New-York tribune., 1919-09-16
International Conference
Will Be in Session for
Six W k Debating
Means for Betterment
l6Delegates From Abroad
Health, Love and Marriage.
Are To Be Discussed as
Aftermath of the War

A higher health standard for women
and better understanding cf the prob
lens OF love and marriage will be the
central subjects for discussion at the
international conference of women
physicians, which held its initial ses-
sion yesterday at the Young Women's
Christian Association. 600 Lexington
Avenue Sixteen women from foreign
countries and siXty-nine from the
United States were present, and others
arc expected within a few days The
conference is 10 last six weeks.
Dr. Anna l.. Brown, chairman of the
programme committee. made the chief
address, outlining the aim of the con-
ference She explained that the war
had EN- mphasized to doctors the ills in
the social system and led them to be-
lieve that no longer IN laws. but in a
new attitude or the part of the public,
lay the only solution OF the problems
Physical Strength Needed
women physicians saw" she said.
that the ignorance of women in mat
ters Of So. and their lack of under
standing their own emotional i'm
pulses VI Sound up with their phv
sical we. esses. The whole rela-
ton of " IN TO the marriage prob
lem and u the economic and social
problems OF the day is to certain ex-
tent q problem Of health, for women
too often believe themselves physically
unequal 20 independent economic life
and so submit to unhappy marriages.
Even III the business world. women
are the victims OF their own delu-
sions. They cling TO the antiQua-ed
idea that they are less strong than
men. and so meesly accept smaller sal
aries ard less responsible positions,
feeling that their health is not equal
TO demands o. the higher positions.
Even when woman knows from her
own personal experience that she is
JUS IS strong as Z man. she cannot
enforce her lights because Of the de-
.1slcn OF weaker sisters all about
her
We must make women physically
strong before we can solve the pro
blems u modern industrial. political
anc soca. fife. That will te the aim
q this conference. Al the end of our
sx weeks oi study together We shall
arrive II some definite conclusions
which viii be made public Until then
We are merely exchanging ideas and
nothing finite can be PUBLISH ed
Outgrowth of War Work
Tie conference is an ou.growth of
tn Wc'e 0t 're J Aoung Woren's Chris
~, Assoc .t.on in guarding the wei
'are .folng g-rs IN the cantoNment
tow Ire return o. the soldiers
lrcr -nl..rr countries made the
problems Do-D r. Glrncuit, and it was
Icai-ei t-a- no permanent solution
could be attained until the people Of
a. countries h1d arrived at universal
Star cards The United States govern
men, however. advised the Young
Ncmen's Christian Association that
any attempt 10 study these problems
abroad might be misunderstood, so
American women doctors issued the
Invitation 10 their foreign colleagues
- come 10 this country for confer
erce.
Among the women Of foreigr coun-
tr.es are many who have distinguished d
themselves during the war in the field
and n civilian hospitals, where they
assumed control in the absence OF the
men doctors with the army. DR.. Anna
Moutet. OF Lyons, France, an expert in
radiotherapy. IS mead OF the Hotel
Dieu. the largest hospital in Lyons, as
result OF her work during the war.
No Husbands for Them
There is great increase in the
number of women medical students in
France since ne var She said yester-
fat The young women Of this gener-
'o1 know Two hing aosolutel y:
FIRST that they oarnct marr., since
heir -OlnE men ale dead, AID, second,
rat tney must do the work of the
ration for the same reason. The great
confessional schools have become CO.
educational. and girls VINO before
IcokeS Onlv toward marriara or the
aonvent are now taking up the pro-
.esslcns"
DR.. Mary Gordon, government in
and and Wales, who served with the
I'd Serbian Army, said that crime
among women in England had de-
creased during the war, due chiefly to
prohibition, she thought. Bigamy how
ever. had increased, owing to the great
boating population IN the munitions
shops. With the menace Of alcohol
carncd and proper understanding of
sex problems become UNIVERSAL she
SAID she believed crime would be en-
urcly q medical problem, one for doc
tors not courts.
Attending the conference are two
doctors from South America, three
from China, one from Russia. five from
Switzerland two from Sweden. four
rom Norway. one from Holland, four
rom France. three from England,
three from Denmark, and seven from
canada. All Will be invited TO speak
and contribute TO the debates.
The delegates will be taken on week
END trips 10 many famous medical in