Evening star., 1926-10-17
SOCIETY
AN IMPORTANT UNIT
Organization Plans. Through
Mutual Cooperation, to Pro-
mote AffiIiaticn of States.
BY MARGARET II. DOWNING.

BY MARGARET II. DOWNING.
About two years ago when the num-
Der of State societies. cOmpactly or
ganiZed and contributing a large share
to the social activity of the Capital
had reached the imposing number of
AZ out of tho total as. some of the
prominent members of the various or
ganizationS formed plan to unite in
pan-State society in order that rep
resentative citizens might be brought
together closely and. through mutual
cooperation. strengthen their unit in
the whole body and spread their in
fuenCe. one potent reason for this
organization within the State organi
cations was to encourage the founding
of societies in those States which had
failed to follow the trend and to as
sist in the rehabilitation of those
which had become inactive.
Representative Maurice H. Thatcher
of Kentucky was among the lead
ers in this movement and associated
with him We're Representative Lloyd
Thurston, then president of the Iowa
Society. and f &. Baggarley. pres
ident of the Virginia Society. and
on June "a. 1924. an organiza ton was
perfected with the following officers:
Lee Lamar Robinson representing the
Kentucky Society. president: Mr.. Bag
garley of the Virginia Society, first
vice president: Matthew O'Brien.
president of the Connecticut Society.
second vice president. and Miss Rede
johnson. treasure of the Minnesota
Society third vice president: Dr. w.
Y. Joha president Of the Idaho
Society. treasurer. and Miss Edith
Lathrop. president Of the Nebra ska
Society, secretary.
Meetings Held Monthly.
Meetings are held monthly on the
first Tuesday after the first Monday.
in the board room of the District
Building. The first of the present sea
son is scheduled for November , and
q social gathering will he held on De-
cember Z. sponsored by all the active
societies and attended by hundreds of
their members and guests.
OF the States which no longer main
tain an active society. he most promi
nent is New Jersey. and the revival of
its once important meetings is a mat
ter of keen soliCitude with the pan
State officials. Not since 1919 have
the citizens of New Jersey met in the
social way. and it is the sole repre-
sentative of the 13 original States
which has not maintained local end
of it's home traditions in social "and
patriotic matters. Until 1919 the New
Jersey Society. which organized and
adopted a constitution and bylaws
May %. 1914. held regular conferences
and supported q quota of the ameni-
ties given by similar bodies. \ pO-
litical son of the state. Woodrow Will
son, occupied the Nations presidential
chair: q native son. Lindley Garrison,
was Secretary of War. and JerseyiteS
We're In many other posts of dignity,
and in a social sense were on the crest
of the wave. Senator James Edgar
MARITIME was active in the functions
and some Of the hanquets We're among
the notable features of the Winters of
1914.until 1916. But during the bitter
days of the second Wilson campaign
q rift was made i'm the political sense
and the members have never gotten
together since. But it is planned to
do SO this coming ason. and repre-
sentatiVeS from New jersey will be
among those who will meet on NoVem-
ber , to consider Just such problems
Nevada Without Organization.
Nevada. has no active society.
though il made a fair beginning on
March Is, 1922. when some % or 80
citizens of this commonwealth met
in the home Of Mr.. and Mrs. Henry
Thurtell. on Delafield place. and per
fected an orSaniZa ton. Dwight Jones
WAS elected PRESIDENT Mrs. Thurtell,
vice president and treasurer. and Miss
Louise Cooney. secretary. All the
members. present We're enthuSia site
over the prospects of the society and
a liberal initial payment was made
at the time. But somehow this zeal
could never ne rekindled. Senator
Key Pttman entertained the society
at his home on Ridge road. and so
leo a Il ttI fr. 'Hn -1-
LoWndes Odde. The Thurtells were
tireless in their efforts and the Ne
vada folk of the District held many
picnics and gave several notable en-
tertainmentS In the musical fea-
lures Miss Gladys l.. Woods. one of
those who responded to the first in
vitatiOn, was prominent. and in the
social. Mrs. Isabelle l.. Gates and Mr..
and Mrs. f.. II. Hilman. The con-
Gressional delegation was sympathetic
and Representative and Mrs. Samuel
Shae -ArentZ entertained at their
home in Phelps place. several times
during the Winter Of 1923. Other
collections of money were made.
Finally the treasurer. Mrs. Thurtell.
suggested that as the society seemed
so averse To spending the money in
the usual way, it might be expended
in presenting Walter johnson. who
had made the fame of the Washing
ton base ball team, and who had pre-
Viously married daughter of Ne
Vada, and Il member Of the State
organization, with some token Of ap-
preCiatiou. When the celebrat ed
pitcher made histoIN. AS the hope for
a pennant faded, the NeVadanS of
Washington turned the cash into
aplendid floral offering and enter
tained the player at a dinner
Nevada Faces Obstacles.
Nevada is far away and but
sparsely settled. and there is no flour
ishinG alumni here To help it's State
society along. as has been done so
successfully in the ease of Wisconsin
and Washington. II seemed too heavy
burden To carry the organization,
hut. under the auspices of the pan
State Society this will be entirely
possible and with but little financial
outlay. Plans for this State organi.
zation will be considered in November.
Wyoming has never organized, but