The Washington times., 1939-01-09
DinnerO OpenSDriUe
For Equal Rights
Amendment
BY MARY PADGETT
''Failure is impossible"


at the dinner last night in the
Coach House of the Alva Bel
mont House, given by the Dis
trict of Columbia Branch in
honor of Mrs. Stephen Pell, OF
New York. who is beginning her
second term as national chair
man of the National Woman's
Party.
The words on the banner were
taken from Susan B. Anthony'S
last speech before her death
especially significant for last
night because of the groups
general feeling that their pres
ent campaign for the equal
rights amendment could not
meet with failure.
Mrs. Marie Moore Forrest,
chairman of the District OF Co
lumbia Branch, presided at the
dinner, which also marked the
first of a series of activities to
be given throughout the country
In celebration Of the organiza-
tion's jubilee year. It also
launched the beginning Of the
1899 campaign for the ECU a l
rights amendment, with the VOW
to secure favorable action in
this session of Congress.
CAN BE PASSED
Miss Alice Paul, of Moores-
town. N. j., founder of the Wom-
ans National Party, was called
upon to recount t h e achieve
ments of the woman's party dur
ing the past 25 years, the first
being the adoption of the sui
frage amendment. Mrs. P a u
voiced the belief that the equal
rights amendment can be passed
because of the increased sentl-
ment throughout the country
for the amendment during the
past year.
The most recent achievement
of the party was formation OF
the World Woman's Party,
which this spring opens its
headquarters in Geneva, in
close proximity to the League
of Nations and the Interna-
tional Labor's Office. Mrs.
Paul, who was elected the first
chairman of the World Woman's
Party, and who leaves shortly
for Geneva, announced that
this international group will
work for equality in all fields
and will endeavor to see to it
that consolidated gains already
won are not lost through inter"
national treaties and agree
ments.
During the dinner, Mrs. For
rest presented to Mrs. Pell and
to Miss Paul each with beau
tiful bouquet of roses, and in
the stem of each bouquet was
O lovely fountain pen-gifts Of
the District branch to their
beloved leaders.
IMPORTANT TO NATION
Mrs. Helen Robbins Better
mann. of Columbus, Ohio, ma
tional secretary and congress
sional chairman, expressed the
opinion that Congress could not
well afford to refuse to sub
init to the people of the nation
for final decision the equal
rights amendment (which eX-
tends democracy to worce14." In
these troubled times" she said,
sit is important to the nation
as it is to women that we
strengthen our democracy by
completing it," She added:
1--WE are not a democracy
until all citizens share equally.
There are still more than 1000
laws on the statute books dis
eliminating against women.
merely on the grounds of sex"
The program included Nine.
Edythe M&rmion Brosius, ma
tionally known harpist, and
Miss Faith Harlow, one of the
youngest members of the party,
who sang the "Woman's Party
Song"
100 AT DINNER
Approximately 100 members
and guests attended the dinner.
An informal reception took place
in the drawing room before din
ner, with Mrs. Pell, Mrs. For
rest and the members of the
national executive council in the
receiving line. The council held
sessions at the headquarters
Saturday and yesterday.
Among those attending last
nights affair were Mrs. Ethel
AdamSon, of Littletowns N. j..
national chairman of the Susan
B. Anthony Memorial Commit
tee; Mrs. Jane Norman Smith,
Of New York, chairman of equal
economic opportunity commit
tee; Miss Marguerite Smith, Of
Boston, chairman of the invest
ment committee; Miss Anita Pol
liter, of New York: Mrs. George
Mesta, of Oklahoma City. Miss
Laura Berrlen. national treas
urer of the party; DR.. Louise
Taylor Jones, Mrs. Maude How
ell Smith. Mrs. Harvey w.
Wiley and Mrs. Cecil Norton
Broye, distinguished Washing
ton women.
Mrs. Linda Littlejohn, of Sid.
ney, Australia, chairman of
Equal Rights International,
talked on Equality Movement