The Washington herald., 1920-04-20
D. 4. r. Head Hits at Irish Agitators
In This Country as Being Un-American
In Address at Opening of Congress

plot her in the interest of that part
of the Green Isle which gave them
birth.
"Americanization." said Mrs
Guernsey, lis a development of a
new spirit OF liberty, involving a
release from old habits and customs
and the introduction OF a new mode
OF thought"
Hear Onlcers' Report.
The afternoon session was devot-
ed to the reading of reports of ma
tional officers, ard though the pro-
gram was an extended one, inter-
est in the messages coming from the
various department heads of the or
ganization was maintained at a high
pitch and the hall was crowded
throughout the session.
Mrs. Guernsey, in reviewing the
work of her three years in office.
concluded by announcing three
resolutions which she submitted TO
the resolutions committee. which
will report its action at a later ses-
sion of the Congress.
These three resolutions are:
That the NatioRal Board of Man
agement be empowered to negotiate
in behalf Of the National Society of
ID. A. X. loan of s200:000, for the
erection of an additional building
or buildings on land owned by the
National Society in the rear of Con-
tinental Hall. to facilitate the
proper management and conduct OF
the organizations affairs.
Wants Executive Manager.
That the twenty-ninth Congress
authorize the employment. of a
trained woman to serve as eXecu-
tive manager, whose duty it shall
lie to carry out the policies of the
society, as formulated by Congress
and the National Board of Manage
ment. and supervise the business OF
the society as conducted at Memor-
ial Hall.
That the Congress give special
vote of thanks to the members OF
the organization and of the clerical
force who have done much to fur
ther the work of the d. A. Il. in its
Washington headquarters.
The announcement of the pro-
posal to erect a new building TO
house the business offices of the
d. A. r. did not come as a great
surprise to the members. 1t has
been more or less generally under
stood for some time that the pres
ent home has been Inadequate and
ill-arranged to conduct the grow
ing business of national headquar-
ters.
In submitting her resolution, the
president general made plain that
the need of an office building
planned and equipped for office pur,
poses was imperative.
This present building of ours il
a beautiful temple of patriotism. OF
which We are all proud" she said
but 1t is not arranged convenientl,
to carry on the volume of business
of the character necessary in q
society that has attained such pro.
portions as ours"
In explaining the reason for tn,
second resolution, providing for al
executive manager, the point wa
brought out that during the pas
three years several of the officer
have given practically all of theil
time to the direction and manage.
ment of the business part of thu
society. This has entained tn,
abandonment of ahjost all hom,
and social life.
The story Of the real progres:
of the ID. A. r. came with the re
port of the registrar general, Mrs
Grace NJ. Pierce, who reported tha
during the past year a record wa!
established with the admittance Of
9,2S1 members. In addition to these
admissions, 2,061 supplemental pa
pers have been verified during tn,
year. making the total of paper.
examined and verified reach 1892
the greatest number ever handled
in any previous twelve months o
the society's history.
-Four years ago" said Mrs
Pierce. there were direful predic
tions of a future decrease in mem
bership. When the great war be
gan, wiseacres shook their head.
and foretold a loss in existing mem.
bership and a great decrease in
new applications. But to the con.
trary. our organization is a liv.
ing demonstration that patriotism
Is abroad in the land and that the
most popular pastime in the coun.
try today Is to prove ones descent
from the patriots of 1776."
The admission to membership be.
Monday following the last congress
with the small number of 125. Ir
June, 1880 were admitted: October
LILO; December. a few less thar
1000. and over 1900 in February
At the board meeting on last Sat
urday the greatest number admit
ted at any one time was reached
total Of 2,746.
During the past three wars a0 0no
papers. original and supplemental