Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-12-03

clubs banded together to form the
General Federation of Women's Clubs.
In 1923 there were in the Federation
$4,000 clubs with total membership
of nearly three million.
Somewhat similar are the wOmen's
organizations affiliated with secret so
cieties and fraternal orders. Among
these are the Degree of Honor, the
Eastern Star, Ladies of the Maccabees,
Women's Relief Corp of the G. A. r.,
the Daughters of the American RevO-
luton, the Colonial Danes of Amer
lea, United Daughters of the Confed-
eracy and many others.
Then the University women have
their clubs which are social and rec
reational in nature. In 1881 there
were 551 such branches with over
$4,000 members in all parts of the
United States. They publish a jour
nal and provide graduate fellowships
to worthy and INDECENT students.
Besides all of these clubs and So
cieties there are Others. Among them.
for example. are the Medical Women's
National Association, the In erna-
tional Association of Police Women.
the National Federation of Business
and Professional WOmen's Clubs. and
numerous other interest groups which
include nursing, home economics and
teacl ing organizations.
So if our hypothetical woman from
TIE eighteenth century could come
back to earth and join Ter modern
sisters she would find that they are
certainly joiners. The modern wom-
an, it seems, j ms everything from
a husband to golf club. They make
politicians tremble and give tine hearts
of kings occasion to palpitate and to
flutter.
Obviously there is great benefit to
be both gained and given in such
jointure of acti, ity, interest and dis
cussion. There is a comparison OF
ideas and a kindling of spirit which
are invaluable. If man is sregar-
ious animal, woman is a social being.
In union there is strensth w. lie in
division there is discord These clubs
and societies have the benefit of ex-
perts and specialists when they wish
their service and advice. re gether
the women in these clubs are able
to plan their course and to dedicate
themselves to the serIi ice of great
causes.
In closing we should observe some
of theS notable things that the women
have achieved in tEeir clubs and so
cieties along civic and political lines.
Not many years ago DR.. Harvey Wiley
reported that the women were his
strongest supporters in his campaign
for pure food laws. This support was
not merely passive and negative but
positive and aggressive.
Likewise, women were pioneers in
securing the first tenement house
Laws in such cities as Chicago, In
dianapolis and New York. The wcmen
have been maIvelously effe,tiv in
combating such evils as impure water
supplies, dirty, dark streets, un-
guarded crossings, lily ventilated and
poorly lighted schools. Administra.
tion of relief, minimum wage laws
hours of labor, child laboriand guard
| ianship Laws, convict labor systems
juvenile courts, recreation centers
and other good causes, too numerous
to cite here, have benefited from the
creative, stimulating and ideali zine
influence of women.
Just now when the world staggers
and reels at the very abyss of war
the women can be, through their So
cieties and organizations, the great
est present factor in shaping public
opinion for a new economic order and
for peace. Since the World war, you
| women have been a mighty power in
the service of these great causes
Through organization and within
their own nations, women can exercise
a profound influence in behalf of
peace and a new world order. Upon
questions of ornaments, tariffs, in
ternatiOnai debts, of military training
in our higher institutions of learning,
of arbitration, of immigration, imper-
ial aggression and neutrality, the
women have the opportunity to exer-
else the determining influence. And
more and more they are rising to this
great challenge. When women really
put their feet down against an eco
nomic order which breeds war, then
things will change and peace will tri-
umph. For it is still true even in a
larger sense than of old that the hand
which rocks the cradle rules the
world.