm so glad" whispered the small
voice 10 nsighbor, for Charlie, I think
he's meaning 10 give me a siivor-backed
mirror on Christmas. ia hate for him 10
he a Snug"