New-York tribune., 1920-02-07

Hiss DIR. Grant;
Reject League
Jecrs and Laughter Greet
Ascension Rector's Name
as Speaker Defends Him
at Federation Meeting
Welfare Bills Denounced
Delegates Are Told Women
Workers Would Be Barred
FromCompetingW WithMen

The New York City Federation of
Women's Clubs adopted resolution
attacking the women's welfare bills at
Its fifty-frst annual convention yester-
day at the Hotel Astor. The women
also refused to indorse the league of
nations, and they expressed their feel
ings about radicalism in general by
kissing the name of the Rev. DR.. Percy
Stlckney Grant
The episode in which DR.. Grants
name figured lasted only a minute. but
that minute was sufficient to bring the
ofilcials of the organization to their
feet in horror, crying "Hush!" and
making stern GESTURES to the noisy 500
delegates.
Pastors Home Jeered
Mrs. Lillian Sire, Democratic po-
lltlcal worker, started it all by intro
ducing resolution advocating the APP
pointment of public defenders in
courts. She presented long list of
prominent men. who, she said Endorsed
the principal, among them DR.. Grant
Her reference to the radical minister
of the Church of the Ascension stirred
the great gatheri to Kisses. jeers and
laughter.
Mrs. Sire stood her ground, and
declared she admired DR.. Grant very
much for the stand he had taken. A
rett Hay, chairman of the New York
City League of Women Voters, rebuked
the women for "emotionalism" and be-
sought them not to be stampeded
intellectually in the trying times
ahead of the nation.
The action Of the convention in he
welfare bills was complete reversal
of its attitude of year ago, when it
indorsed the bills as presented to the
Legislative Conference. Last fall at
the semi-annual convention a vote. on
the bills was prevented by strategists,
who introduced a resolution forbidding
the convention to discuss controversial
matters. The Lockwood and Sammis
bills regulating the hours of women
employed on elevators and street rail
ways were referred at that time to the
federatlon's executive board. Ycster
day the board reported in favor of
repeating those bills.
Mrs. Frederick Nathan, chairman of
the Consumers League, led the fight on
the floor in behalf of the welfare bills,
but it was a losing fight from the very
beginning. Miss Beatrice Brown, of
the League for Equal Opportunity, op-
posed her.
The president of the federation, Mrs.
Harry Lilly, served notice in her an
nual report that the ban on controver-
Sial matters was Off when she said:
Our enfranchisement having been
accomplished, we can no longer escape
responsibility for the enactment of per
nicious legislation. We can no longer
run to cover under the cry of mo poll
tics in the City Fed Our duty IS clear
as an organization of educated intel
ligent American citizens. We must
rise in condemnation of what is wrong,
irrespective of the party whose plat
form it represents and Enthusiastically
and publicly register our opinion
Not Wanted by Workers
Miss Brown spoke against the well
fare bills (the eght-hour- day and mini
mum wage for women, and health in
surance bills), attacking them on the
ground that they prevented women
from competing with men in the labor
market and said they were not de-
sired by working women.
The vote on the league of nations oc-
Cured in connection with a resolution
which advocated the appointment of
woman as one of the three represent
ing the United States in the general
assembly of the league, eff it is rati-
fed, with or without reservations"
Mrs. William D. Sporburg, vice prcsi-
dent of the federation, moved to amend
the resolution to make it include an in
dorsement of the league of nations.
The amendment was lost, however. The
convention then carried the PROPOSE
tion about the woman member.
The guests and speakers of the con-
vention were DR.. Max Schlapp, who
discussed the problem of mental de-
1iciency, and Dr. John L. Elliott, who
talked on "1s the Average Woman a
Good Citizen?'
His answer to this question was
"No"
The following women were elected
directors of the federation: Manhat-
tan, Mrs. Marcus NJ. Marks and Mrs.
Dudley Van Holland; Brooklyn, Mrs.
r. c. Talbot Perkins; Bronx, Mrs.
Amanda Costello; Queens, Mrs. Clinton
3. Smith, and Richmond, Mrs. William
II. Bunker.
e.. 7