Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-01-22

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tain betterment of conditions in the
communities they represent. With
the growing political power of the wo-
men of Maine I feel that in the future
they can do much more effective work
than they have been able to accom-
piish in the past in the way of civic
welfare.
You should have an. especial inter-
est in this work inasmuch as a large
majority of the victims of fire dis
astcrs are women and children. Six
thousand persons lose their lives by
fire annually in the United States
There is also a loss to property of APP
| proximately $500 900 yearly. A prop
erty damage in excess of $500 per min
ute. We burn each year the equiva-
lent in value of one-half of the new
| buildings we erect each year
Your Federation was among the
leaders in the active work which was
accomplished relative to the conserva-
| ton of our natural resources. | be-
| l1eve that if our trees are worth the
effort we have made to conserve them
our factories and homes are Also The
homo means more to the woman than
to the man. While it is our abode il
is your castle. Eighty thousand homes
are burned annually in this country
and two-thirds of the fire causes that
occasion this destruction are prevent
able and therefore should be prevented
The time has arrived when man
must be taught that he owes to his
loved ones the utmost protection. He
should give them at least the same
protection he exercises over his bust
ness affairs. He locks his papers in a
! fire proof safe and his loved ones in
a wooden finder box. Is this in ac-
/ cordance with our progressive princi-
pies of our present day civilization?
/ Maine is awakening to this fire pre-
Yention movement, Much good Of q
\ material nature has already heen ac.
! complished. The State board Of trade
and the State Grange have already en-
dorsed this campaign and have rec
commended that the local boards OF
trade end the subordinate oranges ap-
point fire prevention committees.
Il wish to ask this Federation for
their endorsement of this campaign
which L thoroughly believe means
much to the people of Maine. I am
firmly convinced that great benefit
would result if your Federation would
appoint standing committee on fire
! prevention and recommend to each in
alVldGal club affiliated with your or
eanlzation, the appointing of such a
committee; believing that with the ac-
i tive and united support of the three
great factors of civic welfare in Maine
the Maine Federation, the State
Grange and the State board of trade
working in unison that much good will
be the outcome"
The meeting voted to endorse the
speclal work of fire protection as pre-
scented by Mr.. Blunt, and also voted
10 pace the matter in the hands of the
executive committee for action in re-
earu TO the appointment of a special
Federation committee on fire protec
ton and recommendation for the ap-
pointment of such committees by the
| local clubs.
Mrs. Joseph Nj. Strout.
The many subjects of legislation in
which the women of the federated
clubs are interested and for which
they are working, We're discussed by
Mrs. Joseph NJ. Strout of Portland in
her report as chairman of the com
mlttee on legislation. This report
briefly outlined the legislative situa-
ton in regard to such matters as pure
FOOD, cold storage, cleaner markets,
conservation, citizenship and the con-
servation of youth. Mrs. Strout de-
clared that. Federation women should
take deeper and larger interest in
the affairs of citizenship even though
they do not believe in equal suffrage.
She strongly urged that the Fedora
ton work for the establishments of
juvenile courts.
Miss Mabel G. Foster of Portland.
chairman of the committee on litera-
ture and art, made a brief report in
which she suggested ways in which
the work of the clubs along these lines
could be best carried out and the club
programs made most interesting.
Mrs. F. H. White of Lewiston treas
urer of the scholarship fund, made
a brief report of this work, in the alb
sence of the chairman, Mrs. Charles
F. Flagg of Portland. With this fund
the Federation is assisting in the work
of worthy teachers in needy sections
of the State.
The historian is a new officer and
Miss Lucia Conner of Fairfield is the
first to occupy that office. Her report
was in the nature of suggestions re-
garding the work that should be done
under that departments direction.
Miss Elizabeth Pettingill of Rum
ford. general federation secretary for
Maine, presented the greetings of the
general federation and urged that To-
cal clubs secure membership in the
general federation. At the present
time only six clubs out of the LAP clubs
in the state Federation have member
ship in the general federation.
Miss Lillian Randall.
Miss Cornelia Palmer, professor of
Home Economics at the University of
Maine, was unable to attend, and the
following paper was read by her as
sistant at the University. Miss Lillian
Randall:
$50 much has been said in regard