Evening star., 1926-04-27
PEN WOMEN SPLIT
OVER PRESIDENCY.
District Delegates Divided in
Support of Local and Ma
tionaI Candidates.

For the first time in the history OF
the League Of American Pen Women
the District delegates. who compose
majority OF those attending the
present biennial convention. IN ses-
sion at the Shoreham Hotel, are ex-
pected to split in voting tomorrow
for the national president.
Mrs. William A. Du Puy, former
national president, announced today
that she personally is campaigning
the next national president and she
expects that many other of the Dis
trict members will follow her eX-
ample.
"For 80 consecutive years" Mrs.
Du Puy said today. "the District of
Columbia has had the honor OF haV-
ing the national president. Nat
urally, with the growth of the League
In the various States a feeling is
growing up that they should be given
representation. / believe that Mrs.
Seton, on account of her natlonal
prominence, is an ideal candidate
to support her"
Mrs. Heustis to Withdraw.
Mrs. Bertha Lincoln Heustis Of
California, a candidate for president.
announced today that she intended
Withdrawing. Mrs. HeustiS is ex-
pected to throw her support to Mrs.
II. S. Mulliken, the District candi-
date.
Nomination Of officers will be re
ceived by the Pen Women this after
noon, with the election scheduled for
tomorrow morning.
With the election hinging on a prin-
ciple of whether or not women i'll the
various States will be accepted as ma
tional presidents, the fight this year is
a keen one.
1t is made plain that Mrs. Mulliken
Is extremely popular with the Pen
Women and those in the District who
are supporting Mrs. Seton declare they
are doing SO merely because they be-
lieve the continuation Of the policy
of electing District women is making
the league national in name only"
Want Censorship Opposed.
Reading of the minutes by Mrs. Har.
riet n. Chace consumed much of this
mornings session. Recommendation
was made from the floor that the
league oppose censorship of motion
pictures. Miss Fannie Wolfson made
the report Of the historian, while Mrs
j. Harry Cunningham. registrar, also
reported.
An authors congress will feature
the session this afternoon, with Mrs.
Harry Atwood Colman, national presi-
dent, presiding. Helen Rowland will
be chairman of the congress.
Among the speakers this afternoon
will be David Lawrence of the United
States Daily and Consolidated Press.
Mrs. Seton Will be chairman of O.
novelists' hour to be held late this
afternoon. She will talk ON "The
Outdoor Novel," while Mrs. Anna
Strunsky Walling will tell of AN
Afternoon With Jack London" Mary
Roberts Rinehart, popular novelist,
will sit on the stage.
Reception Is Held.
The reception last night for the dele.
gates to the convention was particu-
larly interesting in that it combined
the three branches of the league work
in the program. Representing the
poetry groups. original verse was read
by Mrs. Margaret Ball Dickson of
South Dakota, Mrs. Heustis, Miss
Ruth Mason Rice of New York and
Mrs. Clare Keck Hefflebower Short
stories were given by Mrs. Katherine
II. Chapmen and Mrs. K. L. Tarpley
of Alabama. For the musical diver.
tissement, Mrs. Constance Towns in
terpreted songs by Margaret F'itzger-
aid. and in encore gave "The Selfish
Giant" of Oscar Wilde, and 1.-THE
Lame Prince. Her 14-year-old pupil.
Edna Jacoby of Stamford, winner of
the Godows scholarship at the United
Arts School. in New York, also played.
The art section of the league was
represented by a series of etchings.
done by Margaret Ann Scruggs Car.
ruth Of Dallas, Tex.
Receiving the guests were Mrs. Mtll.
hken and Mrs. Colman, assisted bv
Miss Marie Redfern and her commit.
tee. Miss Elizabeth Barnes was
hostess.