The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-06-15

/ manner or It's delivery, yet tense
throughout with patriotism OF the
highest degree, was made Thursday
evening by. DR.. Kate Waller Barrett,
whose home is at Alexandra, Va.
national president of the Florence
Crittenton Home association and u. s.
| government appointee to investigate
industrial conditions both in this
country and abroad. The meeting,
which was quite largely attended, was
held at the DR.. 2. M. barrow, home,
Eighth street south, in lieu of an
available hall. All who went felt more
than repaid by the inspiration and
clearer outlook which they received in
regard to the war situation. Mrs.
Barrett is a speaker of unusual charm
and force, and unconsciously reveals
in her every utterance the long years
Of splendid public service which she
has rendered in one way and another.
Lauds Reconsideration.
Having been asked to choose her
own subject, she began by saying that
for her part, she was most interested
! in internationalism. Mrs. Barrett is
most emphatically not an admirer Of
the term, magnificent detachment"
sometimes formerly applied to the
United States. Detachment. she con-
siders, is very provincial. IF we are
not willing to take our stand, we and
our boosted civilization deserve to be
wiped off the face OF the earth" she
declared. I'VE have been enjoying
prosperity all these years; we cannot
stand aside from the rest of the world,
but we must pitch in and do our part
in preserving our yaunted civiliza-
ton" Incidentally, Mrs. Barrett be-
lieves in compulsory military service
the same as she does in compulsory
education. Rights against duties must
be balanced" she affirmed. Cleverly
illustrating mine" and ours" she
summed up their definitions thus:
greatest good for all; mine ends in
the prodigal son. So it must truly be
our country"
Mrs. Barrett has for a long time
been interested in internationalism
from a woman's viewpoint. Il have
many times wondered how long II
would take men to become as inter
startling remark IF there were moth
ing else to bring the women Of the
world together, motherhood alone
would do it, in a way not compre-
hended by men. Mrs. Barrett has been
a, leader in the national council or
women for years, and as such mas
attended many international meetings.
by means Of which the women or as
many as twenty-seven countries al
one time, have been able to touch
hands and unite their interests. He.
description of the international Coun-
Gil of Women's meeting in Rome In
1914 was a graphic one. Not ripple
resulted from religious or other com
plications, she related with pride.
There are not over a million women
in the American national council
Mrs. Barrett said she was most Tor
chilly struck later by the contrast
between the harmony of those women
of many nations and what was then
going on in the hearts Of the men VINO
are the leaders in their countries, Tor,
she declared, there is no doubt that
the present war had its foundatlons
laid long before, that deliberate plans
for it had been made by Prusslanlsm
for years previous"
Can't Understand German Women.
Possibly I've looked at this war, as
regards women, from a dlnerent
viewpoint than some" said Mrs. Bar
rett. because of the intimate asso-
citation l have had with German, Aus
TRAN and Hungarian women. In no
way pro- German, unless deep. sym,
pathy with the suffering nothernoo9
of that country could be interpreted
as such, Mrs. Barrett still paid a
high compliment to the intellect OF
those women and to their progressive
ness in many ways. One OF the latter
ia their well developed plan for COM
.pulsory service for women as Wen as
compulsory military service Tor tne
men. their thorough systematlzlng Oh
everything being in a large degree re-
sponsible for their success so 1ar.
"Rut" she continued, 81 never could
understand a German woman, even IN
peace." their tolerance of certain
characteristics of the German men
being the occasion for this remark.
German men," she said, are so enor-
mously nice to everyone but their own
wives" and related a story 10 prove
her point Her contrast with the nom
age paid American women. even Whlle
she admitted objections among her
own countrynen, evoked hearty
laugh from her audience.
"There is seyerty-fiv per cent less
waste in Germany than in the allies
countries. The German womens SELL
control is beyond praise, and while
have no sympathy with either German
methods, or, government there Is
valuable lesson to be learned IT FesaIo
" Price Demanded Of All.
Mrs. Barrett feels personal duty
kAenly. She considers this her own
war and well she may, for she has
a son in the United States navy, does
not even know where he Is now, as
he is under sealed orders; mas also
given a grandson to her country, ana
q daughter (wife of a British ofticer),
who for more than. a year has been
driving an ambulance in London. Mrs.
Barrett was one of the ten selected
to 90 to Europe with the Ford peace
marty. and fundamentally is opposed
II war. but, she affirmed" this war
has got to be fought to finish. EVERY
one has got to pay the price demanded
or him or her. Ancestors COST US
nothing, that's one reason why we are
SO proud of them. Descendants are
costly from more viewpoints than dol
lars and cents" Mrs. Barrett herself
is descended from British ancestors
Including both tories and revolution
ists was raised in Virginia, Is the
daughter or a confederate soldier, and
4 rebel to the backbone, as she laugh
ingly boosted. Although but child
she rendered service in the Civil war,
nut degpite her confederate ancestry
has been signally honored by the w.
Must Go Back 70 Manual Labor.
zone of the best things that are COM
Ing ont of this war, and there are
many in sight she averred, lis that
we are all taking stock of ourselves.
believe that this will be reflected in a
lifferent standard for women. She
by telling how a wealthy
md hitherto helpless Boston woman,
10 far as useful service was concerned,
g operating her own field kitchen In
Virginia. "This woman is learning
hat war means personal service and
sacrifice, and l tell you IL we're going
% be real Americans We've got to go
oaek ia manual labor That brings