Evening star., 1926-04-04
LAW ENFORCEMENT URGED
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

The Womans National Committee
for Law Enforcement is to hold IFS sec
ond national conference in Washing
ton April il-13. While this commit
tee was orga niZed some three years
ago. ii has held only one national
conference. That was two years ago,
and it was also held in Washington.
Those actively interested in this
conference feel that it will have sew
eral unique features. In the hrst
place. il will open on Sunday with
religious meeting. which will take the
form of great prayer meeting. 81
multaneously there viii he similar
meetings held in 80 States. If pos
sible. the proceedings of the Wash
ington meeting will he broadcast
through the radio. If this cannot be
done, it is pla nned to make use of the
Air Mall Service to transmit resolu-
tions passed by the Washington con
ference.
Mrs Henry w. Peabody, general
hairman of the rational committee,
is tremendously eIated over these si-
multaneous meetings. The idea orig
mated in California, 1t being realized
that it would be impossible for great
MANY women to make the long trip
East Ry having these simultaneous
meetings those women who are un-
able TO come to Washington are stu
able to participate in the movement.
The Woman's National Committee
for Law Enforcement has affiliated
with il nine national women's organ
izations with combined membership
of 12 900 900. Besides these who are
officially affiliated with the commit
tee, there are such women's organ
izations as the Daughters OF the
American Revolution and the League
of Women Voters, who stand for the
same policies, although their charters
do not permit their affiliation with the
committee.
The committee believes that it is
not open to the sort Of attack that
the Anti-Ss loon League and other
tempera nee orga anizations must meet.
This is because it is not highly or
ganized. IL is not political and 1t does
not attempt to control. Although II
feels that the prohibition problem Is
the foremost question OF the day. ana
II Is at present concentrating its Ell
forts toward the enforcement of this
law. 1t is not strictly temperance
rganization. 1t stands for the en-
forcement Of all law.
Method Is Through Education.
1t lis endeavoring to conduct an edu'
cational campaign. 1t believes that
the women of the nation should INT up
their voices against lawlessness In the
r-ntted States. Toward this end, the
women are asked to oppose any candi-
dste for public office whose political
history would indicate that his ambi-
tions might possibly override his con
science.
As Mrs. Peabody puts it, I'VE feel
that the mayor of city should be as
carefully selected as the superintend'
ent of public schools. A candidate Tor
the latter position must be known for
his integrity and honesty why not
the man who il In charge OF the az
fairs Of the city,!
The committee has been divided INTO
various commissions, consisting OF w
members and an advisory committee
Of experts. The reports OF these com
missions are TO be presented at tue
washington conference. The names
~ come IF the commissions indicate
inst what lines Of study nave peen
nnrsued. For instance, there Is the
Home Training for Law Observance
Commission. which Is headed by Mrs.
John y. sherman. president or the
General Federation Of Women Clubs.
The Legal Commission has Tor its
chairman Mrs. Herbert j. Gurney OF
Roston who Is vice president. Council
NJ Defense. and vice president OF the
League Of Women Voters OF Massa-
An oficial statement Of the commit.
tee saws: The Womans National
ronnoittee for Law Enforcement is to
worL for enforcement of all law, with
snecisl stress at present on the pro-
bibition law, the front today where
the battle against lawlessness has to
he fought, It also aims 10 educate
the woman citizen to her Responsible
tiles.
To refute the possible fmpiicati ton
that this orga anization is composed en-
tirely of a lot Of "old cranks, Mrs.
Peabody quotes the names OF sucn
women as Mrs. Kathleen Norris mrs.
John d. Rockefeller, 1r.; MISS mary
Anderson. Miss Ida Tafbeii ana Mrs.
Clifford Pinchot as members
While the Washington convention Is
mainly for the purpose OF bringing
out the facts accounting, Ior the Inn-
perfect enforcement Of law in the Ma
tion States and communities, it Is also
expected that many facts Will be
brought forth to show that remarkable
progress has been made despite many
stories to the contrary.
Believe Country Nearly Dry.
Members of the committee feel that
many of the stories Of the failure
of the prohibition amendment to
the Constitution are the propa-
gapda Of the vets. They belieye that