Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1920-11-19
FINLAND LADIES
ROYAL HOSTS
Entertain Americans During the
International Council Meet
ing in Christiania, Norway.
(By Mrs. Geo. w. St. Clair, who was
present at the meeting.)

TOSSlDly CHe llTSC QucSClOn tndC Iii,
come to many is, what is the Inter
national Council of Women? 1t i.
federation of National Council:
formed in various countries to pro
mote unity and mutual understanding
between all associations of womer
working for the common welfare oil
the community. The bond of unior
between the organizations who form
the International Council springs
from the belief that the best good
for humanity will be secured by
greater unity of thought, sympathy
and purpose in an organized move
ment of women to conserve the high
est good of the family and state; SC
the women of many nations banded
themselves together in confedera-
tion of workers to further the ap-
plication of the Golden Rule to So
ciety, custom and law, "Do unto 9TH
ers rs ye would that they should do
unto you"
The formation of the International
Council Meeting was due to COM
ipany of earnest American women
who, after consulting with friends in
England and France convened an as
sembly at Washington in 1888 to con-
slider the possibility of organizing
international and National Councils.
The council was formed and meets
every five years. After many trials
and adjustments, the first quinquen-
nial meeting of the International
was held in Chicago with Mrs. Faw-
cett, its first president; Miss Clara
Barton, of the Red Cross Society,
vice-president and Mrs. Foster Avery
rs corresponding secretary. At the
same time Miss Frances Willard was
made President of the National Coun-
Gil of America. The second meeting
of the international was held in Lon
don, the third in Berlin in 1904, pre-
sided over by Mrs. May Wright Sew
all, President, at which time she re-
tired and the Countess of Aberdeen
was elected President and has re
manned in Office through the fourth
meeting in Canada until this last
meeting in Norway when she resign
ed.
National councils of twenty-eight
different countries, SO far, compose
the international Council and these
Councils and Considerations of soci-
eties-not individual workers, such
as federated clubs, art, music, liter
ary and civic, the Y. w. G. A., and
oOWlSn U0l1d IllC
Maccabees, the only organized insur-
The President and nine delegates of
each National Council compose the
international Council.
Perhaps the most practical results
of the influence of the International
Council can best be traced through
the work of the National Councils.
oh r.
. been instrumental in breaking down
prejudice and in promoting mutual
understanding and charity between
and of providing center around
which all who desire to labor for the
good of humanity can unite. 1t has
already spread correct information
about woman's work, its needs and
opportunities, has prevented the null
tiplying and overlapping of organiza-
tions for kindred causes, has given
women workers opportunity of wild
cning their knowledge, and of in
creasing their faith and charity by
interchange of views and personal
touch and through united effort and
representative influence has been able
to help local, municipal and legisla-
tive bodies in reform and adminis-
tration of laws bearing on women,
children and the home. 1t further
pledges iA3elf to help advance the
movement towards peace and arbi-
tratiop, to collect and disseminate in
each country full and accurate infor-
nation on the subject of laws which
concern the legal position and gcner-
al welfare of women, to promote in
every possible way the movement for
Improvement of public health, to give
special attention to questions of ed
ucation, to study questions of emf
grafton and immigration with refer
ence to women and children, to Sc.
: cure inclusion of women on all au-
thorities dealing with public work,
to advocate efforts being made to
enable women to obtain power of
voting in all countries where q rep
resentative government exists, to
combat "white slave" traffic, and to
urge National Councils to cooperate
with every effort in their own coun-
tries for its suppression and in sup
port of the principle of an equal NOR,
al standard.
1t was to this international Coun-
Gil Meeting in Kristiania, Norway
that the President of our National
Council, Mrs. Philip North Moore
and its nine delegates and alternates
and thirty guests from federated or
ganizations composing the u. S. A
Council went primarily and taking
advantage of the occasion, spent two
months sightseeing, going from
Sicily through Italy, Switzerland
France, Belgium and their battle
fields, Germany, Holland, Denmark
England, Scotland, Sweden and Nor
way, where we spent eight days al
the convention, and the, remaining
time visiting the fjords, glaciers ane
the country.
1t was while at Kristinania tha-
tcrtain the American ladies at tea i,
order to express their gratitude fol
our help during the war. I wish
could picture the scene. AS we en-
tered the door of the beautiful salol
of the Grand Hotel we were gracious
VI yrYn