Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-24
Presidents Daughter Honored
at First General Session
of Convention,
GOVERNOR AND MAYOR
TO WELCOME FEDERATION
Members From Forty-Eight States
Gather in New York-Luncheon
and Reception.

NEW YORK, May 24-Miss Margaret
Wilson, daughter of the President, will
be the guest of honor at the first gem
eral session Of the convention of the
General Federation of Women's Clubs
this evening. Gov. Whitman and Mayor
Mitchell will welcome the clubwomen
on behalf of the state and city. Mrs.
Percy V. Pennybacker, the federation
president, will preside. Welcomes from
the organizations which are the hosts
to the visiting women will be given by
Mrs Alfred II. Hildreth. president of
the state federation; Mrs. Benjamin
Prince, president of Sorosis, and Mrs.
Eugene J. Grant. president OF the city
federation. Other speakers will be DR..
Katherine B. Davis. Mrs. Carrie Chap
man Gait and Mrs. William Grant
Brown.
One OF the most imposing social
events accompanying the convention
was a luncheon given here today by
guests at this affair included wives Of
cabinet ministers and foreign ambassa-
doris. Mrs. Thomas Marshall. wife OF
the Vice President Of the United
Boardman. Mrs. William H. Taft. Mrs.
Theodore Roosevelt. Mrs. William J.
Bryan, Mrs. Charles E. Hughes, Mrs.
Charles S. Whitman, Miss Margaret
Wilson. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait. DR..
Anna Howard Shaw. Lady Aberdeen.
Mrs. Thomas J. Preston and others
nearly as distinguished.
Mrs. Cowles Not at Luncheon.
The fact that the name of Mrs. Josiah
| Evans Cowles, CALIFORNIA; candidate for
the presidency Of the federation. does not
appear on the list of guests. while Mrs.
Samuel B. Sheath Of Tiffin. Ohio. the
opposition candidate. was invited caused
much comment in womens club circles.
The situation was explained by Mrs. Will
liam Grant Brown. chairman OF the local
biennial board. who said that no slight
to Mrs. Cowles was intended or given.
Mrs. Sheath, she said. was first vice
president of the federation. while her
rival was not an officer nor a member
or of the local biennial board. in whose
honor the luncheon was given.
The convention opened yesterday with
brief meetings Of the department chair
officially announced that delegations arc
here from forty-eight states. The last
to arrive were those from Maine, Massa-
chusetts, Florida and Maryland.
Mr.. and Mrs. Edison Receive.
Immediately after the business meet
ings the board members, headed by Mrs.
Pennybacker and Mrs. William Jen-
nings Bryan, accompanied by more than
500 delegates. left in special trains for
Orange. n. J., to attend reception
given by Thomas A. Edison and Mrs.
Edison, one Of the leading club women
of her state.
The Edison home could not accom-
modate the throng and many of the
visitors stood outside in the rain, watt
ing to be presented. After the recep-
ton the inventor delivered a brief adj
dress on suffrage and preparedness.
When he had finished the guests sang
The Star Spangled Banner"
The visitors to the city have been es-
corted to hotels and boarding houses,
without incident, by reception commit
tees assisted by Boy Scouts. Prepare
tons have been made to entertain many
more delegates than have arrived. A
list of "donts'' sent to women's clubs
throughout the country, warning dele
gates against possible perils that might
beset them in the metropolis, was cited
by some members of the local arrange
ments committee as factor in keeping
down the attendance.