The Washington herald., 1914-03-06
MYSTERY Wells
Calling code
Congressional Club Commit
tee Is Pledged to Ten
Days Secrecy.
NEW "HOME" Is OFFERED
Mrs. John B. Henderson Wiling to
Finance Erechon-Secretaries
Wives Are Barred.

Three highly important matters OF the
Congressional Club have come up for
serious consideration within the last few
days. all Of them vital to the life Of the
organization. They embrace the housing
of the club. the calling code Of official
Washington, and the membership.
Eight Of the nine women forming a
committee to pass upon the official calling
-ode held a closed session yesterday. Mrs.
Duncan u. Fletcher, the president, took
the place of Mrs. Oscar Underwood, who
was prevented from attending the meet
ings. The members of the committee
with her were: Mrs William Jennings
Bryan, Mrs. John Sharp Williams, OF
Mississippi; Mrs. John d. Works, of Cali
fornia: Mrs. Victor Murdoch, of Kansas;
Mrs. Stephen 8. EIkins. Of West Virginia;
Mrs. Fred c. Stevens, of Minnesota; Mrs
James T. Lloyd, of Missouri, and Mrs.
a. W. Gregg. of Texas, former president
of the club.
Shrouded in Secrecy.
Profound secrecy surrounded the meet
ing. and washington's official world must
wait ten days, within which time the
committee will meet and report to the
full membership their decision and a
vote will be taken.
The committee which Mrs. Fletcher an
nounced on Tuesday, was created as
result Of a called meeting at the club
more than a week ago, and II is known
that at least several Of the most promi-
nent women on it are in favor Of re-
tanning the calling code as II now exists.
Mrs. Fletcher is known to be in favor of
curtailing the heavy duties resting upon
the wives of Senators and Representa-
tives by sending calling cards through
the mail or otherwise. Mrs. Bryan has
constantly assured those who asked her,
that it was not a hardship but a pleas
ure for her to not only lmake duty"
calls, but to return in person.
Mrs Fletcher was firm in her decision
last night, as were also the eight other
women connected with her, to keep the
business of the meeting an absolute
secret
Consider New Home.
The present home of the club will be
given up in October. While the residence
of Edward s. Munford, at 17e6 I street,
is under consideration, and would make
an ideal home for a woman's club, there
are several obstacles in the way which
might prevent a lease being signed.
Mrs. John B. Henderson's washington's
Hetty Green. it is understood, has made
a proposition which would give the club
one of her pc: hobbies-a permanent
home of sufficient elegance to suit even
the most fastidious member.
Mrs. Henderson built, according to ap-
proved plans, the French Embassy, the
Spanish Embassy, the Italian palace oc-
cupied by Mrs Marshall Field, and other
fine properties on the Avenue of the
Presidents. She has a plan for selling
to the club the triangular lot at the
intersection of New Hampshire avenue.
and q street for approximately $4,000 it
is said She will have submitted plans
for a suitable building to cost s30,o 900 to
be erected upon the triangle, and will
finance the whole thing for per cent.
The scheme has struck the members
as being one Of the best suggestions at
hand.
Not Taken Into Fold.
The proposition that there should be
list of 100 prominent women from
official society taken into the club was
some time ago disposed of, and at a
meeting Wednesday Mrs. William R.
Smith, of Texas, proposed a list of
fifty women from oficialdom, which
would include the wives of assistant
secretaries and others. The motion
passed by a vote of 90 to 90, but within
five minutes the matter was reconsid-
cred, and Mrs. Smiths motion lost
So, except for the courtesy extended
to them through the members of the
CLUB, the wives of the assistant sec
retaries, Mrs. Osborne, Mrs. Hamlin
Mrs. Roosevelt, Mrs. Breckenridge, and
others will not be taken into the fold