The Washington times., 1936-06-04
NOW
Country Women
Win Praise
FRIENDSHIP
By HELEN ESsARY

by HELEN ESSAn1
Notes on the Visiting Country
Women Of the World:
.... It's the most sincere, unaffected
organization that has come to
Washington in a dozen years.
Frau Liselotte Kuessner-Ger
hard, the Nazi representative
'tlle woman Hitler SENT" and the
delegate from Palestine, a Jewess,
were talking together yesterday
about raising chickens and babies
Both subjects pleased them.
They laughed and nodded in agree
sment as though they thought
babies and chickens were the most
important of world affairs. Here
was no indication Of Nazi persecu'
tion or Jewish resentment.
The friendly interest of the Farm
Women in each other is nucleus
Of world peace. It might even
make world peace popular and so
succeed when thousand conversa-
tional Leagues of Nations are
QOOmeQ 10 1au.
Go to one of the meetings of the
country women. You will discover
that they have come from all parts
of the world, not to discuss Suavely
''the promotion Of international
relationships" but to talk to-
gether about making their homes
pleasant places, raising their chill
dren, picking out the right cur
tains, running their farms, learn
ing to dance and sing and appre'
ciate pictures and music, buying
and preparing good food, and
keeping their families cheerful
these are their ambitions.
"Folk songs and folk dances
from many lands" was one OF the
refreshing programs Of the coun'
try women.
With Irish jigs, songs by Iowa
farm women, German l1eder by
the Baroness Schroeder in North
German costume, Russian and
early American folk dances and
an Indian marionette show, the
country women introduced their
national characteristics to each
other more effectively than with
yards Of noble speeches
I especially liked an English
woman, Mrs. Alexander from
Kent, who was on the pageant
program. Mrs. Alexander had a
look of Isabella Greenway and
wore q flowing green flowered
dress. She played old English
tunes on reed pipes which she
had made herself.
When she had taken her place
in the audience and the applause
had died down a flutist from the
Navy Band came up from where
the band sits to talk. Mrs. Alex
ander told him she made her
pipes out of bamboo as any coun-
try man or woman could.
Many are doing so now in Eng
land. Her visiting card said that
she was "a certified journeyman
Of the PiperS Guild" She was
sworn as all the members of the
guild were not to buy or sell a
pipe.
Mrs. Robert Ware, the first
woman in America to sell certi-
fled milk for children, sat on
the front row of Constitution
Hall during the folk dancing. She
wore a dress left her by her aunt,
Mrs. Justin Morrow. the wife of
Senator Justin Morrow who got
through Congress the act estab.
fishing Federal land grants or
agricultural colleges such as the
Maryland Agricultural College.
The dress was of heavy black silk
with a very full skirt and a lace
bertha. Mrs. Ware carried a fan
and wore her hair braided and
wound around her head.
Lora Knox, visiting newspaper
woman and editor Of Tennessee
farm paper, left the Willard Hotel
for the Tourist Camp where hun.
dred Of farm women are camping
BY the Potomac River.
Mrs. Knox said she was learn.
ing how the rest of the world lives
while she waited in line for q
chance at the showers at six in
the morning. One woman from
India told her she was taking
three baths a day, one in the morn.
ing and two in the evening. She
wanted to use up all chances at
good bathing. They certainly
don't have such showers as those
at home.
I have actually enjoyed the meet.
ing of the country women, al
though I'm seldom overcome with
pleasure by organization conven.
tions.
The country women do not
crate magnificently. They do
not think that they and they
alone have to save the world
They do not talk about patriot
ism and ancestors. They have
no grievances-not a chip on
either shoulder. Nor do I think
L