Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-06-16
EXPECT 5000 TO
ATTEND CLUES
CONVENTION
Will Be First Biennial Since
Passage of Equal
Suffrage.
BY CONSTANCE DRExEL-

WASHINGTON, June 16.-The first
biennial convention Of the General Fed
Grafton Of WOmens Clubs since American
women have had the vote through the
nineteenth amendment, will open in Chau-
tauqua. n. Y, with anywhere from 5000
to 5000 women in attendance.
In the lovely twenty mansion
which is the new national headquarters
Of the federation here, Miss Ida Hafford,
director, has been busy preparing ma
terial on Congress which Will be pre-
sented TO the federation.
No feature Of thte ten-day program
lasting through June 80 Will be more
important than legislation, present and
prospective.
Asked what bills would come up for
attention and discussion at the conven-
ton, Miss Hafford said the two most i'm
mediate were the Kahn bill, playing the
work of the interdepartmental social
hygiene board under the Department Of
Justice and the Gable bill for independ-
ent citizenship for married women. The
former bill lis the more immediate be
cause II carries an appropriation Of $685.
OOO' thte present years appropriation
running out on June 80, which is the end
Of the fiscal year.
Perhaps there could be no more COLI
vinclng proof Of the growing participa-
ton Of American women In our national
and international political life than the
coming biennial convention.
Two years ago the struggle for ratifca-
ton in the thirty sixth State was at its
height. or course many Of the Western
States and some Of the Eastern ones al
ready had suffrage. but they were so busy
getting it for the rest Of their sisters that
the influence Of women so far as national
policies were concerned was nil and as q
matter Of fact, every student OF Amer
lean women's influence In politics knows
that it is the Eastern women who have
walked up their Western sisters, at least
so far as their relation to Congress and
national policies are concerned.
Two years ago, then the biennial con-
vention in Des Moines could only pass
resolutions urging every effort to induce
a thirty sixth State to ratify the nine
tenth amendment 30 it might finally be
tackled to the Constitution. There
were no national headquarters in Wash
ington. Today the General Federation OF
Women's Clubs is a member organization
Of the Women's Joint Congressional Com
mittee and Of the National Council for the
Reduction Of Armaments. both Of which
are powerful factors in Washington.
Miss Hanord is the clubs official rep
resentatiye on the congressional COM
mittee, and Mrs William D. Phelan OF
Pittsburgh, who has been residing in
Washington, on the council
On the afternoon Of June n, Miss
Hafford will present before the con-
vention the work Of the Joint congress
sional committee She said the chair
man Of that committee, Mrs. Maud Wood
Park, president Of the League of Women
Voters, would also be there to speak
That Is q new departure and shows the
growing solidarity and cooperation
among women's national organizations.
They are going to stand together on
cert ain things all women seem TO feel
most strongly about-child welfare.
peace. security OF the home, single moral
standards.
Mrs. Park also will be able to ten
the women of the passage Of the Shep->
pard -Towner bill, behind which the
power Of the women's clubs was thrown
through the women's joint congressional
committee. Although this bill is the
first great measure which women have
won since they have had the vote, and IS
finished so far as Congress is concerned,
it is a bill carrying appropriations,
which can be secured only il State Leg
islatures appropriate like amounts for
protection Of maternity and infancy ny
Giene. Therefore, the task is not IN
ished.
Congress may be interested 20 hear
that the Fordney- McCumber tariff bill
also Will be up for discus sion, accord
ing to Miss Haford's forecast. In the
past the women OF the country have let
the lawmakers tangle and untangle the
tariff at will. with never q question as TO
the wisdom Of the moves II the women
Of the country. who are said to spend
what IS in the family pocketbook IL not
on themselves, at least for their hus-
bands and family. will put their minds
on the tariff question, there may be an
other story to tell.
Besides the above measures ana others
before Congress, another new move win
be international relations meeting, at
which Mr.. Thomas G.. Winter, president,
will speak Of heE experiences as a mem
per OF the advisory committee Of the
Washington conference. Mrs. Winter is
without opposition as president for the
next two years and doubtless viii be
eiented.
All in all, though the clubs program
includes most Of the subjects such as
art and music and problems discussed
in the fifteen bienn,aIs Of the past,
nevertheless this, the 10th biennial viii
be an indication Of the new place OF
women in national afrairs.-Copyright
1920, by Public Ledger Company.