New-York tribune., 1912-02-03
Johnson! WHO'S He?
rre Commissioner Just Slips in
Word, EdgewlSe.
MSS BOOTH THE TALKER
c.,vation Army Head Keeps the
poss of Fire Fighters Waiting
.. Woman's Club Meeting,

,,..u tho Fire Department OF greater
yo,k NAV be strong. hut the Salvation
-. is stronger. They attempted to oc-
h'n' ,ha same thoroughfare simultaneously
.rdav Guy. and the Fire Department was
l,g,ominiously routed.
~ ha,nened at the convention of the New
81, civ Federation of Women's Clubs,
che Hotel Astor. The Fire Department
., there in the person Of Commissioner
,.L,eon and the Salvation Army in the
..sor or Miss Evangeline Booth. Both
| - doon for stretches. Both were on the
,,o,torm promptly at 2:3O o'clock. Miss
/ 9th was called upon first. Full of en-
| .h,siasm for the work of the Army. she
| ,.rncbed into stories OF it's achievements.
md then gave some statistics, and then
,old more stories. and after that more
| tories. while the expression upon the Com
r,,ssloners face grew more and more
,o,,Ad Rnt in vain did Mrs. William
Grant Brown. the chairman, finger her
vavsI and in vain did the Commissioner
look AT his watch. Even after Miss Booth
had told her last story other women IN the
audience wanted to tell what the Army had
done and the shades of night were falling
whom the head of the Fire Department got
IN his word.
well" he said dryly. q sympathize with
Che spirit Of Miss Booths speech. II not
with the length Of II. But I'll he frank
and say that the Office OF Fire Commits
sioner is 10 sinecure, and I had number
of things to do this afternoon. However,
AFTER fumiug in my seat for twenty min
u;es made up my mind that the oppor-
,unity to speak to this big audience OF
women was worth all the other things
hsd 10 do. and / endured the walt with
What patience / might"
Tho Commissioner said that 80 per cent
et least of the fires in New York were pre-
yentsble and that women could do. much
10 cut down the number If they would
MANY. Of these preventable fres. he said
were caused by the careless throwing away
Of lighted cigarettes and Of matches. This
,orsed the ire Of a woman among the club
delegates. who called out;
The women don't 90 that. Talk TO the
men"
The speaker explained that he wanted II
made a misdemeanor TO smoke where smoK-
ing endangers human life. as in snlrt-
waist factories. and that TO get such law
would require the cooperation of women
clubs.
Miss Bertha Rembaugh. attorney for the
Women's Prison Association, made the
most moving speech Of the convention. for
she opened the delegates purses to the eX-
tent of $2oo and more TO keep woman law
ser. Miss Helen Mexican. at tho Night
Court for Women. to defend prisoners too
Toor TO hire a lawyer.
Thomas A. Brennan, whom Mrs. Julian
Heath. chairman of the committee on
home economies. introduced as "the father
of the cold storage act" told the women
that the high cost Of living was due in
large part to the unlimited storing up of
butter. eggs, meat and other foods in
times Of abundance, and that 1t was up to
them to stop il.
There isn't a woman in this hall whose
home doesn't feel the effect Of the opera
tions of these men who control our food
supply" he said. "And If you feel.it, how
much more must less fortunate people?
Don't believe those persons who argue
that advanced prices are due TO the in
crease in population. Our population has
increased but our production has more
than kept pace with it, There's plenty to
eat if spectators didn't juggle with it"