CONFERENCE IN PARIS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22590, 21 December 1938, Page 2

CONFERENCE IN PARIS

DOMINION DELEGATES REPORT

GREAT INTEREST TAKEN IN NEW ZEALAND

Miss I. M. Jamieson, who represented the Dominion at a conference of the International Council of Women held last July in Scotland, has also had the honour of representing the National Council of Women of New Zealand at a conference of the Comite Mondial des Femmes Against War and Fascism held in Paris from November 10-14. Miss Jamieson was met at the ! Gare du Nord by Madame Duby, ol the World Secretariat of the Comite, and was later invited to meet the president, Madame Duchene and other officers in the president's office. The fact that she had come from New Zealand—"so far away"—seemed to make everyone anxious to do their utmost towards contributing to her well-being. Miss Mildred Trent, Dominion president of the National Council of Women, received a full report of the conference from Miss Jamieson yesterday, and the following extracts have been taken from it:— "I attended all sessions of the conference and found the proceedings most interesting but somewhat upsetting owing to the very evident feeling of strain and unrest. This was caused by the often expressed and forcibly worded opinions of those present on the result of the Munich agreement; their concern for Czechoslovakia and its people, and their sympathy with the Spanish people—especially Spanish children.

"The first meeting of the conference was held in a fine new hall, exceedingly modern in design, and easy to speak in. It was a lecture hall of an Institute of Science. Delegates were present from mapy countries, including England, America, Holland, Belgium, Morocco, Switzerland, Spain and

China. One strong impression I had was that the majority of the delegates were young, active, and very keen and able speakers. There were very few women of middle age and over. "At the afternoon session I had a seat on the platform and had to speak for New Zealand.

To Work For Peace "The aims of the Comite des Femmes seem to me to be to unite women of all classes for the improvement of conditions for all, and to work for peace. I gathered from the speakers that the real enemy of peace was Fascism, and that war must first be made on it. Then, and only then could peace be expected. There seemed to be little hope of what I have alway regarded as the true and .only intelligent way of settling differences —mutual agreement after due discussion by all sides. Although there was l much bitter feeling against Mr Chamberlain and the British Government, there was none at all against the British people.

"Meetings were held all day on the Saturday and Sunday in Salle -Wagran —a very large hall provided with loud I speakers. Here 1500 delegates from 52 departments of France assembled. In all about 2000 women attended these meetings. "The main points of the various reports were:—How funds were raised for the work and for children in Spain; how help for the poor of the districts was organised; welfare work and health work; Red Cross work; agitation for improved conditions, for cheaper food—especially bread; the retention of the 40-hour week, and the need for women to band together to work for peace. "On Saturday evening, about 20 or 30 delegates including myself were entertained at the home of Professor Langevin, head of a school of chemistry and physics in Paris. He is a delightful old gentleman, who knew our

Lord Rutherford very well, and who had met several New Zealanders at a conference in Shanghai. His wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law are in the movement, and he gives it his support and advice Interest in New Zealand

"On Monday the meetings were held at the office of the Comite at 4 rue de Londres. These were more in the nature of executive meetings. I was the first to be asked to speak. I was asked to tell what active part, if any, New Zealand women take in the work for peace; whether women joined and were interested in trade unions; was the co-operative movement strong in New Zealand; our hours of work; conditions for women; social legislation, etc.

"I answered the inquiries to the best of my knowledge. I was able to tell them about the work being done for the Pan-Pacific Womqn's Conference, which will be held in New Zealand in 1940. They were most interested to know that economic interdependence will be the main topic for discussion at the conference. Madame Langevin asked me to make contacts between our university women and teachers with similar women in France.'

"I also explained the work for peace of the National Council of Women, and told of the work being done by affiliated societies such as the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the Young Women's Christian Association. I spoke too of the requirements of our syllabus in history and civics and international questions. I was asked if there was a 'Jew* question in New Zealand and answered 'No.'

Poster Presented "I was pleased to be able to tell something of what our Government is doing to help in this problem. Our social legislation, especially old age pensions, was the cause of much envy. "Before the close of the meeting, a very nice poster was presented by the Spanish delegates to. the committee, which had done most for the children of Spain. Copies were given to the next best, and I, coming from so far away, was asked to take one to New Zealand with their thanks for what we had done and the hope that we would try to do more. I got this copy signed by the Spanish women present. Spanish women have organised themselves -wonderfully to help feed and clothe the children. For us as women, it is a matter of 'save the children first,' and no politics or party feelings need affect that. The children have had no part in war or its causes, but they are the ones who suffer most."

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