Evening star., 1926-12-06
MRS. Gait ASSA|LS
LEGION ATTITUDE
Breaking Up of Peace Meet
| ings Called Injury to
Nation.

The American Legion was sharply
tebuked this morning by Mrs. Carrie
Chapman Gait, general chairman OF
the second Conference on the Cause
and Cure of War, who hayed the
legion for what she described as
breaking up certain meetings of peace
makers and declared that such actions
have not only reacted against the
legion. but have tended to hurt the
Army and Navy Departments.
1.-THE legion has become outspoken
In some places against peacemakers,
she declared. land when it tries to
break up a meeting here or there and
interfere with school boards it results
in boomerang and the legion suffers
rather than the peacemakers. In the
same way, the legion is hurting the
War and Navy Departments.
I'VE need to have honor and conf
Gence in our defenders. They are be-
sng discredited by the same forces
who seek to discredit us. The world
has not yet adopted machinery to re-
place the old system so that we can
get on without defenses. We may
have n revolution. We had a whisky
sebellion once, you know"
Purposes Given Stress.
Mrs. Gait stressed the purpose Of
che convention, which is the for1na-
Slon Of a definite program looking to-
yard world peace, dealing with gen.
eral rather than political principles
az procedure. The program, prepared
largely through material submitted by
speakers at the meetings, will be pre-
scented for adoption at the final meet
sng Friday.
If il meets with the approval Of the
nine national women's organizations
sponsoring the conference it will be
referred back to each separate organi.
cation for adoption and practical fur
sherance through the days to come.
AT the conclusion of Mrs. Cats
epening address, the convention voted
% consider four recommendations
which she advised be discussed during
the sessions.
These matters will be considered by
The conference: Advisability of further
action on the World Court: feasibility
OF action concerning the calumnies
which are being disseminated through
the press concerning all advocates of
peaceful settlement of disputes be-
tween nations: question of holding
another conference. and methods Of in
euring more effective cooperation by
organizations on the convention pro-
gram.
"Degenerated i'm Ideals"
We need courage In this Nation
sOday." Mrs. Gait stated, 'for as
nation We have degenerated in our
ideals. leaders of Congress will not
take action until people in great
masses have spoken, and the people
are afraid to speak until the leaders
tell them how to speak. The leaders
think in terms Of votes.
This is a pussyfooting age. We
must contribute to the production of
courage and move forward to play
our part in carrying out Gods will
90 bring peace to the world
Business of the convention will take
up definite aspects of security, arbi-
1ratiOn and disarmament and Mrs.
i'att gave informal advice as to the
conduct OF various committee meet
1ngs, warning against too much red
tape and petty chickering's"
approximately 700 delegates have
registered, representing the partici-
pating women's organizations, which
comprise: American Association Of
University Women, Council Of
Women for Home Missions, Fedora
ion Of Womens Board Of Foreign
Missions of North America, General
Federation of Womens Clubs. Ma
tional Board of the Young Women's
Christian Associations, National
Council of Jewish Women, National
League of Women Voters. National
Women's Temperance Union and
National Women's Trade Union
League.
Dr James T. Shotwel Of Columbia
University opened a discussion Of the
problem of security this morning by
explaining that the issues which
cause war are not new issues, but
must be viewed in the light of new
developments. He advocated a care
ful study of past actions of the con-
ference and organizations participat-
ing In the meetings, and stated that q
practical program for peace must be
prepared carefully, and with the use
of material gained through practical
experiences.
The program tonight will deal with
progressive international disarma-
ment," and will consist Of addresses
by Representative Theodore f. Bur
ton and Norman Angel English
puhlicist. who will speak on THE Re-
lation of Preparedness TO Security"
Mrs. John ID. Sherman, president Of
the General Federation Of Women's
Clubs, Will preside.
Bliss Outlines Plan.
A system of checks and balances,
haSed on a code of international law
agreed upon by the nations, as
practical measure of obtaining world
harmony was recommended by Maj.
Gen. Tasker II. Bliss, U. 8. A, re-
tired, at q mass meeting yesterday
afternoon at the Belasco Theater,
which served as an Introductory gath