New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-09
PROMINENT
IN COUNCIL OF WOMEN
Great International Body, Proposed by Womer
of United States, Has Been Meeting at The
Hague-Oueen WilheImina Ignores It,
BY Ida Hustled Harper.

The Hague May 25.--"Old men for
counsel it may be, but IL is women OF
every age for a council 20 discuss every
subject under the sun. The International
Council Of Women is now In the midst OF
one Of the most successful and pleasant
Of it's many meetings during the last quar-
ter Of a century originally IL was 10 con-
yene once i'm five years. but it was soon
found that this was not often enough,
and II became the custom 20 meet twice
between the quinqueunials, so Chicago
during the Worlds Fair London, Berlin,
Copenhagen. Paris, Geneva, Stockholm
Montreal and other cities have enter
tanned this distinguished body
No individuals. no local or even state
societies are represented Al these meet
ings. hut only the national council Of each
country. which. in turn, is composed only
OF organized bodies Of women. Years ago
II was estimated that it represented q
membership Of 100000 but the count
was long since given up. II is unques-
tionably the largest organization Of either
men or women which exists and II consu-
tutes tremendous force.
In some countries Germany and France
for instance. the council is the strongest
organization Of women in others 1t Is
one Of several while in smaller ones. ike
Greece. Servia and Bulgaria, it is the
only one. except those Of the churches ana
associations for relief work OF various
kinds. and ii represents their first attempt
~ a union Of womens forces.
Council Founded by Americans.
The United states always feels A little
"chesty" AT these gatherings, because the
council is wholly due to American iniu-
ative Il originated in the master minds
Of Elizabeth Cady stanton and Susan b
Anthony. whose first idea was an interna-
tional union Of all the suffrage organiza-
tions on the globe This received de-
clded check when they attempted 10 utilize
~ in 1854 through the discovery that there
existed only one besides their OWn-that
Of Great Britain Their plan then as
sumed a wider scope, and included every
kind OF organization and the nrst Inter
national Congress Of Women met IN Wash
iugtOu boo ISSN. Il was during The prepa-
ration FOR this that another American.
Mrs MAY Wright Sewall. ~ indianapolis,
conceived the idea NJ making the council
permanent Of bringing together the wom-
en- OF each country IN one great orsani-
cation and welding an ~ these into an in
ternational body
In still another respect the women Of
the United States may justly feel a pride.
for .u all the early meetings when b.
seemed almost an impossible task To
bring the women ~ So many European
countries into harmonious relations
when they came with their different Ian
glages their racial ioalousies. their
memories OF Old feuds among the nations,
their instructive dstrust OF one another
1t was always the American delegates
who were the paclfers, because they
were trusted bv all They showed that
the interests Of women We're the same
throughout the world. and that through
women must come mutual understanding
peace and love. The difference between
those early meetings and these Of re-
cent years can scarcely be described so
. strong is the comradeship present. and
n the International council had done no
more than bring about this condition Of
friendship and confidence among the
women Of all nations it would have lusti-
ned IT'S existence a thousand times
Dutch Are HosptabIe.
The National Council Of The Neither
lands through its committees from Am
sterdam. Rotterdam The Hague and
other cities. has made this meeting or
1918 perfect in all that detail for which
the women of Northern Europe are noted
Headquarters were established ar the
Wlttehrug Uhe White Bridge. a large.
new hotel built IN tho Little Wood ad-
Joining the Great Forest whore Is the
IIouse-in-the- Wood. made famous by the
first peace conference The forest is
dense all about, and yet only q Few min
utes away m one direction is Schevenin-
Yin the noted seaside resort. and IN the
other the lovely Hague. with it's pict-
urcsque houses and treo-hordered canals
People OF note are born IN Rotterdam
20 20 Amsterdam 10 make their money
and come 10 The Hague 10 Join the arts
tocracy" IS a saving here
one Of the handsomest entertainments
was that given by the Burgomaster and
Municipal Council On the big banquet
hall OF the Hotel De Twee Steden THE
TWO Cities. Connected with this an
amusing secret has leaked out These
| WORTHLESS belong to the Conservative
party. which is now IN power and has no
love for the feminist movement In any
form. so they refused fatty TO recognize
the congress. The Dutch women bided
their time. and presently the Burgomaster
OF Rotterdam invited the delegates 10 an
"cficial reception by the city and a
tour through the harbors by special
steamers. with luncheon on board Al
once the Hague aldermen got busy and
not only offered this very handsome re-
ception with its bouniful repast. hut