The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-12

and presented striking genre pictures or the epoch since the war. A remark able example of the ever youthful spirlt
 of Mrs. Augusta Evans Wilson, De
 Vota' fine cut and polished gem, in
 which she has shown a vivid under standing and interpretation of the lat est phases of modern life.
 Another gifted writer of the new south, young and full of verve. Is Helen smith Woodruff. whose charming lit tie book, The Lady of the Lighthouse a strikes the note of interest in philan-
 thropie work. being devoted to the cause of blind children It had the honor to be chosen by the Federation of Literary Clubs as the souvenir of their meeting in February of this year land Mrs. Woodruff herself was invited as the speaker to represent New York
 where she now makes her home
 Maria Thompson Daviess of Tennes-
 see has made very clever hits at the new hygiene and the feminist move ments in her Melting of Molly" ami 'The Finder Box.
 In newspaper work also their name lis legion: Maude Murray Miller from
 Alabama. besides writing magazine ar ticles and short stories, her "Telford Twins being gem of it's kind is special feature editor on a great west
 crn paper, and has lately been ap- pointed by the governor of Ohio as in- spector of the state penal institutions. The society columns are manned by
 women; other columns and the maga- zines are filled with articles and stories by such writers as Mary Stuart Smith
 Mrs. Lundy H. Harris. Mrs Orgain.
 Mary b. Bryan, Mrs. Lee Cohen Harby, Marie Bankhead owen. Malyina War ing Evelyn Smead Bennett. and many
 others as bright and charming
 The transfer to the club Is but A oh n..,. toY~. lof woman body and soul and she has | taken possession of 1t. and is using it with full power. Beginning with the church and missionary societies, fol-
 lowed by the patriotic United Daugh- ters of the Confederacy and the literary
 clubs, she has now clubs for every con ceivable interest, and the work accom-
 plished by them is enormous.
 | The National Federation of Clubs elected southern woman as it's presi- dent, Mrs. Pennybacker of Texas. A
 woman of remarkable gifts and pres ence both as a writer and a speaker The civic and reformatory work of
 these clubs is beyond the power of
 words either to describe or to praise i; the city beautiful, schools, libraries. Ischolarships for needy girls, industrial and domestic training. eugenics, re-
 forms and improvements for the uplirt TOT the race, such as prohibition and | euiiidSt. dTI III all It's forms.
 mothers work in the home and nur-
 sery, economies. and every other sub
 1ect under the sun that has a practical
 value in human life.
 In the burning question of woman suffrage our women do not 20 to the
 extremes of our English sisters in methods of work, partly no doubt be- cause It Is not necessary as the laws are not so unjust to women in America l as in England The subject, however 1 IS yet in the transition stage. and there l Is none so wise IS to foresee the way | Of the outcome. Among names of southern women who labor with great interest and vigor in this cause are
 Mary Johnston, already mentioned. Belle Kearney of Mississippi, a woman Of fine presence and a forceful speaker;
 Mrs. Desha Breckinridge of Kentucky granddaughter of Henry Clay, to whom the Kentucky legislature gave
 the floor on the subject recently, and
 who is greatly interested also in model
 schools playgrounds, juvenile courts. forestry and manual training; Mrs Drfscoll SeTier of Texas, who performed the great service for her state of say ing the historic Alamo from being sold to private parties, advancing out of her own funds s17,000 to secure it for the
 Daughters of the Republic, and, greatly
 daring great things, Miss Kate Gordon or New Orleans, who is president of the
 famous Era club which numbers 500
 members and which got the juvenile court established In that city Miss Gordon was appointed factory inspector to look after the children, and she was also instrumental in reducing the high cost of living for the common people by bringing the mark etman and the consumer together, forcing out the mid dleman and his exorbitant profits. All these women, as is seen, are in- | tar cfa.J fields. in that of temperance, for in- stance. Many of the leaders in the
 Woman's Christian Temperance union are of the south. Mrs. Selina M Hol- man of Tennessee and Mrs. Mary Harris Armor of Georgia. However much we may admire the fine ante bellum social life, We must confess that drinking was far too common and often excess sive among the gentlemen. If some women drink and smoke today, as We are so often told, 1t is still true that the vast majority are as pure and free from such habits as formerly, and that fewer men go to excess in these things. great change has been wrought in public opinion.
 It seems needless to mention mission ary and church work. which has always interested women. The only noticeable thing about it now is that there is dan ger of their doing the lions share, as IS iHuicdieu m the Satlrlcal llttle poem The Ladies Aid Did the Rest"
 Marriage has by no means gone out of style among the new women, but it Is placed upon sounder basis. Re- tanning the old idea of love as the only foundation, a more reasonable super structure Is built upon it. which en- sures better understanding and long CT lease of happiness. As it Is no long CT necessary for a woman to marry in order to have home and independence, she undertakes 1t from pure choice and with an understanding of it's duties and responsibilities
 An old doctor used to say in the eos: Tt won't do for the women to support themselves, for then they won't get married" He also used to say "All men should get married, but not wom- en-" Well. how would the men get there are always women foolish enough to marry" which shows plainly what | idea was held by the ante bellum gen. tlemen about marriage good for man, but hard on the woman
 The dignity, selflessness and beauty of motherhood have taken on new meaning | by the raising and broadening of wom- | ans position. She is her husband 8 | friend as well as wife, they are together the friends of their children as well as | guides and supporters. The husband Is | no longer the lord and sole autocrat, as | was the case in the old days though | respect has it's place. A slight incident | nay Illustrate this: A lovely grandmother | of the old school heard her grand-daugh- | ter, recently married 70 young preach | CT, call her husband Bob" the name she | had used since childhood. My dear col h4 <&l1 IcI .l.-.