Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-10-29
FEDERATION ASKS
Mr.. BAKER TORES|GN
Woman's Body Resents Utter
ances Regarding Soldiers
of American Revolution.
WANT PRESIDENT TO ACT

Resolutions demanding the immediate
rotary of War. for his remarks compar-
ing the American revolutionists and
the Villa followers, and demanding
reputation of the speech by President
Wilson were adopted by the District of
Columbia Federation of Women's Clubs
at a meeting held yesterday afternoon
in the New Ebbitt House.
The action came after a spirited de-
bate, in the course of which political
discussion was absolutely barred.
There was a display Of much feeling
at the meeting, and at time Kisses
greeted the remarks Of speakers when
there was any attempt to uphold the
Secretary Of War.
When the federation convened. Mrs.
Court F. Wood. president of the fedora
ton, was prepared for the impending
storm. She Immediately announced a
number of rules to govern the discus
sion, apparently with the intention of
pouring oil on the troubled waters.
Mrs. Wood warned the members that
they must confine their remarks abso-
informed them that any political dis
cussion whatever would not be toler-
ated, as it was absolutely barred by
the rules of the federation. Any speak
er attempting to inject political dis
cussion at the meeting would be i'm
mediately raped down by the gavel,
she said.
only two minutes would be allowed
each speaker, and then no speaker
could address the gathering more than
once.
First Skirmish Opens.
The first skirmish began right there.
Mrs. Wood was asked by what author
ity she limited the debate, and she re-
marked that 1t was her preroGative.
But to make sure, she said, she would
entertain a motion to limit the debate.
The motion was made and received the
Endorsement of the members. She SAID
she didn't want repetition OF IDEAS,
and two minutes was enough TOT any
woman to say all she had to say If
she got right down to the point and
didn't have a long preamble.
Mrs. Lucy Swanton. who led the hSht
against the adoption of the resolution,
wanted to know who was to say what
was political discussion and what was
patriotic discussion, when Mrs. Wood
responded that any one ought to De
able to distinguish between the two.
but that in case of doubt she would
submit the point to the federation.
Mrs Swanton Immediately moved the
tabling of the resolutions. This
brought them up. for discussion and
the debate was limited to forty-fve
minutes.
Mrs. Ball Reads Clipping.
Mrs. Isabel worrell Ball produced a
clipping from a New York paper and
read what purported to be report or
a. conversation over the long-distance
telephone between Secretary Baker
and a reporter for the paper. in which
the latter obtained from the Secretary
a confederation of his New Jersey
speech in which the original remarks
were made
The corroboratiye story explained that
the Secretary of War not only admitted
the truth of his original remarks at
Jersey City, but SAID that tne saHie
conditions applied to the men VINO
fought in the civil war. Before Mrs.
gali could get into a discussion OF the
question her time expired
Mrs. Swanton said that if the things
which Secretary Baker said were done
bv our forefathers really took place, they
were forced to do it, and that the women
of today should uphold them. She SAID
that it was impossible to believe that
man with the education OF the secretary
Of War would make such remarks IL there
was not ground for them.
al don't think Secretary Baker would
make up les" she said
Asserting that she did not believe it was
becoming to any one to cast asperslohs
such as those which brought about the
American revolution, Mrs. August Knight
said that the women of England or OF
France, or any country now engaged in
the European conflict would not thlhk OIL
doing such a thing.
Mrs. Lockwood Interrupted.
Mrs. Belya Lockwood said that the
federation had no more right to ask
President Wilson to discharge Mr..
Baker than it had to hang him. Then
she attempted to point out that the
American revolutionists did what Mr..
Baker said. when there We're Kisses
from one part of the room and cries
that she was not talking to the ques-
ton, whereupon Mrs. Lockwood sat
down.
Suggestions that the federation at
tempt to get denial over the sigma
ture of Mr.. Baker stopped when Mrs.
Wood inquired:
DO you think we could get it?"
The motion to table was lost, and Il
motion to adopt the resolutions was
Is to II.
When the resolutions were adopted
Mrs Swanton and those who had been
her in her fight to prevent
their adoption Immediately left the
Substance of Resolutions.
The resolutions, after quoting the
part of the speech to which exceptions
were taken. follow:
The resolutions assert that there can
be no reasonable doubt as to the inten-
ton to characterize the patriots w'o
followed Washington from Bunker Hill
to Yorktown as thieves, church Iooters
and disreputable characters generally
and demand the immediate resienat ion
of Newton d. Baker as Secret nv of