CONFERENCE AT SHEFFIELD

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 138, 8 December 1921, Page 7

CONFERENCE AT SHEFFIELD

WOMEN IN NATIONAL LIFE,

The Cutlers' Hall in Sheffield wag recently the sce^ne of a conference of representatives of 150 women'e societies, 'including: several hundred women. A service' was held at the Cathedral first, and later at the hall the Countess of Selborne presided. During, the proceedings Lady Frances Balfour was elected as president of the united council for the coming-year. She is an inspired speaker, and one who has devoted her gifts to the betterment of conditions for women.

In her presidential address Lady. Selborne dealt with women's part in the national life and their opportunities. The societies represented dealt with emigration, preventive and rescue' work, child welfare, education, health, temperance, public service. The point of unity was that they were seeking national betterment and seeing national problems through women's eyes. Lady Selborne's survey of the position of women showed (said a writer in a London paper) a clear sense of perspective and sound commonsense. The problem of the co-called superfluous women gave her little 'alarm; the women themselves, she said, did not ,regard the position *o seriously as did "several elderly gentlemen." Useful citizens of either sex were always useful and necessary, while there were equally ■unfortunate "wasters" of either sex who could be' done without. In conclusion Lady Selborne said that "the carrying on of the national life morally and spiritually, as well as physically, not losing hold upon the* past, while preparing for the future^ is the greatest national office and service of women. But let us hold fast to the standards which our mothers held and i handed flown to us, and keep our special national spirit as firm and finely as they did." "The influence! of such a women's Parliament," remarks a Sheffield writer, "should be not only stimulating to women themselves in helping towards a wider realisation of their duties towards the community, but by focusing tVie feminine point of view—with the new power of i#omen behind it—-it may be expected (£> play an increasing part in public affairs. In both respects theure.sult will be for good if the women's movement is to be directed by the broad and balanced spirit shown in the Countess of Selborne's presidential address."