The New York herald., 1921-10-02
WOMEN OF British
ISLANDS INDORSE
DISARMAMENT AIM
National Conference Finds
Other Ways to Serve State
Than in Motherhood.
SINGLE WOMEN NEEDED
They Are by No Means Super
fluous, Asserts Countess
of Selborne.

of SelbOrne.
Special Gable to THE New York HERALD
Copyright, 1921, by THE New YORK HHRALD
New York Herald Bureau.
London. Oct. 1.
Determined that women can serve
the state in many ways besides mower
hood. 700 delegates in the annual con-
vention Of the National Conference OF
Women Of Great Britain and Ireland
have just passed resolution, with
only nine dissenting voices, calling for
disarmament throughout the world and
expressing the conviction that great
armies, navies and other weapons OF
warfare are a direct menace to peace
Rnd impose intolerable burdens on the
taxpayers.
Then, the same afternoon, score of
the delegates were escorted through
the vickers armament works and
passed half an hour studying the en-
gines Of warfare which they had con-
demned. Later, at tea, the vickers
guides took them to task for adopting
the disarmament resolution and told
them they had lacked clear thinking;
that armament was absolutely neces-
sary for the protection of the empire.
They declared that the armament mas
ters could save the country and that
increase of armament was the only
way to avoid war.
The delegates, while drinking the
FIRMS tea. were prevented by the spirit
CT hospitality from replying, but one
of the nine dissenters at the morning
session Of the conference expressed COM
plete agreement with the armament
masters views on the ground that she
wanted her son protected. The delegates
kept silent during tea, hut afterward
they told her that her views were too
personal.
While motherhood offers fine oppor-
tunities in moulding national types, sin
gle women are all needed for other ac-
t,vfties and are by no means superfiuous,
according to the Countess of Selborne in
her presidential address on the opening
day OF the convention.
Advantages of Single Women.
'This problem Of superfiuous women
seems to be affecting certain elderly gen
tlemen, but we women do not regard our
position as serious one," she said. "It
js fact that single women with no one
dependent on them can earn their liv-
ing more easily than can their brothers.
To the man a far greater number OF the
worlds prizes are offered, 1t is true. but
II he Is incapable of acquiring these, the
simple everyday bread and butter is
more likely to fail him than his sister,"
She defended the cause of the So
called 100000 superfluous women in
England and told the women present
there was nothing for them to worry
about. She advised them to let the men
do the worrying about womans cause.
while the women themselves continued
10 work and to progress in ever growing
fields of endeavor.
I'VE are far from the point where
any one can speak or able bodied wom-
en- as superfuous," she declared "The
world needs our services in great many
other capacities than those Of wife and
mother. At present England does not
lack mothers. The nation is increasing
satisfactorily-too fast If we are con-
nned to these islands. Indeed. we are
increasing fast enough to provide colo
nists Tor our dominions as fast as these
colonists can be absorbed.
perhaps women can best serve the
state as mothers because they mould
national types. A baby takes the forms
oil IDEAS OF patriotism. justice. religious
aspirations and national loves and ha-
usos rom tne seeds sown by the woman
80 80 onarse of him. Let us welcome
ui~ wiser understanding. But at the
same time the state needs woman in
other capacities. Woman must be large
~ counted on to inspire a desire for
cessation or war and violence.
Let US make ready for a BROADEN
ing OF interests and for greater tolerance
OK the ideas OF other nations R,,t Iet
us still hold fast to the standards onr
mothers held and handed down to us.
and keep our national spirit as firmly
and as finely as they did,"
Got Both job and Husband.
Speaking on the subject of woman
diplomatists Lady Frances Balfour said
II was talking to an elderly statesman
recently. a pure fossil. one of whose
relatives. woman, had in spite OF his
theories done brilliant work in connec- !
tion with the peace treaty and In tho
East. told him that this woman was
a refutatfon of his fossildom. He said
II she had remained at home she would |
have left the place open for man who !
could work for her
y lave since heard that this woman |
while In her Eastern post met another
t-stinsuished civil servant and they are |
about to be married. So 7 think i will |
turn the tables on that man and say |
Had she stayed at home how could she |
have marriedY"
Lady Frances said that since opinion /,
in the East was largely influenced by |
women It would not pe bad to have one |
or two women diplomatists there.
Mrs. James Cow caused laughter 1
among the delegates when she remarked
I'VE have heard much of equality treat /
fnent. but is there any way of getting
equal civiIity from women behind post |
nq3ce counters?"
the Bishop of Sheffield, preaching be-
fore the delegates. said that the |
position and outlook OF women
had It's dangers.
What Is needed. if women are to
make good in the service OF humanity. |
II humility he declared