New Britain herald., 1915-08-24
MRS. BROOKS TO AID
 NATIONAL DEFENSE: On National Committee of Wom-
 ans Section of Navy League APPOINTMENT IS HIGH HONOR

SDdFk OI fdJFlOCISu1 dllI hCSp ke
 Burning-Prominent Society Wom-
 ell Associated in Movement.
 Mrs William F.. Brooks of 48 High street, this city, has been appointed a member of the national committee Of the Woman's Section of the Navy League of the United States to or gan1ze the local work of that body ln arouslng the women of the United states to the necessity iE the present days of strife and peril to work for the ends of patriotism and national defense. She will act in conjunction with body of more than a thousand Of the most prominent women in every section of the United States, numbering among them Mrs. William Cumming Story, president general of the Daughters American Revolution; Mrs. Daisy McLaurin Stevens presi- dent general of the Daughters of the Confederacy; Mrs George Dewey Miss Anne Morgan, Mrs. Phoebe A. Hearst, Mrs. Thomas Edison, Mrs. Alexander
 van Renssaeller, Mrs. George Lauder carnegie, Mrs. Grace M. Pierce, reg lstrar of the Daughters American N~S'oAuIlOl, MrS. Augustus r. Gard- 1ner,, Mrs. Medill Mccormick, Mrs
 Ralph Beaver Strassburger, Miss Julia Marlowe, Mrs. Ella Wheeler Wilcox,
 Mrs. George Lauder, Jr., Mrs. Edgar LOCKWOOD and host of others.
 Mrs. Brooks is the wife of one of Connecticut's most prominent archi- tects and landscape artists. Her home on High street has frequently been the scene of delightful society events. Mrs. William Cumming Story was enter tained at the home of Mrs. Brooks on the occasion of her most recent visit to this city.
 Working for National Defense.
 The Woman's Section of the Navy League is the first and only woman's Organizatio in this country working for the cause of patriotism and na tional defense. It was organized by number of patriotic women in Wash ington whose husbands were mem bers of the Mems Navy League, who thought that women ought to have some part in the national defense movement exclusively their own. The section's call to the women of Amer ica to rally to the cause of patriotism instantly struck a responsive keynote in the hearts and ina agina tions of the patrOitic women all over the cOun- try, and the section has spread like wild-fire. Letters have been received from prominent women all over the country, enthusiastically endorsing the league, and memberships have been pouring in at the rate of several thou sand a day. At present, although the work has been in progress only little more than two weeks the section has ton md and enthusiasm runs high.
 . Time for Women to Act.
 Tt is time that the women of this country freed themselves from the stigma of standing for peace at any price, lack of preparedness and na- tional cowardice, and rallied to the standard of patriotism and Ameri- canism, as did their mothers and in 1776 and 1872" says a typical letter from Miss Grace M. Pierce registrar of the D. A. R. American women today are like the women of every other country, the fountain head of true patriotism, true courage and true nationalism. The spirit of Dolly Madison, Martha Washington and Nancy Hanks still lives in the land. When the test i comes American women will tell their i husbands and sons to go serve their i and come back with their : shields on them just as bravely and i just as cheerfully as did the Spartan 1 women ages ago. 1 am with the new I movement for patriotism and i national defense heart and soul, and 1 think that such movement should have been started long ago."
 Endorsed By Leading Women.
 Among others from whom enthusi- astic letters have been received are Mrs. George Dewey, Mrs. John A. Logan, wife of Gen. Logan of Civil war fame; Mrs Mary A. Lockwood, founder of the D A. R.; Mrs Douglas Robinson, sister of Theodore Roose- welt, and Mrs George Lauder Car negie. The Woman's Section hopes before autumn to pledge one hundred thousand women to think, talk and work patriotism, Americanism and na- -ional defense. To that end it is send ng out printed pledges to women all over the United States. When these pledges are returned signed they will pc attached to a monster petition to for national defense. By the ime Congress assemblies the section hopes to be able to present in the le1ghDOrhOOd or nal1 a million signed pledges from women for national de- ense.
 Magnificent Pageant Planned.
 The WOman's Section also intends to give a gigantic, patriotic national pageant in Washington in the fall, and las offered a cash prize of $100 for the most acceptable scenario, the scenarios o be judged by committee consisting If David Belasco, Julia Marlowe, Col ieOrge Harvey, Mrs. William Cum