Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-23

us and the matter was delayed from month
to month while Austria drifted nearer and
nearer to the financial collapse which finally
has come.
This delay creates a most dangerous situa-
ton for Austria. Usually the foremost in all
philanthropic work, the United States, in this
case is holding up the procession led by the
other powers. If countries such as Belgium
and France, themselves cruelty ravished by
war, can favor this suspension of the Austrian
debt, surely we can do so also-especially as
Austria is utterly incapable Of paying this
debt or arrears of interest at present.
AS Mr.. Filene says, the United States de-
layed action and it looked as if the matter
would never get hearing in Congress. There
was no one in this country working for it.
At last, however, the Friends Relief Society
and the Austrian Relief committee felt that
Congress must be aroused to the urgent need,
if not of all Austria, certainly to the need of
the 100000 starving children.
AS a result, Miss Todd came to Washing
ton few days ago on the difficult mission of
getting Congress to give little time to "the
400, 900 chiIdren's BILL" This bill, in the
form of joint resolution introduced by Sen
ator Lodge, awaits hearing by the finance
committee of the Senate.
Miss Todd tells how Senators McCumber
Smoot, and other members of the committee
who were struggling with tariff and taxation
and 'too busy to see anyone this week" sur
rendered and listened to her while she ex-
were at stake.
She told them that women were interested
in the bill because of the children.
"Are they?" asked one Senator trifle
skeptically. 81 have had no message from
women on this proposition"
"They are interested" said Miss Todd,
"and I will bring to see you some women
who want this bill passed"
At a meeting organized on two days notice,
she asked women who were interested in the
bill and who would go to call on the Senators
of the committee to rise. Out of a well-filled
hotel ballroom a handful of women arose
stragglingly.
"I was disappointed" says Miss Todd. 81
thought how such an appeal in my state out
west would surely have brought every woman
eagerly to her feet, and I went home feeling
that the east is certainly different from the
west.
"But am glad to say I was wrong. The
next morning I went to the Senate Office
building, expecting to be the entire delegation
perhaps. Instead, saw women coming in
every direction. They filled the committee
room and the small office ana overlooked
into the hall. 1t was one Of the biggest dele
cations that has gone to Congress since wom-
en- were given the vote. Everywhere we
went the Senators were impressed and we
came away with promises of support.
49," Miss Todd concludes, 81 learned that
women in the east are exactly like those in
the west. They just go about things differ
emily"
The chances Of the finance committee hold
ing hearing very soon and reporting the
resolution favoraby to Congress are consid-
cred good.
Miss Todd says: "There does not seem to
be any objection to the United States taking
the step. The Senate was simply too busy to
get around to it until some women showed
them that the fate of 900 children de-
pended on it. The fate of 100000 children
is vital matter to any country in the world