The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-13
MOTHERS CLUBS OPPOSE
Five MILLS SCHOOL TAX
Central Trades ana Labor Council
Receives Committee and In Ad-
dressed by Mrs. j. L. Sptcrs.

Receives Committee and In Ad-
dressed by Mrs. j. L. Spicrs.
At a meeting of the Central Trades
and Labor council. held last night IN
Labor temple. for the purpose OF re-
ceiving the council committees re-
~ ssss ~ e. Z. -
committee from the Federation OF
Mothers clubs, which is opposed to
the ffve-bills levy for city schools
were received. Composing the COM
mittee were Mrs. j. b. Spiers, Mrs.
Frank L. johnson, Mrs. A. }. was
serstein, Mrs. III. l.. Whitlock and Mrs.
w, A. Burrows STATE Labor Commits
sioner John Hirschberg, one-ume
president OF the Central Trades anu
Labor council, also were presentt
Upon invitation of President W ifite,
Of the council, Mrs. Spiers addressed
the. meeting. Others who were IN
yited to speak were Mrs. Burrows, Tor
mer president of the Federation OF
Mothers clubs and vice-chatrman OF
the Chtlds Welfare department OF the
Wonlan's Branch OF state Councii OF
Defense, who spoke on the sup1ect
OF shortening the school term ana It's
probable effect on the money ear nina
power OF the child; Mrs. II. l. WHIT
lock-, ex-president of the F'ederatiop
of Mothers clubs and eA-teAcher.
who spoke from the standpoint OF
the mother and the teacher and as
to the general effect of the change
in the methods OF raising the schooi
revenue, and Mrs. Wasserstein, OF the
Valentine Ruffer Mothers club, who
spoke In support Of resolutions pre-
scented. Mrs. Spiers' address follows.
Represents Mothers and Teachers
Mr.. chairman, and members ana
friends Of the Trades and Labor coun-
ell:
II consider 1t the highest privilege
of my life thus far. to come before
you as a representative of the motners
and teachers of the public schools, DS
right of my position as chief execu,
tive OF the Federation OF Motners
clubs and Parent-Teachers associa-
tions. II / magnify my office It is
because realize that II Ia the mothers
and teachers Of the coming genera
ton, more than any other in the
world, who have 1t in their power 10
sweeten or to embitter the sup OF lie
which Is held to the lips of humanity.
and because l know that 1t Is in their
hearts to sweeten the cup, and TO pre-.
vent It's enlightenment.
Yes, / represent the women whose
claims to distinction rest, not upon
the achievements of a past and gone
generation, but on the indbputable
fact that they have done, are doing
and must do the fundamentally neces-
sary work of the world-the Womaniy,
child bearing. home-naking work.
And / know that am speaking TO a
ns>Jry yar
classes that do the most fundamen-
tally necessary, manly labors of
society; I am speaking to those who
have 1t In their power to sweeten or
to embittsr the cup Of life to all
womanhood. just as we have It In our
power to sweeten or to emoitter the
cup of life to all manhood. And l
know that 1t Is in your hearts 10
sweetan and not to embitter that cup:
ID Il not wise for US to seek mutual
understanding and cooperation on
every question that confronts us!
Men the GAthercrs.
Men are the gatherers. the systena-
Tiers. the explorers. the discoverers-
Women are the utilizers, the correla-
tors the beautifiers, the distributors.
Is II not folly for US to ignore one
another in any matter In which we
are equally concerned7 Why DO We
organize ourselves into groups? TO
obtain the power OF collective thought
and action. That power may be used
wrongly or rightly II it Is used TO
promote the material prosperity OF
any class to the exclusion OF that OF
other Glasses, it il used wrongly. If
hi Ia used to promote the welfare OF
all classes and conditions OF men, II
Is used rightly.
This organization has stood for the
!enfranchisement OF women. winch
means the restoration to womanhood
OF the duties and responsibilities
which were ancientiy hers. put wn,cn
modern cooperative industry has re-
moved from the home. Every man
who believes in the acknowledgements
|of women tacitly acknowledges that
he needs our help to make the world
what 1t ought to be and can be. HOW
precious that acknowledgment Is TO
my eek, IL hard to express. our
longing for the vote, our OrEAniza-
ton into Mothers clubs and Parent
Teachers association. 10 simply the
conceto manifestation OF our longing
that our husbands and children feel
the need Of us, not only to bear ana
rear, to nurse and feed ana ciotne.
but to realize their highest and hottest
locals, all AhkO0Ah 0A0sA ANS~s 49,
the cradle to the grAve--nO. to the
gates Of heaven, and beyond.
Ideals Result Of Education
Now the resolutions which nave
come before you TO read and to sup
port and to ask your endorsement for,
furnish, simply an infinitesimal Illus
tration to point what have been say
ing. In O book recently read was
this statement: There mover was .
clesh OF swords without first clash
OF words, there never was . clash
Of words without first . clash OF
ideals.
at seems to me that this ID the
most terse, comprehensive and empha.
tic illustration OF the importance OF
education. that have ever heard or
read. tremendous educational prob
lems confront our chAnging civilixa-
ton. II il going to take all the
fatherly wisdom and all the motherly
love in the world 70 solve them. In
exact proportion rs fatherly wisdom
ana mothetly love are Of imperfect, VIC
shall biunder and make mistakes. We
must, be patient. hopeful. moderate
htA IN my IHeUNAndn AND