The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-25
final Fight AS
D. A. R. CLOSES
Mrs. Draper Would Transfer
Historical Sketches to So
ciety's Library.
WILD DISORDER REIGNS
Proposition Sidetracked After Fierce
Debate. in Which Mrs. Story Up
holds Ideas of Amendment.

final factional battle, accompanied
by. the usual verbal pyrotechnics, yes.
terday featured the closing session OF
the twenty-fourth annual congress OF
the Daughters of the American Revo-
luton.
The fight was precipitated by the in
PRODUCTION of a proposed amendment
designed TO limit the duties of the
historian general to the preparation
for official publication by the society
of historical and biographical sketches
or the revolutionary ancestry of men,
bers and of distinguished women OF
the revolution.
Mrs. story Wants 1t Passed.
The amendment was offered by Mrs.
Amos G. Draper. of the District dele
cation, who explained that it would
remove from the custody OF the his
torfan general all books pamphlets
magazines and manuscripts OF histori-
cal interest and would place them in
the custody of the librarian general.
The proposition was opposed by a
number Of women who presented a docu-
ment setting forth arguments against the
proposed amendment Mrs. William
Cumming Story. president general, char
acterized this document "one in which
all ethics are violated in endeavoring to
prejudice members of Congress against
resolution before it has been pre-
scented"
For nearly an hour the women dis
cussed the proposition. which eventually
was sidetracked. Mrs. Draper declared
the amendment was designed solely to
prevent duplication of work Mrs
George Thatcher Guernsey. of Kansas.
unsuccessful candidate for president gen
eral. entered the debate
The widest disorder reigned. There
fnr
all the confusion Mrs Story tried to
make a speech herself. The official par
Humanitarian had to be called in several
times to straighten ou- technical tan
giles.
Another feature of the closing session
was the reading of the report of the |
committee on peace and arbitration by |
Miss Janet NJ. Richards. She said the !
present militarist attitude might be char
acterized as: In time of peace pre-
pare for war: in time of war prepare for
heH. She made an ardent plea for an
international police force and an inter-
national supreme court.
The closing session was called to Or
der by Mrs. Story. Rev. DR.. William c.
Calender read the Scripture and offered |
prayer. Mrs. Story thanked the con-
gress for the work accomplished and for
the numerous gifts made for the liquida-
ton of the debt on Memorial Continental;
Hall.
Mrs. Charles B. Bryan. of Tennessee.
offered an amendment to the constitution
extending the term of office of the presi-
dent general from two to three years
without reelection. Mrs. Draper pro-
posed a four-year term without re-eIec-
ton. Action on both propositions was
deferred until the next annual congress- |
Mrs. Story. president general. will
remain for fortnight probably. at
tending TO the business of her office.
Tomorrow morning she will hold the
hrst meeting of the new national
board. The appointments of commit
tee chairman will not be announced
for some time yet. as the president |
general will proba bly, not name them
for ten days at least.
In the midst of an important discus
sion yesterday afternoon, a communi-
cation from John Barrett. director gen
eral of the Pan American Union, was
read. asking il there would be a ses-
sion of the congress last night. I'm
mediately, feathers bristled and heads
shook. at the idea of any one asking
such a question. A rather saucy mes
sage was returned to Mr.. Barrett that
il he would state why he wanted to
know they would endeavor to make an
answer.
His reply came in fifteen minutes, and |
;reated a different atmosphere. Mr. Bar :
rett commended the daughters for their .
work in reducing the debt on their fine /
hall. the purchase the piece Of land l
the hall. si,d for their charm r
ng neighborly qualities. In closing Mr.. !
Barrett remarked that he wished to aid
he daughters in their purchase of the
lew land. and thereby contributed one
hundred feet as a gift. The daughters c
heered and gave him a rising vote Of C
hanks. /
The society will visit the Panama n
'acihc Exposition on September Is, "a, I
nd Is. which to be known as d. A. r a
lays. They voted to accept Mrs Phoebe p
iearsts invitation to visit her place on t
special train TO be provided by her on p
he day which will best suit them. b