Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-23
KATHLEEN NORRIS
W|THDRAWS NAME
Retires From Race for Presi-
denCy of Pen Women Be-
cause of Criticism.

Criticism of her stand on disarma-
ment has caused Kathleen Norris, nov
elist, to Withdraw her name as can
didate for president of the National
League of American Pen Women.
Mrs. Norris, an ardent advocate Of
peace, said she had thought of the Pen
Women only as literary group "unaf-
international ideas" and that she had
come to realize that it was mot So"
Mrs. Alfred j. BroSseau, former preSi-
dent general of the Daughters OF the
American Revolution, an opponent OF
the World Court and advocate of "ade-
Quate" national defense, had been men,
toned as O candidate for the presidency
of the Pen Women, opposing Mrs. Nor
ris.
Mrs. BrOsseau Not a Candidate.
Mrs. Brosseau at the session today
said she was not q candidate, but her
friends were planning to urge her to &C
cept the ONCE If she should be elected.
An anonymous paper attacking Mrs
Norris stand on disarmament has been
circulated among members Of the league
Mrs. Norris was the only candidate
for the presidency formally nominated
National presidents of the League
would no longer be required to make
their residence in washington under an
amendment to the national bylaws
ready for submission at the biennial
convention at the Willard Hotel today.
At convention headquarters 1t was
stated that the last convention agreed
that the amendment should be taken
up for consideration, as 1t was realized
that the league had grown too large
and had become too national in char
acter to permit the continuation of the
restricting clause.
Two Encountered Difficulty.
Two past presidents, Mrs. Clarence
M. Busch of Miami, Fla, and Mrs.
Grace Thompson Seton of New York,
had both encountered difficulties on
account Of this clause. With elimin-
alton of the clause requiring the presi-
dent to reside in this city, one OF the
most serious obstacles had been re-
moved toward the possibility OF the
election of Mrs. Norris as the league 8
next president. Elections will be held
tomorrow
One high light of today's program was
the shop talk session" this afternoon.
Speakers on the program included
John Gallishaw, founder Of the School
of Creative Writing, New York City;
Kate Speake Penny, authoress, and Vic
toria Faber Stevenson.
This afternoon at 4:30 o'clock Presi-
dent Hoover Is receiving those In at
tendance at the convention.
Tonight at o'clock the poets dinner
in honor of william Griffith, president
of the Poetry Society of America, will
take place In the willard.
At $3.50 o'clock in the palm room the
y1aOfioY1 T1icf1ira division 0f the League
will entertain the Pen Women and theiI
friends. Carl 2. Milliken, former Gov
ernor Of Maine and now executive secre-
tary of Motion Picture Producers and
Distributors, will speak.
Last night a colorful program was
held on the occasion OF. the poetry eve
ming under the auspices of the poetry
group of the league. Pages were dressed
in the costumes of heroineS from
famous poems and included: Edith
Natalia Hoisington as Herrick's Cor
rinna, Jacqueline D. Du Puy as Tenny-
sons Elaine, Edna Betty McAndrews as
Tennyson's Guinevere, Kathleen Hous.
ton as Poe's Arnabel Lee, Mrs. Louis
Berger. Whittier's Maud Muller: Doro-
thy Fowler, Longfellow's Laughing Al
legra; Louise Allen as Little Miss Muf-
fet; Eleanor Chambers, SCOTS Lady OF
the Lake; Bernice Green, Longfellow'e
Minnehaha; Elizabeth McKelvey, Kip
lings girl ION the Road to Mandalay";;
Evelyn Marshall, Longfellow's Florence
Nightingale; Betty Miles, Shakespeare
Juliet; Elizabeth Rowland, Marcia;
Jean Hoch, Longfellow'S Priscilla; Cath
crime Rowland, Riley's "Old Sweetheart
of Mine; Mathilda Heuser, Calliope
muse of poetry; Mrs. Albert Manly
terpsichore, muse OF music.