Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-19
BAKER SPEAKS HERE
AT LEAGUE DINNER
War Secretary and Mrs. Kelley
to Talk to National and Local
Organizations Thursday.

''Forerunners of governments was
the tribute paid To the Consumers
League and similar organizations ny non
Newton ID Baker Secretary OF war, ~
the annual meeting in Baltimore year
ago of the National Consumers League;
Then his address to this great natioiiai
organization, of which he has been the
president for several wears, WAS war
challenge Industrial Liberty III war
time" On Thursday night al the
Hc.al lu Pont shc Consumers League
of Delaware wut entertain the National
Consumers League at its ninteenth
annual meeting. but this time MIR. Baker
brings timely message OF peace
The Post War World; Sharing the
Responsibility for Industry.
MIR. Baker had just completed his
second term as mayor of Cleveland when
his sincere belief in the principles OF the
Consumers League made hun Wiling
TO accept the presidency of the national
body. Then come his appointment rs
Secretary of War and the National and
State Leagues feared that OF necessity
his interest might be transferred entirely
10 his new and great responsibility
But instead he not only rs continued
to serve as the league president but rs
Secretary of War has been able to apply
10 lIlt manufacture Il dliiN tittlliiiS 'AiN
principles for which the league has stood
for nore than twenty-five years Nat
urallv this was done with the active
assistance Of Mrs Florence Kelley.
General Secretary OF tie \;tlo "l
Consumers League and when the Board
of Control for Labor Standards for Army
Clothing WAS established. Mrs Kelley
gave large share ii her time and
energy to serving aS it secretary.
Through tins Board Of Control and for
the first time since the Civil War, the
manufacture of the clothing for our
soldiers was taken out of the slums OF
the East Side of New \ lork City and
was done in sanitary factories under
conditions which safeguardcd the health
ii our soldiers: and also 80 that Tor
lnce Al least, the government oi the
United States assumes the character
of u model employer IN a vital industry.
To this work Mrs Kelley brought not
only her nineteen NearS 81 experience
A. secretary Of the Consumers League
with lis victories for fair Standards IN
industry but her practical experience
gained As factory inspector III ILLINOIS
and as Investigator OF tenement house
conditions in the slums Of Chicago
Mrs Kelley is we'll known in " lining
ton, having been here several tunes III
the last few wears, but possibly many
of her friends fail to realize how large a
part she has PLAYED III making the ideals
held by a relatively small group when
the first c Consumers, League was or
ganized in 1890 the accepted realities
Tor 1918 During these months and
wears of war We have heard much Of the
Second Line of Defense. of men and
women who, laboring IN munItion plant,
>hipyard and factory, have stood back
of our bows in the trenches That women
in this huge industrial army have had
the government protection gwen by
State and Federal authorities i due in
large If not full measure ia the work
both educational and leglsla tive, done
bv the National Consumers League
under Mr. kelley's leadership and with
the cooperation OF the State and Local
Leagues.
Not the least active OF tines state
leagues las been our own Delaware
Abranch which for nearly twelve wears
las worked to educate our people to the
.nnessitv for, and then 10 put upon our
Ita0u.t books. laws for the protection
OF the working women and children q
Delaware--the Child Labor, Ten Hour,
Sanitary and Mothers Pension laws
This week Wilmington owes the Del
aware League q special vote Of thanks
for inviting the National League ia
hold its annual meeting III our city, th1s
giving our citizens the opportunity oi
welcoming 10 Delaware the Secretary
OF War and OF hearing his timely message
with regard to the reconstruction
period upon which our country
Is entering. While primarily for Con-
sumers' League members, the public
Is urged to avail itself Of the opportunity
to attend the public dinner At the Hotel
du Pont al 0 clock Thursday evening
and to hear the addresses to be given
bv MIR. Baker andMrs. Kelley Partl
lIlars may be obtained from Miss South
wick, secretary Of the local league. at
her Office in the Public Library Building.
Friday, the 22d, will be devoted 70 an
all-day conference on the work Of State
and local leagues. a more detailed pro
gram for which viii appear later. All
members of the league as we'll a. Others
interested III it, aims and activities are
urged to attend the morning and after
noon sessions III the parlors Of the Hotel
du Pont.