The Washington herald., 1915-12-13
By MARY MARSHALL,

BY NARY MARSHALL.
After the war is over there Is going
to be biz club movement among the
women OF France and other European
countries" Mrs. Edward B. Clark. prcsi.
| dent OF the Twentieth Century Club. told
me In the course of a conversation had
with her at the Hamilton a day or so
ago.
! Even before the war started the club
movement had started in a small way and
then. of course. all activity save that
which centered about the war was i'm
mediately arrested. In their war relief
work, however, the women of France
| have shown the most wonderful spirit
] OF corporation and. though they were
hampcred to begin with perhaps because
they had no systematic organizations al
| ready created as We would have in our
club organizations in this country in case
| Of any national emergency, still II WAS
not long before they got into working
order. Now in their. work shops. in their
| relief work throughout the war zone
they have a splendid organization. And
after the war they arc not going to for
get the value of organized effort
Mrs. Clark is better able probably than
! any other woman in Washington to speak
on the club outlook in Europe because
! Of her visit to the war zone last spring
and summer with her husband. Mr.. Ed
ward b. Clark. the well known war CORE
spondent.
Through my husbands work as a
correspondent" Mrs. Clark told me. Il
had unusual opportunity to become
familiar with the work that the French
women are doing and Of seeing the enor-
nous work that yet remains to be done
throughout the war-devastated sections
OF the country, especially throughout the
Champaign district Of the Marne Valley.
There the war had played such great
havoc that the government despaired OF
doing anything to restore homes for the
people till after the war was over. The
problem seemed almost impossible. But
through the work of the English Quakers
the little homes were rebuilt and then
through the work of the French women
and their we'll organized work. shops the
task Of providing furnishings for these
little dwellings or ''maisonettes" was be-
gun. Only the barest necessities Were
required and one small cottage could
be furnished for but twenty dollars"
Then Mrs Clark went on to explain
how she went to work to secure the CO.
operation OF women of America in this
work Of furnishing the '.maisonettes"
and how at that point the fact of her
Club greatly aided her In her work.
In this country We have the organiza-
tion all ready for the emergency. I did
not have to make a plea for help simply
on my own authority, but by interesting
the members of the French section of
the club was Immediately able to start
work backed by the name Of the
Twentieth Century Club"
And. by the way. members and friends
NJ the Twepffefh Capfnry CInt,
ing forward with pleasure to hearing
Mr.. Clarke talk about his experience In
France tomorrow night under the
auspices of the club at All Souls Church.
And there will be small mite boxes rep
resenting one Of these small maisonettes.
waiting to be furnished. ready for those
who wish to save their small coins for
the purpose of relieving distress of the
peasant folk Of the Marne Valley. These
little boxes may be obtained from Mrs.
Clark by any one who is interested in
helping in this worthy charity.
Changing the subject from the question
of French relief work. which is very
dear to Mrs. Clark's heart. j asked her
whether or not she was a suffragist.
Indeed, I believe In votes for women.
I am a member Of the woman's WASH
ington council. but personally am In
favor of any suffrage work that ac-
complishes results"
DO you think that most club wom-
en- are sunragists?" I asked her.
Il am not prepared to make very
broad generalizations on the subject"
Mrs. Clark answered. But 1 believe
that club women are largely suffra-
gists in sympathy. I believe that edu-
cation is the greatest factor for max
ing a suffragist. The more women
understand the problems Of the day.
the more they understand civic mat
ters. the more likely they are to be
suffragists. The society butterfly.
who has everything that she wants
herself and who has never stopped to
think very much that there are other
women who are not so comfortable
and well provided for as she is. could
not be expected to be in favor of the
reform. She Is too well on Just as(
things are"
You believe very strongly in the
value of club membership for. every
woman. do you not?" I asked; and
Mrs. Clark's answer was. as expected
II would be. in the Affirmative.
Il believe that the woman who is
all right in her club Is pretty apt to
be all right everywhere else. The
idea. Of course. that club life takes .
woman away from her household
duties In exploded. But Q woman
should not belong to toe many clubs
Personally 1t Is all I can do to do
what want to do in one club. though
zee no reason why women should
not affiliate themselves with other as
sociations and charities In which they
need take no active interest.
TN my opinion the woman's club
should aim At special service more