The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-13
PEN WOMEN To
GIVE UNIQUE
DINNERS
Literary Workers Of District
Have Strong Organization
OF Bona Eide Writers.

Two unique dinners are planned
for the week by the District branch
of the League Of American PEN
The first Is a what Do You
Do?" dinner In the club dining
room at 1922 III street northwest
tonight, when, 1t is intended, mem
bers will become better acquainted
with each others work in the
literary world.
Twelve members have been asked
to give short talks in answer to the
question which constitutes the title
of the event.
Among the speakers are Miss r.
Louise Fitch, editor OF the maya
zine published by the American
Association of University Women;
Mrs. Aaron d. Newman. chief re-
searcher for the Haskin Service:
Mrs. G. c. Brant, author of "Con-
fessions Of an Army Officers Wife,"
Mrs. Neyle Colquitt, who is carry
ing on extensive Americanization
work in the District; Mrs. Marie
Moore Forrest, director of pageants;
Nine. Susanna Oldberg. musician,
composer and, director Of choruses:
Mrs. Edward Nelson Dingley, writer
and lecturer, and Miss Willard
Howe. critic and correspondent.
Professional Dinner Next.
Following this occasion will be a
professional dinner along the same
lines at which talks are to ne made
by Mrs. Mabel Willebrant, Assist
ant United States Attorney Gen.
eral; Miss Mary Anderson, chief Of
the Women's Bureau, Department
of Agriculture; Miss Florence
Ward, chief of the extension d.
vision of the Department Of Agri-
culture; Mrs. Clara Sears Taylor,
District Rent Commissioner, and
Mrs. Helen Gardener, Civil Service
Commissioners.
These dinners will be under the
supervision of Mrs. William Wolff
Smith, second Vice-president of the
District organization, who has in
prospect an even more notable
form of entertainment for March.
The clubhouse is the constant
scene of activity by Washington
women writer's. On Sunday after
Moons, from October to May, tea
is served from four to six o'clock.
Mrs. Amos A. Fries is chairman
of the program committee, while
Mrs. Gertrude Buckingham Thomas
TWO books are reviewed at reg
ular Tuesday luncheons, of which
Mrs. Neyle Colquitt is in charge.
Open discussion of the books under
consideration follows the stated
reviews.
Has 800 Members.
The local organization became a
branch of the National League OF
American Pen Women in May, 1921,
with the names of 200 women writer's
on the rolls. Today approximately
300 are restored, many of them
women not only of local but Of ma
tional prominence, experts in literary
work and high In various professions.
The league has been fortunate in
bringing into it's membership only
those women whose literary express
sion has been sent into practical
channels, excluding those who de-
sire the coveted allegiance with the
organization, but have done little to
merit such recognition.
The bylaws require that an ap-
plicant for active membership be a
paid worker in her chosen profess
sion, and that she submit at least
two specimens of original work for
ton, one copy of which must be
allowed to remain on file at ma
tional headquarters.
The local organization is closely
allied with the national body, mas
much as the parent league has
seen washington as the literary
center of America.
The national president, Mrs
Continued on z IRE 1EA