Milford chronicle., 1912-03-08
ENERAL FEDERATION
OF WOMEN'S CLUBS

ECTTT The individual membership of the
General Federation of Women's Clubs
as strength of 800, 900 women, EN-
5e racing forty-thr States, well organ
aowled and in active service, with ten affil-
Min1l -, ed organizations. The women of this
luntry are banding themselves together
an organized effort to uplift human.
Hn was thru cleanliness and civic righteous
lusiastlcss and to bring about desired results
historY-OperatiOn with other organizations
call folust be effected wherever possible.
Odd Eel! The work of the General Federation
o have alls under twelve distinct heads, each
urches eng under thesupervision of a National
sentimelhairman with a State Chairman and
ntalnimany subcommittee. Each Committee
provlngas its own funds and pursues its own
1rcing tork independent of the others, yet each
admlnove-tailing into the other so as to meet
Thvery great National need.
city OF { The last to be added to the standing
te the iommittees of the General Federation,
AS ut among the most worthy was the
ing Wasf aterway Committee. This committee
ert g. hands for extending, developing and
ut the Maintaining our countrys waterways
the sele0r navigation and transportation; de-
own eleloping and protecting the water power
\. Thief our rivers, protecting the water power
a commrom pollution, that the streams may be
the meanltary as well as clear; the care of the
IS wOuieainfall, that the waters may be con-
selecteerved thru the forests at the head
T. Land5aters of our streams, along the water
ell and heds and reservoirs, for irrigating pur-
natingOses and also to maintain an even
epOrtedtream flow for navigation.
L. Moo The committees which are carrying
Jr., In the work of 'Waterways' for this
MarvNatonal organization, have been close
|Roach;y studying this question in all its details
| assesses set forth by expert engineers, states
Josenen and other great and capable men,
Shorts well as financiers of this and other
postivountries.
and { The alarming truths of the waste
in hlaeglect and non-develOpment of our Ma
the tlcional resources have sunk deep into our
led to hearts.
|ompan The women of the Federation believe
u the hat the Nation greatest assets are the
hat thtOrests and waterways. That water
n in atands pre-eminent, being second only to
one ohir in Importance for sustaining life !
"a maJfhat thru this neglect and wantOn waste, !
|own "a great crisis cOnfrOnts US
comp There isn't phase of water way de-
|compaelopment, that does not directly or in
| in thiirectly touch the home. The Home is |
far lehe unit of society. Anything that is |
wen aelot for the moral and physical uplift of |
IN, it the home is evil, and women as the |
u SoOOmakers and guardians of home life must |
|nd in c0e active in its defense. As Mr.. Pinchot
|htis estates in one of his delightful articles in
|where N0NSer1atiOH. 1.-The object of this great
t amoJ Conservation movement is to make our
|nded country a permanent and prosperous
light, home for ourselves, for our children and l
lights FOR our children's children; it is a task
|denceFOrthy the best thought and effort of
pete Wany of US. This is woman's mission.
of Il The women, having come into a full II
|enly realization of the value of the National II
L bidsresOurces for the comfort and daily
|e sannecessity to man, the inter-relation of
y thethe resources to each other, and of man
ave BIO man, generation to generation, we
ter estand as a unit in spreading broadcast
attenthis knowledge, until it has reached ev-
especery home, every child, every citizen,
ley arteven into the recesses of the densest
it diignorance
OBJ, Some one has remarked: "What can
IS Onlthe women do for Waterways ," What |
1t nhave the women thruout the land done
--in other work? She can do the same for
this great cause. We do not expect to
literally deepen or widen any river chan
= mel, irrigate any arid region, drain any
swamp land. We have limitations and
recognize them.
- But we do intend to keep up such
easeless educational campaign that the
IA public will realize the necessity of an
Werlng our appeals for active service
y this great movement.
The women know what will be the
onsequences if the water power grab
ers get control of our streams; that
hru the high prices of food stuff, light
g and heating, in many instances these
fices being far beyond the reach of
lany, that the women and children will
utter the most from hunger and cold.
On the other hand, we know that i'm
roved navigation will mean cheapened
transportation. Water borne commerce
Till bring, thru reduced prices, comfort
nd satisfied hunger to many. Purity
our streams and water supply will
lean less sickness and death, a chance
Jr health and sanitation in the home
here the future manhood and woman
iood of the Nation may not be develop
d in intellect as well as in stature, thru
4isease bred by unsanitary conditions
irrigation and hOmes-an increase in
agricultural pursuit, work for the un-
Employed, a happier and more contented
people.
Every opportunity will be taken ad-
vantage of by the women to promote
he conservation of our natural resources. III
even to the invasion of mems cOnven- /
tions, not that we can enlighten the
men, but to be enlightened that we can
more intelligently work for the cause.
dl The same spirit dominates the women
- of to-day as did our maternal ancestors
when they suffered and sacrificed for
- freedoms sake, often moulding the bull
lets in the fight for independence. So
we will stand by our brothers in this
great fight for our Nations good if our
task be but holding the ammunition
while they fire the oratorical guns from
the National platforms.