The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-29
WOMEN TO EMPHASIZE
PREPAREDNESS NEEDS
Great womens Naicaai Defense Con-
ference to he Held In
November.
WILL MEET IN WASHINGTON
women's Organizations Are Raliying
Against what They Declare "Fooi-
ish OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES to
Menace.

washington. Aug. ga great Wo-
mans national defense conference, the
FIRST of its kind ever held, Is planned
by the woman's section of the Navy
League for about November Is, -
be held in Washington. The confer
ence will probably be held In Memo
rial Continental Hall. the national
headquarters of the d. "A. r. Mrs.
William Cumming Story, president.
general of that organization, and
many of her followers are prominent
in the womar's section of the Navy
League.
The conference proper is to serve
the double purpose Of meeting FIR
permanent organization of the wo-
mans section Of the Navy League and
as a means Of influencing Congress
and impressing upon Congress the
needs of the country for adequate
defense. Members of the national ard
State committees and delegates from
the local chapters In every State III
the Union will be invited to at.end
In the morning session reports from
these committees and delegates viii
be taken up and progress Of the work
In all sections of the country will be
discussed.
Hear Prominent Speakers.
In the afternoon session prominent
speakers will address the asserlblase
on subjects of national defense and
the part women ought to take in OBJ
tanning H. Among those who viii be
asked to speak will be Secretary CT
the Navy Daniels. Speaker Champ
Clark, Represe NATIVE A. p. Gardner
of Massachusetts,: George Won L.
Meyer, former Secretary OF the Navy;
the Rev. DR. Lyman Abbott, Mrs o.
III. p. Belmont. Mrs, William Cum
ming Story and other presidents Of
womens organizations who are serv-
ing on the national committee OF
the woman's section; Mrs. John A..
Logan. widow OF the Civil War gem
eral; Miss Julia Mariowe, GenevieSe
Champ Clark Thompson. Mrs. Mary
s. Lockwood, chaplain general on the
D. A. r., and Mrs. farks Fisher, Of
Morgantown, w. Va, sister of Rear
Admiral Schley.
The woman's section passed the If
teen thousand mark in membership
during the past week and hundreds
of new members forwarded their
pledges and letters. A gratifying fea-
Iture is the progress of the section In
meeting at the summer social colon
les. At Newport, Mrs O. III. p. Bel
mont and Mrs. Gibson Fahnstock have
volunteered to take an active part in
Inc WORK ana secure SignAtuTeS ana
membership pledges of prominent
women spending the summer there.
Mrs. c. Vanderbilt Cross and others
are performing the same patriotic
duty at Bar Harbor and the work OF
canvassing the other social summer
centers In being carried on by enthus-
iastic members.
Waking Up To Menaces -.
| During the week many enthusiastic
letters of endorsement and support
have been received from many prom
inent women.
/ Mrs. Sarah f. Fulton, Rochester
New York. president of the women's
Relief Corps, one of the strongest and
best known of the organizations,
wrote:
| Il know that IL our entire MEM
bership of one hundred thousand pa
triotic American women are within the
sound of my voice each one would
| sign the membership pledge"
| Mrs. Moncure Robinson of Phiia-
delphia wrote:
| 81 do not need a new pledge as
have been preaching against our
foolish unpreparedness for nSny
years. l am glad that women are al
Fleast awake to Its menace and hope
they will now help to undo the great
harm they have caused by their short.
sighted peace propaganda In the past.