Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-11-16
ESSEX MEMBERS
ATTACK LEAGUE
OF HOUSEWIVES
Demand Probe of Methods of
National Society Headed
by Mrs. Heath:
PURE FOOD" CIRCULAR
HELPS START TROUBLE
Soup Endorsement and Alleged
Request for "Ad' Basis
for Inquiry.


movement yesterday that has for it's
object an investigation of the affairs
Of the National Housewives League.
This is an organization with re-.
ported membership of 800 900. The To-
cal women visited the headquarters
of the league at 25 West Forty-flfth
street. New York. and asked permits
sion to look over the records. They
were refused.
One of the reasons for asking for
an investigation was an Endorsement
of a brand of soup. This was sent
out to New Jersey members on sta
! tionery of the National Housewives
League over the signature of Mrs
Julian Heath. She is the founder OF
the organization and also is its presi-
/ dent.
| The New Jersey women wanted to
know why such publicity should be
given to particular brand of food.
was any truth in the charge made
by an East Orange man that the ma
| tiona1 headquarters of the House
wives League had refused to test a
certain brand OF baking powder un-
less It was advertised in the leagues
! official magazine.
A meeting of the New Jersey
! Housewives League will be held
Thursday afternoon at the Y w. c.
A.. this city Representatives from
every State branch will attend. The
matter Of the control methods of the
national organization win be dis
| cussed. This afternoon the constitu-
ftionai committee of the New Jersey
| League met at the home of Mrs.
lChauncey II. Marsh, of Sunset Park,
! Upper Montclair. A report will be
drawn up and presented to the gath
ering Thursday.
/ The committee which called at the
national headquarters asked permis-
sion to inspect "the membership lists,
11ist Of affiliated clubs, financial rec
ords, and all other records connected
! with or relating to the adnlinistra-
tion of the National Housewives
League. the executive committee or
board OF directors IN the party We're
! Mrs Rose Hotehkiss Sargent. of New
] ark {. Mrs. Jennie Coutrell. president
| Of the NewaiK branch of the league,
and Mrs, Helen =. Marsh. president
of the Montclair branch. They said
| they represented twenty-five branches
/ of the league, practically all there are
/ In New Jersey
| Mrs John YoeuIn, of East Orange.
| Is president of the New Jersey State
Housewives League. Letters have
been sent to members of the league in
| the circumstances which have led to.
| the attempt to investigate the
leagues affairs.
The letter said there seemed to be
uncertainty IN the minds of many
| members of the league as to the rea-
son for calling two constitutional con-
lventions. This action was taken at
| the annual meeting OF the New Jersey
branch of the league, October %.
The letter states that the investiga-
tion which followed disclosed there
| are four separate corporations, or
ranized in various States, each Acon-
tanning as part of its title the words
housewives League"
The sienersss
Those who signed the letter are
Helen e. Marsh, Alice nj. Dyke. Flea
| nor B. McElrath, Mary Lee r. Coz
/ hen, Anne Scribner Hard, Barbara
Walther, Maud K. Goldschmidt. Isa-
belle p. Thomas and Eva II. Eastman,
| all of MontclaiF; Florence Yognm, An
mice Jordan and Mary p. Douglass OF
East Orange; Rose Hotchklss Sargenl,
Jennie Contrelle, Clara G. DisDrow
| and Annie w. Savage, Of Newark. and
Annie G. Adams and Mary Sxidmore,
LOT Summit.
one of the things that have infiu-
epced the members of the New Jer-
sey League to start an investigation
lof the affairs of the National House
wives League was a letter from
EGeorge Dowding' Of u Minans ssreeL
Montclair branch This letter was
dated November s, 1915. In it Mr..
Dowding tells of the baking powder
! test and advertisement proposition.
Mrs. Fulton, secretary of the ma
ltional organization. said yesterday
| Mr.. Dowding was mistaken IN SAVING
he had been told be must adverIlse
in the Housewives League masazine
! n he wanted his product tested.
II say most positively that | never
made such O. statement to him or to
ANYBODY else. If my memory serves
| me. the reason given to Mr.. DoWalng
FOR not taking up, his product for
analvsis was that he stated that It
contained an ingredient which barred
/ 1t from our list of indorsed FOODS,
/ Another reason given by the New
Jersey insurgents for wishing to
!, know more about the manner in
which the affairs of the league are
tconducted at Headquarters is the as
Isertion by a former member of the
lexecutive committee OF the national
organization that its members are
| figureheads and under the complete
donination of the president of the
national body
truth and Morality.
I'VE stand for absolute truth and
morality in he work. said Mrs
| Marsh, president OF the Montclair
| branch and chairman of the consti-
tutional committee of the New Jer-
sey Housewives League. today.
1--WE make no accusations or per-
spnal remarks. but we believe that all
pure food products should be en-
[dorsed by the league.
"If the State league disappreyes OF
1.-THE national constitution. the re-
lporter asked Mrs. Marsh. will the
Organization brask away from the ma
ltional league?"
II have nothing to say in that di-
rection," she replied.
.Do the New Jersey officials feel
| that Endorsements have been con-
ferred on the various products ac-
cording TO the financial support they
| gave the national headquarters7 ?"
! asked the newspaper man.
LAS to that cannot say, said the
| Montclair official.
Does 1t not appear that way :. he
| asked.
Yes: that appears to be the case,
| was the answer.
Mrs. Yocun. president Of the New