Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-13
WOMEN GATHERING
FOR WET FARLEY
Prohibition Reform Groups
Head Hits Mrs. Peabody'S
Claims in Statement.

A wet counter attack was in prospect
here today as delegates arrived for the
opening tomorrow Of the conference
of the women's Organization for Ma
tional Prohibition Reform, following the
conclusion yesterday of the three-day
session of the Woman's National Com
mittee for Law Enforcement and Law
Observance, and the meeting today of
the National Womenis Democratic Law
Enforcement League.
Heading the wet group, Mrs. Charles
H. Sabin of New York, national chair
man, marked her arrival yesterday with
the fiat prediction that dry preSi-
Dental candidate. if opposed by wet,
would meet defeat in 1882. In this,
she took direct issue with the drys,
under the leadership of Mrs. Henry w
had cheered a plea to bolt party ties
in the next election IL necessary to
support dry for the presidency.
Claims 100000 Members.
Mrs. Sabin, whose group is listed as
representative of 100000 women, di-
rected her shafts at Mrs. Peabody, say
ing the name of her organization was
misnomer unless 1t was working for
the enforcement of "all the obsolete
blue laws" as well as prohibition.
Referring further TO the drys' claims
of strength, she said that "for Mrs
Peabody and her associates to state
that they represent 100000 women
is ludicrous. This sort of thing, a few
women speaking for thousands of others
for whom they have no right to speak,
has been so overdone in this country
that nobody takes 1t seriously"
The conference nrarinp here fOra0r-
row at the Mayfiower Hotel, Is expected
to bring about 1000 delegates, repre-
sentative of 80 States and the District
of Columbia, pledged to work for repeal
of the eighteenth amendment.
Last-minute arrangements for the
conference, which will last two days,
we're being made today by Mrs. Sabin,
assisted by other leaders, including Miss
Maud Wetmore. Mrs. Coffin Van Rens-
New York, who accompanied her to the
Capital, and Mrs. Henry Leonard, chair
man Of the local committee.
The delegates will not go to the White
House, as did the woman dry leaders,
Mrs. Sabin said, since President Hoover
repeatedly has said he opposed repeal
of the eighteenth amendment"
The conference will be formally
opened at o'clock tomorrow afternoon
by Miss Wetmore, at which time Mrs
Sabin will make her annual report and
addresses will be made by Miss Bell
Gurnee, chairman of the Washington
division, and Mrs. August Belmont of
New York City Committees on legisla-
tive and political activities, platform
and resolutions, ways and means, con-
stitution and bylaws will be appointed
and go into executive session imme-
diately.
Banquet Tomorrow Night.
The representatives will be enter
tanned at banquet tomorrow night at
the hotel, to be followed Immediately
by the second session, beginning at
$50, when the public is invited to hear
a discussion of prohibition from the
economic, social and civic viewpoints
Mrs. Sabin will preside, and the speakers
will be Matthew Vol, vice president of
the American Federation O. Labor; DR..
Esther Richards of Johns Hopkins Uni
versity, nationally known psychiatrist.
and Maurice S. Sherman, editor of the
Hartford, Conn, Courant.
The third session, converting at 10
O'Clock Wednesday morning, will be de-
voted to reports of the national and
State officers and to the committee re-
ports. Actions on these reports will
take place at the final session on
Wednesday afternoon.
Other national officers and State
chairmen expected to arrive are Mrs.
Courtlandt Nicoll and Mrs. William C..
Potter of New York City, Mrs. John B.
Casserly, San Francisco, Calf; Mrs.
-