Arizona republican., 1915-08-08

Clyde L. 'Timberlake, editor of the Arizona Labor Journal and secretary of the Phoenix Trades Council. de clares that the wOmen's clubs of this country are dealing with re- suits, not causes.
 MT. Timberlake believes in straight from the shoulder criticism and just as frankly as he states the 'mis- takes" does he tell the club women how to right the wrong.
 There is perhaps no organiza- ton or movement which possesses the possibilities which are enjoyed by that composed of the women's clubs of the nation. It's field is un- limited, it's members countless, it's system excellent, the enthusiasm re- markable for it's intensity" he says.
 "I'he principles on which the movement is based and the motives which actuate it's work are laudabie and are worthy of the attention paid them. But it seems to me they are not sufficiently comprehensive. The scope of the work at present carried on is too limited. There is a vast amount of work to be done which best can be performed by d splendid working organization of women, such as we have right in the club movement-work in field which has not been entered by the wornen's clubs, except perhaps in rare local instances.
 T refer to the work of securing better conditions of life for women and girls not connected with the mOvement-the countless thousands who are but small parts of the great industrial machine of the country, and who are deprived of nearly all if not all social pleasures. because every moment and every cent must be given to an attempt to gain mere existence. It may be said this is entirely without the purpose of the club movement. But properly that is not true. The women's clubs should have for their object sex improvement-not merely self-im- provement." he asserts.
 There are among that class of women and girls many who would be found great lovers of art and music and literature if only their tastes could be developed-if only they could spare a little time from their struggle to learn to be appreci- ative, and had the means to develop their tastes and ability. Will any one df1y that the more people in the world interested in such subjects the greater will society be benefited? Surely that is true. else the women of the clubs would not be engaged in the pursuit of the study Of pictures. music and books.
 The women's clubs are making the same mistake as do the churches As the people of the lat ter think the wrongs of the world can be righted merely by the gath ering of the faithful in temples of worship for prayer instead of in teresting themselves directly in the problems of the day and working directly in industrial and social channels, so do the women in the club movement seem to think that the greatest uplift is to be achieved by an exchange of ideas in their meetings or the reading of the works of literary lights of perhaps centuries ago, or the viewing and criticising of works of art.
 These things are commendable. to be sure but the women's clubs with their splendid working organ ization could and should do much more. It is within their power to secure for their sex legislation mak- ing the struggle for existence less difficult; they could exercise moral influence, where legal methods proved insufficient, to secure bet terment of conditions which would make it possible for thousands and thousands of their sex, now deprived of such pleasures. to enjoy music and literature and art, of the study of which the members themselves realize the benefit.
 "Too many women read reports of commissions and investigators describing the shocking conditions in which working girls in some city or in some factory are found to be living, then fold their hands and remark complacently that surely the statements must be congregations, and that. anyway, they are glad such conditions do not exist in their home cities. That is mistake. The problem off the working girl right in Phoenix is greater than most people suspect and some time if is going to cause a crisis in the industrial and social life Of the community, just as it already mas brought about a crisis in the llVes of many individuals.
 "The women, l say, are Iargely responsible for these conditions. They have not created them, 1t IS true but it is within their power to improve them. They refraln from doing so either because of selfishness or of misconceptlon or the work which the clubs should do I prefer to think it is the latter. I would not accuse the women or the clubs of being selfish-I cannot