Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-06
SOUTHERN SOCIETY TAXES A
Squirt IN CAPITAL; MANY
NOTABLES BECOME MEMBERS
Records Smashed by Organization
Since Claude N. Bennett
Became President.
BY HUGH S. Miller.

veIoping the spirit of the South It
the National Capital the Southern
Society Of Washington has oct a new
record since the Democratic party
came into power
Less than a month after the cleo
ton Of officers. which placed Claude
n. Bennett. OF Georgia. In the pr1ssl
dent chair the society took in 100
new members from the leading SWItl-
erners in private. Congressional and
other official Iife They included such
new members as senator and Mrs.
H0Ixa smith Of Georgia. senator and
Mrs Bryan. 0f Florida. senator AMI
Mrs Robinson. OF Arkansas; Senators
Swanson. Of virginia and Vardam17,
Of Mississippi Representatives Cor
don Lee. William Schiey Howard and
Hughes Of Georgia Burnett and
Hefin. Of Alabama, Small OF Nortn
CaroIfna and man. other Southern
Representative and their wives.
Georeiars Who Join.
Among the prominent Georgians
who have Joined are Justice and Mrs
William Bailey Lamar Paymaster
and Mrs William q. Fife, Mr.. ana
Mrs. James j hampton, Mr. and Mrs
Harry +. Cary MT and Mrs SledSe
Tatum, Colonel Ncyle Colqultt, Ma
rion G. Howard ID. L. Hartsill Miss
Minnie r. Carroll. Miss Helen FL Har-
din. Colonel John r. Boifeuillet and
Mr. and Mrs j. b Lamk n. From
other Southern States there are gem
erals. admiraIs and others Of note
The Southern Society is now en-
loving a success that lt never before
attained 10 stands at the very top ~
the social organizations In the Ma
tional Capital Strangely enough
while the impetus which has made
the society what IL is came in part
from the Georgian who Is its new
president IL IS to he attributed mainly
to a lively fight which developed In
the society just previous TO the last
election.
The Southern Society had been run
ming along for several years as quiet
~ az a meadow stream. Its first presi-
dent was JacOb NJ Dickinson, Secre-
tary Of War In the Taft Cabinet. He
was succeeded a = president by Sena-
tor Thornton. Of Louisiana, and ne
in turn was followed by Representa-
tive Richmond Pearson Hosson OF
Alabama Lack Of time had made IL
difficult for any Of these executives 10
give the society much personal atten-
ton
Hobson Started Fight
Il was President Hobs0n who nm
Intentionally precipitated the fight
which eliminated in the unprecedeut-
ed expansion Of the society. He pro
posed an amendment which would eX-
pand the eligibility clause OF the So
Cietv SO as Go take in people from
every section Of the country, provided
they felt an interest in the South and
the general objects Of the organiza-
ton His amendment was seconded
and ably advocated by Thomas Mel
son Page Of Virginia, the author and
recent appointee % President Wilson
as Amba ssad0r to italy Mr.. Page
was a member of tine executive com
mittee OF the society. He and Cap
tain Hobsun argued very ably and
eloquently for broadening the scope
OF the society particularly with ref
erence tp its membership. They EN-
phasized the need Of doing away with
sectionalism and giving the society a
national character.
Some Of the members or the society
gathered from their remarks an init
nation that the society amounted to
very little and would never amount to
much SO long as il was run under ex-
clusively southern direction. How
ever justified they were IN getting
this impression the effect was electri-
cal They communicated their
thoughts % others. and quickly the
whole society was aroused. The more
II was thought about and discussed
the greater the opposition a created
The rank and file Of the society de-
clared that the adoption OF the
amendment would destroy both the
character and the purpose Of the So
cietv. shat IL would no longer be a
Southern society, but an Interstate
society. the p Pluribus Unum So
cietw. the Anna "A mated Association of
Selected Cesebrtries-- 'nytaing in fact
80. ,'''l1 u "'''" '''' 'e ct 9'u ''ei"
Nr-.... = e-.
w. ' - e'al
sls-3 9...s.. fr -. W. nv
va. w. ~ I5,-... 'Sou LF
.I- u u'''' n
l-.,-..- 80, -, am y.
arst vice president