Evening star., 1937-10-24
Mrs. Gilbert HI. CrOsuelOr Led
Fight for Capitals Pure Mix
Ciric Task but One OJ
Many for Daughter
of DR.. Bell.
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

changed mediums OF world COmmunl-
cation and the wife of an editor and
geographer whose name Is known
the world over because of the achieve
ments of the great society which he
heads-such is the distinction of Mrs.
Gilbert H. Grosvenor, wife OF the
president of the National Geographic
Society and daughter of Alexander
Graham Bell, inventor Of the tele-
phone.
In her own right. Elsie Bell
Grosvenor Is a devoted wife and
mother. one of Washington's most
distinguished hostesses, and a geog-
rapher of renown. AS a civic leader
she has been famous for the successful
engineering of worthy causes for our
city's welfare, beginning when sne
championed bacteria-tested milk and
won her crusade.
When speaking OF this now-historic
achievement in city since ois-
tinguished for its pure milk supply
Mrs. Grosvenor explains 1t grew out
of her desperate determination to
provide high-test milk for her own
family of seven small children and
all other users of milk in the Nations
Capital. The first step, she relates
was to obtain the listings of the bac-
terra count of all milk supplied to
Washington from the Health Depart
ment. which had the authority to
request such a count, but no power
to do anything about it. From tnese
listings Mrs. Grosvenor MADE q
white list" for distribution among
women's clubs and organizations OF
all the firms coming within safe
average. without "blacklisting' any
of those failing to attain it.
Rally Around Cause.
The Washington press rallied tc
the support of Mrs. Grosvenor ano
the women who had become aroused
to the need of the purest milk OBJ
tainable. The crusaders ranks were
swelled by number of mems organl-
cations interested in municipal well
fare. As a result, a milk dealer, VINO
had at first threatened to sue Mrs
Grosvenor for 'meddling." installed
the city's first pasteurization unit
His plant attained the highest rating
listed in the health office records
even before teeth we're put In the
District milk laws.
A public bathing beach might have
marred the classic outlook near the
Lincoln Memorial had not Mrs. Gros-
yenor. supported by fellow members
of the Twentieth Century Club, con-
vinced a Secretary of War through
Congress that ablutions on whole
sale scale would detract from the
beauty of the city. Preliminary
foundation work already under way
was abandoned.
A friend of Mrs. Grosvenor once
said of her, Elsie would be equally
at home with a coolie or mandarin
for she would be interested in the
view point of both. BY her respon-
sive attitude she would have each OF
them trying to explain his life expe-
riences to her"
Mrs. Grosvenor has had an interest
| in the lives of others less fortunate
than herself from the days OF hel
young womanhood.
A discerning judgment in the selec-
| ton of those who can best cooperate
| in furthering a cause enables her u
| induce them to work in happy unlsor
| for it. She also understands the
practical means necessary to further
ance of an ideal. These qualities, II
| the opinion of her associates, have
made successful her terms as presi
dent of the Twentieth Century Clui
and of the Board of Lady Manager
of the George Washington Universit.
Hospital. In the latter ONCE she i
now serving after an interregnum o
| three years She is also a memDe
of the Executive Boards of the Wom
en- Geographers, the Washington
Heart Association, the Juvenile Pro
! tectiye Association and of the Wash
ington Club, for whose famous Tues
| day morning assemblies she is thl
year providing the programs.
| Before the functioning Of the pres
ent Board of Public Welfare, Mrs
Grosvenor served the city upon it
Board of Children's Guardians IL
charge of the committee which com
mitted children to the various agencie
under its jurisdiction for their protec
ton and care.
At the solicitation Of Clarenc
Phelps Dodge, president of the Com
munity Chest, Mrs. Grosvenor ha
Just consented to serve as Chairman
of a group of $50 representing tn
various boards of organizations afili
ated with the Community Chest
whose objective is not to solicit fund
but to bring about better under
standing of the work and objective
of the Community Chest among tn
more than 1000 business, fraterna
and civic organizations of the metro
politan area of Washington. Thei
first meeting will be held tomorrow
at a luncheon gathering in the Chimes
room at the Mayflower Hotel.
Required Mothers Interest.
Mrs. Grosvenor's interest in socis
problems and in the welfare of wome
and children particularly, in realit
began before her marriage through he
close companionship with her fathe
and mother. Her mother, whose ow
life always had been a beautiful
sheltered one, free from anything ths
did not SAVIOR Of affection and protec
ton, early became interested in tn
cause Of suffrage when it was neithe