xt70rx937t9n_536 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt70rx937t9n/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt70rx937t9n/data/46m4.dao.xml unknown 13.63 Cubic Feet 34 boxes, 2 folders, 3 items In safe - drawer 3 archival material 46m4 English University of Kentucky The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Laura Clay papers Temperance. Women -- Political activity -- Kentucky. Women's rights -- Kentucky. Women's rights -- United States -- History. Women -- Suffrage -- Kentucky. Women -- Suffrage -- United States. Speeches text Speeches 2020 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt70rx937t9n/data/46m4/Box_20/Folder_5/Multipage26762.pdf 1917-1919 1919 1917-1919 section false xt70rx937t9n_536 xt70rx937t9n  

  

  

  

  

  

  

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 Madam Chairman and Ladies, ‘11; ,'g ttfl:ry f;.~.;t¢;;:
_,I am pleased to have this opportunity to
address an audience of women on one of the great calls Which the gov-
ernment is making upon our people; for I think the War Savings Fund is
of all the financial plans of the government the most appealing to
women and the most far reaching in its effects upon the national life.
Our government wants the people so exercise thrift, because with—
out it it seems that ever our magnificent national resources will not
suffice for the needs of the war.
Women, as mothers and teachers, have their noblest task in rear-
and guiding the home-life
ing children in the understanding and practice of virtue ? We have
cause to be grateful that the government has devised this plan whereby
the nation may be educated to the dignity of applying self—control
and trained intelligence to saving the products of human labor, which
constitute the soul of thrift and separates it forever from parsi-
mony or niggardliness.
It is a wise lesson to be taught in the family; and so important
an element in the moral education of children that every mother and
in having placed in their hands
teacher has occasion to rejoice in the simple and practical method
of making little savings such as are in the power of eVry person,
children as well as grown-ups, with the visible evidence of their

cumulative value and security of future profit.

Our government wants evry citizen at this crisis to give a

guarantee of his or her patriotism. A universal expression of it now

is equal in maral value to an army in the field. Patriotism is a
sentiment so splendid in its display when it is an ourburst of a
nation's feeling in response to the call of a national emergency that
it requires some effort to realize that it is more than a Spokaneous
expression of a noble instinct, and to remember that it is rooted in

the home, in the lessons learned at the‘fireside, in the elevated im—

pressions made upon the mind in the home circle; taht its spirit of

 

 2.

self-sacrifice and devotion to ideals is the product of the home life.
In the "ar Stamps our government has devised a plan whereby evry cit—
izen, young and old, rich and poor, may by a visible sign declare that
he or she is helping our country to bear its financial burdens. In 0rd:

to raise the 2,000, 000,000 of dollars which is the goal of the loan,
every man, woman and child must subscribe about £20.00. It is a noble
ambition which I wish evnyy woman would cherish, to use her influence
and effort so that every member of her household should be enrolled
by name in this patrioticenferprise, and that the aggre ate of the
family should reach at least the $20.00 for every member.

The Government needs our money; These Tar SaViuan stamps are de—

signed to enlist the patriotiism of our people in providing part of

the great sums it needs by teaching thxiixxxxixnppixingxthlxxzxingx

the habit of saving, so that the financial burdens of the country may
be as lightly borne as ppoasible. And here the far reaching benefits
of the War Savings plan stretch out into greater hopefulness than
any other which has been devised; for tit: it is based upon an im-
provement in the character and the intelligence of our nation. As a

nation we have many national virtues; but thrift is not one of them.

the very affluence of our resources has blinded our eyes to the nnxxr

nfxxhnixxn dignity and power of their economical and intelligent
expenditure. In all the productive arts our people are pre-eminent.
Our business men are without superiors in 31112 the successful manage—
ment of great financial enterprises; But in wise conservatism of

our resrurces we have much to learn, and women have a very large share
in that part of the work. It is computed that outside of strictly
business expenditures, women in this country spend %90 of all the mon-
ey. Surely, if is peculiarly their province to take a deep interest

in 'he ”er Savings plans. 0 me it seems the most inspiring task which

has been offered in all the financial schemes, The vast sums our

 

 5.

government must spend are enough to stagger the imagination; and to

fill our minds with apprehension for the future financial condition

of the country. But if the first lesson, the lesson of unity in ef-
fort of the whole nation in well-directed and intelligent saving

and thrift is taught and accepted by our people , the burden, stu-
pendous as it is, could be lightly borne. Many families know that
thrift is a sure means of ensuring family well—being; what results
might be obtained if those same lessons caild be applied by the nation
moved by one impulse. Already we have begun to apprehend it to some
degree. Our nation has learned that by unity of action an hourfs
saving of daylight helps the prosperity of the whole country and does
not diminish its comfort when all practice it at once. The country
before long will learn the lesson which the Temperance people arexte
traching, that the nation cuixot afford the wholesale destruction of
food stuffs in making intoxicating liquor. I wish statistics were at
hand to whow how many economies, too little to be appreciable when on-
individuals practice them, but enormous when a nation unites on them
can be devised when once the lesson is learned that the nation must
study how to save its resources. There is the problem of rats, for
insttnce. It requires the whole product of the labntand equipment

of two hundred thousand men to feed the rats Which devour our grain.
A united national war against rats could eliminate them. I wish I had
at hahd statistics of many other things which 0 uld be saved by a na-
tion acting as one mm]; but these T have mentioned are enough to illusta
traie that may be acceplished by united effor, which is impossible
without that unity.

The Government has set aside five days, beginning with June 24d],

ind culminating on June 28th, for a great campaign to secure pledges

for the two billion dollars which it is the aim to raise by the Lar

Thrift Stamps. The money is not to be paid down, but pledges taken

 

 4.
for monthly paymeits . Before that time, evry patriotoc citizen should
resolve earnestly to aid all she can to help; and it would be well
before that time to make a study of how much can be pledged on or

before the
Juen 28th.

As an investment, the laby Gionds as they are called, have the
same security as all the liberty loan londs. Though they call for only
3f our instead of $4 I)4 , they seem to bear less interest ; but
that is more than made up, because the interest is compuunded every thre
months. The WiOle amount is to be paid in five years; but if there ari

ises a necessity for re lizing on them earlier, there is provision

made for doing so on ten days' notice, with the payment of three per

cent.
Let us all think of these things, and be ready to do our full

share on June 28th.

 

 ‘Hhile loam convinced that there is a field for appropriate Nation- >*’”y'lx

al legislation in obtaining suffrage for women I am one of the many
who do not believe that the pursuit of a Federal constitution Amend—
ment is a profitable expenditure of the energies of the National Suf-
frage Association. It is perfectly clear that such an amendment is

by no means necessary to the success of our cause. It is usually ad-
vocated chiefly as a means of lessening the labor of the suffragists;
in a word, as a "short cut" to Woman Suffrage. It is my purpose to show
by a brief review of the making and amendingfthe Constitution that
the S.B.Anthony Amendment gives .u'»-u~ _:'.,..'._u. .a affords lit-
tle promiSe of T‘ * a result.

As we know, the present United States Constitution was submitted

to the people in 1787 to surercede the Articles of Confederation un-
der which the country had been governed since 1778. The Articles of
Confederation Were nxuznixinnii; distinctly a league among indepen-
dent and sovereign States , in which each Joined in its sovereign ca-
pacity. But this league of SOVereign states was found not to be equal
to the requirements of the new nation; and so in 1737 Congress called
a convention to formulate a new constitution. By the statesmanlike
genius of the delegates, especially of Alexander Hamilton, the Convene
tion fanally formulated a Constitution deriving its powers and acting
directly upon the People of the United States, andxnnx instead of

the several States in their sovereign capacity. But notwithstanding the
Revolutionary war had proved that a league among sovereign states had_
failed to meet the requirements of national life , the attachment of
the people to State sovereignty was so strong that it appeared probable
that the Convention would find it impossible to come to an agreement
between the advocates of a centralized government and those of State

sovereignty if Dr.Johnson, a delegate, had not suggested a means of

 

 2?

compromising the opposte claims by having the sovereignty and ecual.
ity of the States recognized by the provision that each State shpuld

send an equal number of members tp the Senate of the National Con-
gress. But even with this and other concessions to the rights of
the States, it was difficult to persuade the Convention to make the
great sacrifices of the rights of the States which Hamilton and others
of hike views felt to be necessary for a more perfect union of the peo-
ple. The stare of flew York so resented the disposition of the ConW3n-
tionto surrender some of the rights of the States that all her delegates
except Hamilton withdrew from the Convention. 'TVen after the fac-
‘tions had come to a reluctant agreement the refusal of the people thax
nunsiitntinnxsxamui to ratify xxxhxuxxunxzxiixai a constitution flhich
had surrendered so much of the SOVereignty of the States seemed im-

minent, and was averted only by the strenuous efforts of such states-

men as John Jay, James Madison, and especially, Alex.Hamilton. It was

only by the promise that ten amendments,
Righxxxtmmndmsntx akin shpild immediately be submitted, that the necessary
nine states were induced to ratify it. These ten amendments are usually
called tire Bill of Rights Amendments, and they limit the new powers of
Congress and affirm those of the States. Virginia finally ratified with
the declaration that she was at liberty to withdraw from the Union when—
eVer its powers were used for oppression; and New York ratified after Ham-
ilton had declared that no state could eVer be coerced by an armed force.
The country from this perdod was divided into two parties , the Feder-
alists, who were in favor of a strong centralized gobernment, and the anti-
federalists, who held to the sovereignty and rights of the States‘ As we
all know, this division has persisted eVer since in parties of various
names.
The 11th Amendment was passed to defend a State right which had been

attacked by a Supreme Court chision; and the 12th xxxxmexaixxnnaXflfi4xxfix

Wm«_*w ; +,res +w, n.t + V p , v
inter; 1117;531“..L_4L‘3 he shod of 3,1901? ing Jhe resident and ViogOpI‘981deut'

 

 3.
the war of the States no more amendments were passed.
e three called the tar Amendments. The 15th Amendment
forexer forbidding slavery was submitted in 1865. It was rejected uncon-

ditionally by only two States.of the 36 which then formed the Union.

The secession States, having taken steps for readmission on the princi-

ples of the Amnesty Proclamation of President Lincoln, the new legisla-
tures rescinded the acts of secession and ratified the 13th Amendment.
The legal right of seCession for which they had fought had passed into
history as The Lost Cause; The slaves had been emancipated as a war
measure; and the Amendment was accepted as the logical outcome of the war
and the conclusion of a controversy which had raged for the establish -
ment of the government.

The history of the other two war amendments, which are those invol-
ving the doctrine os States Rights , are known. Eongress proposed the
14th Amendment.0n1y 25 btates out of the 37 would ratify it. Then Con-
gress passed theefianxnxxtxnztiunxxxxx Reconstruction Acts. The Shaka
governments of ten of the secession States were not recognized; they were
put under military government and re-aflmission to the Union refused unu

i, he 14th Amendment was ratified.Under this coercion those ten States
ratidied the Amendment and carried it; though four nor—secession States

J— I
‘J

newer ha Lfied it.

By a provision of that Amendment by which the States were to los rem
resenwetion in Congress in proportion to the number of male cmtize s who

alrht be excluded for suffrage for the first time thers was incorporated

in the Constitution a provision protecting male citizens which did not ex—

tend to female citizens;and the women of the United States by one and the

" .'

same act were discrimina ted against by the supreme law of the land and

given nearlr a million more of new nolitical masters in the persons of th,
‘2 i .L

M!

1-. u ‘. ‘ . -. - . v
2:“.gu,; daax‘ r1w;;xVJ ‘flérl.

*- "-~ ., ~.,r~e- .,--~.' ' . : ' ' .. 7 .
nflafld-dwfl‘t was J:,-_"‘:1'>d by the 53am, , J. 33.3. le'i’l‘fi'sj‘

 

 e.
3f non~323eding itates which did not ratify increased to
«he sr-called S.A.Anthony Amendment is a repetition of the 15th, with
.the substitution of the word "sex" for "race, color or previous condi—
tion of servitude". Before it can become law it must be ratified by
36 State legislatures. It is hardly to be supposed that the ten
coerced States now will subscribe voluntarily to a principle which
they thaxxe rejected then; and if even three of the eight which re—
fused to ratify the I5th Amendment remain of the same mind , it cannot be
carried.fiothing but coercion made the 15th Amendment possible; and what
reason have we to suppose that any thing less than coercion will pas the
Anthony Amendment? In fact, I believe it is usually admitted by those
most zealous to push that amendment at all costs that coercionw will be
necessary; and as military coercion is no longer among the possibilities
they propOSe a political coercion by the votes of the women who have been
franchised by the peacablemnxnxxi method conformable to the well-de-
fined limitations between State and Federal powers recogniZed by our gOVern
rent. Yet why should such revolutionary action be expected of enfranfihised
American women? Themresults of those two amendments are far from con~
elusive proof of their wisdom; and the principle of limitation of cenu
tralized pOWer is growing stronger all over the world in every govern-
adopts
ment which pnnxnsxax the method of Federation in any form. The Recon»
struction Period in our history can neVer be forgotten as an illustration of
That may halpen when one section of our country is ruled by an unsympa—
is majority in other sections. Whether it be called State sovereignty
our country,,ot Home Rule, as in the Britishimpire, or by whatever
name it is known, it is everywhere the same principle necessary for safe
and happy government. fiven now while fiurope is convulsed with war, the
~interest of at least the finglish speaking peoples is attracted to the ad—

vooa es of Home Yule in Ireland, who under another name than that we use

themselves willing martyrs for - - 'L t of non~centraln

{7/351 ! 314‘ ”p *1 'v‘wr‘c ‘o
.Lu , 3 .L; "3:0 1-3;...911”: lit;

 

 The two Amendment resently adopted, the 16th and the I7th, are not in
the the preceding two, as they bear only on matters

tethoi which the States could not enact for themselves. Since the

tsblishment of our Government only these 17 amenflments have been paSsed,

tiough it has been computed that more than 1700 have been introduced in-

In View of the enormous difficulties in the way , with no necessity

for another amendment, and with the Certainty that our association cannot
of the Anthony Amendment
continue its advocacy Without involving itSelf in partisan politics I
A. '

it is wise for our Asso. to work only for such Federal legislation
the surrender of
not require from the States any portion of those reserved rights

acccried to them by the Constitution, and which our whole history proves

strongly intrenched in the convictions of our people in all sections.

of the country.

 

 ,. V-,.__‘ ... ‘ MW... . ,u .0. Jam—ow.“ ‘ ~-

., .uuvw.~..;_ .
a».

 

  

It h$5 b90°m5 clearly recognized that women haVe a duty pemliar

to womanhood to perform in all activities of the State,—that in fact
she is joined to the State, the broadest social relationship
possible, as a citizen, with a duty to perform which women ,and
women alone, because of t eir wcmanhood, can perform.
This recognition of women as citizens marks an advanCe inso-
cial consciousness. It is an advance out of a previous sociiconscil
. family
ness where woman's plaCe in society was so limited to the funky
that any other social relationships were almost.excluded from
thought. Her citizenship, or connection to the State was through
her connection with the family. The maxim that the family is the
unit of the state has been and probably always will be accepted
as a truth in theories of systems of government; for it expres~
sea clearly one form of the basic truth that our humanity isxhxi
dual, never wholly revealed either in man or in woman; and can
neVer be wholly expressed in its powers and possibilities ens
cept in two terms,~tthe masculine and the feminine, forever
co—equal and forever complementary each to the other. Humanity
Ththlmaxixxxhxxnatnxzi
never seen in its completeness except in the co—erdination
the two, as in the family.
The home is the natural sphere of the family; and the
woman's functions there obviously are so important that in the
simpler forms of society they absorbed most of her energies,
.and customs which took their origin in the effort to protect her in
undistracted devotion to those functions after awhile crystalu
lized into obstructions to her adding to or varying them, and all,
outside of them were left to men. So that the belief that the famiy
is the unit of the state came to be yery nearly that men were

the state, and that woman(s connection with it was through her

 

 3.
‘; f? inn. r czude and uni 'ormed a st
\F“a J .hs' was Valuable and-lasting i its insti—
ime i s b'en equally the creatior cf the man
created by the cc— ordinat ior of the masculine and ‘
xxmevzxmas §§Maawifith£ Xxnitx .masculinewercthhm lrwsi»
gsnees, : smed 1ne1"Le or the ctle1:z;uyhavebeen appar-
rmthtXKS&xxxxxxxn It is our new sg}rehensicn
« wrea‘ éa or micuirect d; yet a&%
reed thh“" co— ordination gird our intelligertguidance of it

Akl

te may have
11

interest in women xxfixgitixsnxkip is releté
' in this mar
new aspect v.'ere memely ad—
nefiely repetitiins more
ntiizsvexrtrio1 ion of
the iuylite
3d tiatthey may bring to the soluticr
directed acticn cf tie Pefiir‘ne fare

to the
cue; xxfixxmmgismsntaXXXXEXha Misfit

that women ‘;J iri' t”' feminine force for the
to me that they

Ynental EXRFEXXXiEX nxtxtxis

cutituda'éggmflfigye I would give the first place
3 WWM M 9’

ct for wumargoed in themselves and in other

unmet, in a sens ':? revt from the self—respect a woman may

1erself cr other Hemen en account of qualities or
If there is a special force in
1 sharegwith men. If women have a special gift be—
cf their womangocd,
them in their womanhood surely the first requisite to

trading of its importance axxnxe
fireperly renoadém
fuiixkxifxmthnmxxxgnwxr; 31 7.. the neces sit1T of co— crdina~ing its
power “"
iney shofildunderstand '1‘ . 1s xxfxxna which is not dispar—

arisen with meh‘gnor shxulfi be denied fair and equal
of Qlf eieuces betweer amen and men. Such an
. 6 [Agni ’ 4 n

a

0e ag:ressive txmaxfix nor unapprec cia—

but it is a me; tal convic tionwithout which fi§§3§9§e&

 

 l1
’4, o

~me" Gf

Can'put forthfhefi best efforts.Realizahgonhe duality of human-

ity and hat women have something distinctive and vital to contribub
but in every sphere of human activityawould overcome any apathy
that now arises from the feeling that women's work in war is merely
wan adjunct to what may be done and betterdone by men, and pro—
bably superfluous. The world is not yet‘familiar wih he idea that
women hoe a distinctive tht to perform in\strengthening the na—3
trr's resowces in the of war. But the worldts thught naS\travelled

a long way Since Fhorence nightingale
wharely 62 years have passed smce‘Florence Nightingale in 1854

startled thnxxnxifl England by reforming the sanitary condition

of he British army in the Crimean war with her corps of trained
nurses, with herself as their leader. Ihe world looked on with a—
mazemat, not unmixed with derision and contemptat the innovation.

But woman's faith in womanhood and its power in the wake of the

battlefield triumphed over all world traditions. In our war betwee
tween he States the Women followed the noble example of Flor-

ence lightngale. The Red Cross , established in

now seems to us an inseparable from war or any public calami~

ty. But not until this war were the possibilifies of woman's

part in war revealed. There is not an army in the field which

cold be sustained here six month without the support of the wom—

en atxhhmn. The part wmen have borne has been a revelation to

he most .Tghted statesmen. The evidence of chat tomen have
done is * prool that henceforth no nation can suceeédinwar

where he‘spirit of be women is not invoked as well as hat of he men
"ar sgtems hitherto have been concerned only with organizing

the nattn's strengh in men. We have good reason to believe that
not even the most militarsstdc of the European governments thought
of mobilizing their wmen fr any part irthe War. What has been

done by women is almost whohly of their own voliton. Hence, when

 

 U.
une sdedows of he gree‘me wer oegan to darken over us , American
women , leer rning fuom theexample of he women of Europe, began
themse lvee to turn their minds to what part they should take in
the coming oonflict.The world's thought has travelled a long any
'ehce :ightingale gave the
:sh it lie our own t Le
Lh1,1l
Uxited steee: nip;

_:Ecren.

k) i-‘d— _..

,.: Ltnc; Lk u11-st for our

«Mew-5 46-9 ‘

country. Then that is the first th'ng to do. Let us all enlist,

'LJ“

service been standardized. It is part of the
Celled to decide what women shall
decide that for oureelvo'
roio times; let us live in them heio ully.As the
reti n for thet let women understand that they are
'unotof men but a co—equal force, and that be best nopes of
net ion depend upon the wee o;ordi11eti:n of the ffcrts
it is not neeesaayy for us to seek to differentiate women's task
on menss i order to eke it ef ive. Mature has alreedy done
is necessary on tnet lin ne Iet w-omen do what a.peaBs to
uihhtthe advice of men when it seems best, and me
that they will fflffillthhir distinctive pert
tftrt to yerform a part diffeeent from that
It is like a greatohorus of men and women singing toge eth~
sound the same note, and the most un—
ices, thgugh the

with that

undestfindnng, let women ens

 

 asking Whether it is man's or women's task, only asking is it
patriotic. Vhat must hey do nOW? There is one service that must

be done before June 15th. Let them answer to the cell that has bee

7 9,1,9
been to subscribe to he Liberty Loan. It is not be same if ths s
f

is sWuo ciibed by‘ men only. The loan is an expression of the Na-

end it fails n a vital point if the women do not

the men. ihe government is making an appeal
to every e4 ‘~ 1, and the Women should do their nurt\7\bollars are
Y en axiom in war that dollars are the sinews
of war. Every dollar subscribed to this Liberty Loan is a silver
bullet ' in “ “ his ° . "1 ‘t y. When the Books are closed
on the L , ‘ .1. Liberty Loan fullv subscribed and ov~

J

es . e“ 7: ahout of triumph will be likethe shout of tni;

ampaaefieisssvicto ry ontbe beti e ”isld.1X’t will be a thing that axnu

year children's cnrldren«sill te1l with pride if your name is on th‘

roll ofthose who subs ernbed for t} e Liberty Loan. Yes, it would

be ell if every one WLC can do so should subscribe for a bond in th
ame of each one of her children. The bonds are in small de~
‘anaticns, c ’ ""' being the smallest; and the payment may be
made i ‘* in: :.c. .3: Any of the banks will give ycu infor
nation how o buy one.
On the 5th of June there will be the greathgistration day in
preparetcn of he selective dnaft by Which the men shall be chosen

‘urfleg into he battle field. By the democratic sysyem

serve in battle when his country cells;end they who heipe
he industries of the country until he is
elhed serves cs ‘ they who go t he fruht.; end they will
nd fe.ibfu l haters in 1 . Vet to women it will elneys be

tree that the geese is extension of the home and th eazgge tr -et

,;

 

 7
O

that cherished the boys at home goes out to the soldéar boys who ar

Be seen to hbe at he front. The General Federaton of Woman's
lubs seeks for all of us when it Said; The women of America are
loyal and true; we will follow our men to the hast ditch. So women
naturally turn to hose hinge which have in them a touch of person—
a1 service to be men at the front. All of Bus will want in these.
The Eavy League has asked the women to supply the sailors with sets
of knitted muffeass jackets and mittens, each state for the battle

ship named after the state. Ars.flhristine Bradley Qouth, who
christened the battleship Kentucky with water from the spring at
hodgnniille, where Lincoln was born, has been asked to lead the
women of Kentucky in supplying 500 sets for that battleship. she
has inteerested the Ky.Equal Rights Assocaafion in the undertaking,
and asks all women to help . The wool and directions for knit—
ting may he obtahned in Enchmond from ——————---—--—----‘
comfort bags
Then it is the tender thought of the Nat.W.CT.U.to pgupnmy our
soldnnrs and sailors, with simple supplies of needles, thread, a
small New stament and a temperance fihégge. In the Spanish— Ameri—
ican war every Ky.soldier had one of these little reminders of the
meashng of Xy.women in their welfare. The testimony of the
usefulness of these bags assures the women that the gift will ful-
fill its urpose of usefulness. Directions for making these can be
obtained from your Richmond W.CI.U.
The Inited sates government has aypcinted a Woman’s Commit—
tee of the National Council of ~‘efense, with Dr.Anna Howard shaw
«s its chairman, and among whose mnmbrers are such well—known wom—
Lrs.Carrie C.Catt, hisslda Tarbell and ohhnn. This Commit—
tee will act under govennment advice always,and wfiill be the means
, through all the large woman's organizations , of conveying to wo—

men information of what aid woem can best give for National de—

 

 8

fense.. Let us allbe ready to reSpond when-calls come fromthis of—
ficial body, and so avoid overlapping efforts.Already the Red

Cross work has been endorsed,fand under the branch dstablished

in Rmchmond women can do most efficient service in alleviating

siffering among the sick an d woundeed soldnrs . The various forms

f relief work are more or less familiar. This war requires of
women to take responsibility in several great enterprises upon
which our government officials tell us our success in ths war great

ly depends. hThey may be chassed under two great heads, Pro-

duction and Conservation of Food. men alone cannot deal with

these two great problems under this world crisis. Women can and
led by experts
must assist. Under various groupsrthis Cdnfenence will consider
\

these subjects. It behooves each and every one of us to learn
what we can, so that we may give our most effective help.
It is not in the conseruticn of material thngngs ,however, that
women must do their bbest service. Women are the conservators of
the nation's ideals; and in times of war ideals are in the great~

‘A.

est dang er.Eatriotismoften is, and always ought to be somethin

more than love of the hand which gave us brrth and is the scene of
all the endearing associations of our youth. It is more than tend—
er attachment to those we love, and loyal devotion to the coun—
try to which they owe allegiance. It is all these and more. the

highest patriotism includes an understanding of the principles

of our government , and of the genius of our people whichthey ex—

press. It includes an understanding of wherein those pn inciples
iffer from those of other nations, wherein they are better and

wherefore, and an ardent love of them because of the hope of the

betterment of mankind hhvuggh them. We should know how dearly

our liberties have been bought; what precious labor, and sacrifice

and hhble bloodshed has gone into the building up and main tain—

 

 9

ing this government that we call our own, we should know some—

thing of what is has done in giving a refuge to the oppressed of

every clime; of the hope it has held out to those who love liber—
ty in every land.When we revolve these things in our hearts,
when we recall the heroism of those from whom we have received
the heritage of the hand we love, then only can we be duly pre—
pared to make what sacrifices we may be called upon to make to
retain and strengthen those grand pninoiples which are the su re
and only foundathnn for the prosperity and happiness which has
been bestowed upon us. We have entered this war for the defence
of our rights and for the principles of political freedom, We
have entered dn it a Spirit of unselfish devotion to principle,
without asking or desiring any other reward than the safety of
those principles with a loftiness of purpose which marks an ep—
och in the history of the world. Let us read the noble speech
of fresident Wilson to Congress of April 2nd. Let it contin—
ually be an instruction and inspiration to us. We are living in
great historic times. “ '.v a; ‘ ;:fi_ .'C21 in the
world. ' ' " to be living worthily is indeed suh~
'deals toward which our country has set it face are in—
but the temptations to fall below
the strann and stress of war. It is for
their nobhest part. We have pledged ourxxi
selves to a war without hate. Though life must be taken and life
given, yet it must be without animosity, hut with a clear
hat Liberty an dJustice are more than life, and the less
nmust be sacrificed for the greater. We are pledged to a war
where ' tronger nations -nall respect the weaker, an1 vhic
conducted without aggressioon; we have pledged ourselves
o indemnity in money or territorV. All these things re-

.

quire that we snall ever maintain before our eyes the truth that

 

 Cir natiothuilds ‘ , greatness upon principles and not upon ma—
terial aggrandizement. xinnfifiyxitxiskxpyaxaxt These things per—
tain to our relations to other nations; there is also need that

we keey close watch at home, best we lose gains in civic right—
eousness we have already made.Even now we see attacks begun , in
the same of indestriel exigency, upon the laws to protect chil—
dren and women in therr hours of labor. It behooves women as nev~
er before to be vigilant that the life and hope of the nation
bound up with the health and physical well—being of the mothers

of the race and the children shall not be sacripiced to selfish
greed, seizing upon the nation's emergency to find excuses for its
purposes.

It is the most feafful of all the effects of war that it pro—
duces a tendency to relax the restraints on public morality. Here
the watchfulness of women, and a firm expression of their moral
convictions will be necessary, to restrain us far as mmay be the

:hich accompanies war.
All these things are resgcnsibilities which have come to wo—

men with the new vision of Woman's Uutv in the Presnt Tar . The

burden is heavy, yet if it is nobly borne the reward is sure and

ahrndant. is the result