The Sentinel=record., 1918-05-02

NNO-N IN / En- ft(OM IANrE / WIZ
as an organization, that we may fully
do our part in winning this war for
humanity.
( In presenting a report of my stew
ardship for this biennial period, / ana
imbucd with a spirit Of optimism born
OF that courage that inspired our pio-
neer workers, less than a generation
ago, 10 lay broad and deep the founda-
tons of the General Federation OF
WCmen's clubs
For what have We been training all
:hese years. why have we been learn
ing to keep step. standing shoulder to
shoulder even marking time? Why has
ereaf voluntary organization Of
women, with branches in every state
and in other lands, quietly grown to
membership of about two and a haT
million? Surely, Il will not tax the
, credulity of the careful student of
great movements to believe that there
has been a proyidential purpose in this
development
The following tele2raphic message
sent to the President of the Unite1
states February 20. 1918, made
known to him the attitude Of this Vol
unteer army, viz: The General Fed
GRAFTON of Womens Clubs stands 10Y
ally behind the government 1t is our
desire to serve the nation to the best
of our ability
The Womau's Committee Of the
Council OF National Defense WAS ap-
pointed Tor the purpose Of co-ordind
ting the organized lorces Of the wom
en- of the country in order to Secure
greater efficiency in defense work fJr
the Nation. One Of the first decisions
reached was that comprehensive reg
istratieu of women should be taken
and that organizations contemplaUr2
registrations ae asked TO suspcn3
them This request was laid before
, the Executive ami Business Commit
tees and it was the unanimous opinion
| that the General Federation OF W m
ems Clubs plan for certified rc--
istration be suspended This action
| " de ifl ls4 ttQ ~ l4AF w OlllN4l > NRAAA
mittee and | turned over to it a care
fully worked out plan and data that
had recently been submitted at the
New Orleans Board and Council
meeting by our Relationships Com
ImitCee There are now branches o.
this Woman's Committee in every
state about one hundred and fifty
women's national organizations are
cooperating The work is being car
ried on through eleven departments
which are nearly parallel with th1se
of the General Federation of Won
ems Clubs, every one Of which should
command our constant and efficient
cooperative support
Under the Child Welfare Depart
ment in cooperation with the Ma
| tional Chidrcns Bureau "A Chill
dren's Year" vas inaugurated Apri
9th This is an outarowth and en-
largement OF the l916-1917 Baby
Week Campaigns of the General Fed
GRAFTON of Wemen's Clubs and the
Chldrens Bureau, and should at once
enlist the moss cordial support of the
clu1Women in each state. To assist
in saving the lives Of one hundred
thousand babies in one year pre-
sents an opportunity for service to
which no woman should turn a dear
ear
When the General Federation plan
for registration was given over to
to the Women's Committee of The
Council OF National Defense. there
naturally went with it the Plan for
organizing the state units. The mem
beers of the Committee were active i'm
promoting Red Cross and Food Con
seryation work, as we'll rs in the SAFE
Jf LIBERTY Bonds A Military Training
Camp was held for the women Of the
Gulf States, which included Red Cross
First Aid instructions, lectures on
Bacterioloel, Hygiene, etc. Rifle
Practice Signal and Semaphore Drills,
etc Funds were collected for Bel
eian Armenian and Syrian Relief
Because of rapidly shifting ana
changing national conditions. it was
deemed wise to discontinue the Emor-
gency Service Committee and estab~
fish a service office in Washington
For years the General Federation Of
Womens Clubs has had close rela
tions with many # the DEPARTMENTS
of Government The need for closer
affiliation has become very apparent
You will recall our aim. "To prevent
the dinintegrati,n OF the home anC
the lowering OF the standard Of living"
and the two great objects that were
presented at the Council Meeting
in New Orleans a few days after our
nation entered the war: First to be
of our utmost service in the time Of
need Second, and quite as important
to keep alive in every community the
sense Of law and order, the security
of the permanent elements that must
rebuild society when the tumult of
war is past
Our utmost service is to help win
the war All Of our departments are