Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-03
". C. 7. U. HOLDS INTERESTING
and Instructive MEETING ON
TIMELY SUBJECTS N. A,

TIMELY SUB!
The meeting OF the W. c. T. u,
held this afternoon at the Assembly
room at the "Y" with Mrs. Peters,
the president In the chair was I'M
usually interesting. After the OPEN
ing hymn, and the devotionals con-
Quoted by Miss Anna Beale. and the
business disposed Of the meeting was
given in charge Of Mrs. Ernest Nc
Lean. who had prepared = special
program. The subject was 1.-THE
Conference on Limitation Of Arma-
ment Now in Progress at Washing
ton," namely: "The Foreshadows of
the Limitation Of Arms Conference"
by Mrs. Mclean: 1.-The Significance
Of the Armament Conference" by
Rev. Howard Brown; women and
the Disarmament Question" by Miss
Anna c. Beale.
Mrs. McLean's address proved .
very timely one and called sharp
attention to the significance OF the
arms conference now In session at
Washington. Quoting the Prophet
Joel she reviewed sacred history and
it's relation to other events down
through all the centuries. Rev. Mr..
Brown followed with an equally in
teresting address with some telling
figures on the cost OF the war and
the present burden it entails on the
people.
Miss Beale. the last speaker Of the
afternoon spoke as follows:
Mrs. Anna BcaIe's Address
Some one has said if women
hadn't had the vote we would not
have had the district conference
Mothered by women as well as
fathered should bring definite results
Women should be more convinced
than ever in the attempt to limit ar
maments, war nurse says.
The reason is summed UP in the
burial of the unknown ON Armistice
Day.
November "a. 1918. In New York,
a few days after the signing OF the
armistice, President Wilson was
urged, in a, resolution passed by the
National American Woman Suffrage
association. to include woman
among the peace plenipotentiaries, or
at least in the peace delegation.
1t is hardly too much to say that
public opinion hooted at the idea.
The request apparently received no
attention. and American women, en-
crossed in the final lap of their
struggle for suffrage, took little or no
interest in what went on in Paris
What did happen in Paris? The
Peace Treaty and League Of Nations
were virtually man. made affairs.
However, a small group OF French
suffragists were stirred to action. In
December, 1918, 1t was my privilege
to introduce the president of the
French Suffrage Union to Colonel
House. of the American mission. The
upshot was that an interview with
President Wilson was obtained and
an inter- allied conference of women
called for February 10. The date was
set thus far ahead to permit dele
gates from the American suffragists
to arrive. but none were even ap-
pointed.
However, d hearing on April 10,
before the big committee framing the
covenant of League Of Nations was
important. The women's sugges-
lions, which they had drafted and
with:
Equal opportunity for women.
2-DegradatioIi of women in back
ward countries.
3-Woman suffrage.
Am International Bureau of Hy-
giene.
5-Education.
1t is further said that the history
of woman's influence on the Wash
ington conference has led to the ap-
pointment iby President Harding OF
four women on the advisory COM
mittee of the American delegation:
Mrs. Chas. s. Bird, Mrs. Thos. G.
Winter, Mrs. Eleanor F. Egan and
Mrs. Katherine p. Edison.
In Washington, two groups OF
women have been urging a disarma-
ment or reduction and the two
groups of women mos, active are
Women's Committee for World Dis
and the League OF Wo-
men Voters.
It is significant that Miss Gordon,
president of International w. c. T. u,
presented the secretary of state a Pc
tition with over 100000 signatures
and expressing gratitude that the pres.
ldent had called a conference on the
of armament, and prayers
that the fundamental purpose may be
achieved. The petition was more than
a mile in length and wound in rolls, |
and tied in white ribbon.
Mr.. Hughes, in his capacity as chair |
man of the American delegation to the !
said: This petition. of |
l99.531 names. each signed individual !
~. and including appeals from national !
organizations representing a |
combined membership Of 2.506,eS4; ex-
presses the gratitude Of these womsh !
10 the president for calling the confer |
ence on Limitation Of armament. It
ambodies the hopes and prayer OF the |
Of the United States. OF all Or
CARNATIONS, and Of all faiths, that l
such conclusions shall DO reached by |
he conference as will mean success
Tor its fundamental purpose. Tho
program given to the con-
ference by you on November II has /
net with wide acclaim by the entire |
world. We pray this keynote may be
by the conference in har.
nony with the prayers of those whose