THEY WILL MEET AT CUBA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 192, 16 August 1939, Page 12

THEY WILL MEET AT CUBA.

Women Of Many Nations Organise For Peace.

Women of five continents will gather at Havana, Cuba, next October, for the Women's World Congress for Peace and Liberty. Tlie women of South America have invited the women from all over the world to take part, and representatives from all important countries throughout the world will attend.

Among the sponsors of the Congress are:—Great Britain: Mrs. Corbett Ashby, the Lady Violet Bonham Carter, Professor Winifred Cullis, Dr. Susan Isaacs, Mies Rosamond Lehman, Mrs. Tlieo Naftel, Dr. Edith Summerskill, M.P., Dame Sybil Thorndike, Miss Ellen

Wilkinson, M.P. Canada: Miss Agnes McPhail, M.P. Australia. Miss Doris Beeby. New Zealand: Mrs. Catherine Stewart, M.P., Mies A. W. Jerome

Spencer, 0.8. E., Miss Elsie Andrews. France: Mme. Genevieve Tabouis, Mm*. C. Brunschieg, Mme. Irene Joliot-Curie. United States: Miss Dorothy Parker, Miss Mary Wooley, Miss Diana Sheean.' China: Mme. Chiang Kai-shek.

Subjects for discussion at the congress will include problems of peace, modern warfare, democracy as a force for peace, the role of women in the organisation of peace and defence against aggression and the task of women's organisations.

In New Zealand a committee has already been set up to organise New Zealand representation at the congress. The committee, which is under the chairmanship of Miss Amy Kane, feels that as a Pacific nation, New Zealand should not miss this opportunity of forgin'c stronger links with America and with the whole world. Two women. Mrs. Elizabeth Kelso and Mrs. Ray Wynn, have been nominated as delegates by their organisations and have received the support of others to represent New Zealand at the congress.

Mrs. Elizabeth Kelso has been organiser for the Women's Institute for the past ten years. From the days of her youth she has devoted much time to debating, drama and journalism, and has lectured for the Workers' Educational Association. She has made a special study of the problems of Maori women, follows world events closely, and possesses a complete knowledge of New Zealand conditions. Mrs. Kelso speaks* French and German and is a devoted wife and mother.

Few women have been more closely connected with the peace movement than Mrs. Ray Wynn, who with her mother, Mrs. Emily Gibson, has been an early member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Mrs. Wynn has been New Zealand secretary since 1933; she is a member of the Central Executive, Emergency Precaution Women's Auxiliary and secretary of the Ponsonby branch. She is also a member of the Fabian Club and president of the Auckland branch of Women Today Sponsors' League. An Aucklander born and mother of a sturdy family Mrs. Wynn is well-known as a public speake - on peace, women's questions, industrial and Labour topics.