Evening star., 1948-05-02
University Women
Reaffirm Right 10
Select Own Members

BY a record vote of 448 to 297,
the Washington branch of the
American Association of University
Women has voted to stand by it's
position that the branch has the
right to choose its own members,
the Board of Directors announced
| last night.
! The vote represented direct de-
fiance of All ultimatum from the
national board. The parent group
had given the Washington branch
until next Thursday to decide
whether it would abide by the ma
tional boards Interpretation of the
bylaws on membership or be ouSted
from the organiztion.
The controversy began 18 months
ago with the refusal of the local
branch to admit Mrs. Mary Church
Terrell, colored college graduate
and widow of a former Municipal
Court judge.
But, said Mrs. G. r. Wilhelm,
branch president, last night, the
latest vote was on a matter of
principle" and not on the admis-
sion of an individual or group.
Court Fight Seen.
With the referendum out of the
way. the next development in the
controversy is expected to come up
in the courts In addition to los
ing its charter, the Washington
branch also faces eviction from
the clubhouse it shares with the
parent body at 1884 l street NV.
Under an agreement in operation
since 1884, according to officials Of
the branch, the local group has
betrayed 40 per cent of the expenses
Of operating the clubhouse and
owns $4,000 worth of furnishings
in the building.
Mrs. Wilhelm said the agreement
dates from June to June and is re-
newed automatically unless one of
the parties notifies the other that
the contract will not be renewed. So
far, she said, the Washington branch
has not been notified.
Balloting on the question of
changing the bylaws to conform to
the national Interpretation ended
Thursday and the votes were
counted yesterday. The results were
kept confidential until presented
last night to special meeting Of
the branch board.
The board proptly issued a state
ment declaring that the branch is
convinced it is acting within its
authority "and believes that the
ultimatum delivered by the National
Board of Directors represents an at
tempted unlawful exercise of au-
thority'
Fourth Vote Taken.
The clubhouse was crowded for
square dance when Mrs. Wilhelm
descended from the board meeting
and tackled up the referendum re-
suits on the bulletin board. AL
though only a few women stopped
by the bulletin board, word of the
vote was all over the clubhouse IN
a matter of minutes.
Mrs. Wilhelm said the vote was
the largest she could remember
and represented three -fourths of
the membership. This is the fourth
vote on some phase of the con-
troversy, she said. Although the
size of the vote has differed, she
said, the proportion has remained
the same.
She recalled that 18 months ago
on the question of whether we
would open our ranks to Negroes"
the vote was 1854 to $50.
Asked about the next move, Mrs.
Wilhelm said the board would meet
again in few days and notify
the national group of its action
as matter of common courtesy"
Now pending in District Court is
civil suit against the national
association and motion for a pre-
liminary injunction to prevent the
national group from evicting the
local before the case comes to trial
in October