New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-21
4 CORPORATIONS
lust Mrs. HEATH
She Runs All, Charge at
State Inquiry Into House
wives League.
SOUP ENDORSEMENT
CAUSE OF SPLIT
Women Forget Shopping and
Flock to Hearing Growing
Out of fractional Fight.

Mrs. Julian Heath, president Of the
Housewives League. who is accused by
New jersey insurgents OF being the
Invisible government" Of the organi-
cation, did not take the stand yester-
Gay when an inquiry into the corpora
tion was begun before Deputy Attorney
General Leonard J. 0bermeisr, at 29S
| Broadway. Mrs. Heath 10 accused or
accepting moneys for services rendered
and Of otherwise operating the cor
porstion for personal gain. She seemed
ready enough to testify in her own be-
half, but her counsel-Leo Stern and
Martin Lippman-would not permit her.
Until some specific act Of misconduct
is brought out by the testimony Of the
eomplainants witnesses" they said,
I'VE shall not allow our client TO take
the chair"
Housewives from both factions
focked to the hearing as they would to
q bargain counter, and Christmas shop
ping was forgotten. Mrs. Florence
/ Yocum, of the East Orange local of the
| New Jersey League, which, IN turn, Is
g member Of the national organization,
was on hand, but will not be called 10
the stand until to-day. 1t was on her
4 complaint that the affairs of the league
we're brought to the states attention.
Members Get No Reports.
She AYERS that the books Of the cor
poration are closed 10 the members
and that no reports on finances or any
other information can be obtained by
them. Mrs. Heath denies all the &C
cusatlons.
Frank Mckinney, attorney for the
complainant, called Mrs. Heath 10 the
stand four times yesterday afternoon,
but she would not go: Mrs. Chauncey
Marsh. of Montclair, was his most i'm
portant witness.
A letter from Mrs. Heath 20 mem
bers OF the New Jersey League indors-
ing a certain brand of soup, which, II
was said, had placed an advertising
contract with "The Housewives Maya
zine" was introduced in evidence. This
circular letter, sent out broadcast and
signed with Mrs. Heath's name, was
the cause of the present trouble. Mrs.
Marsh testified that she and other mem
DeTS OF lne ltdk ue AHASuNSANN ~ 'N''b"
IL such letters were sent.
"Why. that's not Advertising MIS-
Heath had said in response to their
complaint, that's indorsing.
Mrs. Marsh also testified that when
members asked Mrs. Heath for a copy
# the constitution she said: IF you
want a copy of the constitution, go to
Albany" When Mrs. Heath was asked
who were the members Of the board OF
directors of the national association
she refused 70 tell them, Mrs. Marsh
| said
Before indorsing food products the
{ National Housewives League asserted
[ they were submitted to chemical tests.
Mrs. Marsh said that she and members
Of her branch had tried to get Mrs.
Heath 70 name the chemists. Some
are in Chicago, some in other places,
was the only answer Mrs. Heath would
give.
Head Of Four Corporations.
Il developed that there are four cor
porations Of which Mrs. Heath is the
president and moving spirit. They are
the National Housewives League, Inc.
New York, January, 1879; House
wives League Magazine, Inc. New
York, December, 1922; National
Housewives League Educational Com
mittee, Inc. Delaware, July, 1910, ana
the National Housewives League, Inc.
New Jersey, June, 1879. Of these
the New York corporation is the only
membership corporation The COM
plainant alleges that the three other
/ corporations are trading on the name
/ Of the New York corporation, and that
/ Mrs. Heath and other directors Of the
/ New York corporation, guided by her,
have arranged this complex structure
/ for their own financial advantage.
! John Curtis, vice-president OF the
magazine, and a member Of the Atlas
/ Advertising Company, stated that the
magazine had circulation Of about
/ $4,000. Asked where the figure $780,
| 900 members Of the Housewives'
/ League" printed in the magazine, had
/ come from, he said. "Mrs. Heath"
/ Curtis also said that Mrs. Heath was
down on the books for $50 g week
/ salary, but that the magazine did not
/ pay, and she did not collect, and that
1 II owed her In back salary about $4,000.
During the intermlssion between
morning and afternoon sess Ions. Mrs.
/ Heath had all the chairs and tables in
| Mr.. Obermeier's library rearranged so
that there would be moro room for the
audience. This caused one woman 10
remark
That's like herl That's the way
she does everything She's got TO be
the boss"
Mrs. James 9. Caroway, formerly
vice-presdent OF the league, testified
that no one could learn anything about
the number OF members belonging to
the league. The best she could make
the figure was 5000 to 1000, she said.
But Mrs. Heath put the figure at 250,-
/ 600, saving. according 10 Mrs. Caroway,
that business men would generally
. understand this number"