The Sentinel=record., 1918-05-01

Preliminaries to the opening Of The
Fourteenth biennial convention of the
General Federation of Women's Clubs
here yesterday were conferences Of
the state presidents, of the general
federation secretaries, and a council
meeting in the afternoon at which to-
pies which will arise in the general
convention We're informally discussed
by members of the convention. Mrs.
CQWles, president of the convention,
and Miss Georgia Bacon, first vice
president, divided time in presiding at
this council.
Principal subjects discussed by the
council were the inclusion of the de-
partment chairmen in the board oil
directors, the increase of the eXecu-
tive committee from three to seven
members; the enlargement of the pow
ers of this committee; the elimination
of the general office of federation sec
rotary; larger board of directors; the
purchase Of the general federation or
! gan the establishment of a service
office in Washington. The discussion
was limited to three minutes and con
clusiOns were not reached as no votes
weer taken.
The majority of the speakers
seemed to favor the inclusion of the
department chairmen in the board Of
directors. Because of the limited fl
nances, the majority of speakers did
not favor an increase in the executive
committee. Relative to the elimina-
ton Of the general federation secre e.
tary 1t was the consensus of opinion
that the state presidents lie the gen
eral federation secretaries. There
was about an equal division on the
question of a larger board of directors,
end with the question OF limited f.
nances entering into the situation it
is not indicated the board will be in
creased
The condition of morals surround
ing the cantonments was the chief
subject Of consideration at the meet
ing of the state presidents which was
held in the morning. The executive
board took up the subject of the es-.
enlistment Of a furlough home IN
France, and it was announced that
they had 100000 in the bank, and 800
600 on the way from Texas and an
other $4,000 reported from other
sources, making a total of 10000 OF
the $250,000 which must be raised for
this work
Mrs. Edward Phillip Linch Of Phil
adelphia. who is tho representative az
this convention of the Navy Recrea~
tional work secured recognition Tor
this new phase Of endeavOr when she
was given place on the music program
and invited to speak at the luncheon
next Friday Mrs. Francis Aida of the
Metropolitan Opera company is hon
orary chairman OF this department
and Mrs. Linch is chairman.
A number of the state delegations
held conferences in the various head
quarters about the hotels and dis
cussed the subjects that win come be-
fore the convention
There has thus far been a notable
absence of discussion of the politics
of the convention. Mrs Josiah Evans
Cowles, of Los Angeles, the present
president, is serving her first term
in the office. and there is the prece-
dent established that each president
shall have two terms. Delegates VINO
discussed this phase of the situation
yesterday were certain that there
would be practically an unanimous de-
mand OF the convention for Mrs
Cowles to remain the office for anoth-
err term, particularly since there was
so much new work before the or2ani-
cation which she had now well in
hand In the event Mrs. COwles should
refuse TO accept another term the
honor would most likely fall to Miss
Georgia A. Bacon of Worcester, Mass.
who Is now the first vice president.
With a large number OF war work
subjects before the convention, and