WOMEN’S COUNCILS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12552, 13 July 1901, Page 9

WOMEN’S COUNCILS.

■an OPEN LETTER TO THE WOMEN OF NEW ZEALAND FROM THE PRESIDENT OP ITS NATIONAL COUNCIL. I feel prompted to 'bring before yon a necessarily brief' account of a movement, ■which is less understood than it ought to be, and to ask’ for my effort, imperfect as it is, your most serious consideration. . In . 1888 a band of thoughtful American ■women, after consultation with friends in ’ England and Prance, decided to, convene a representative assembly of delegates from as many countries of the world as possible at Washington, to consider the possibility of organising an International and National Councils of . Women. The . •■'lnternational Committee elected Mrs Fawcett as its first president, Miss Clara Barton, of the Red Cross Society, as its viice-prEsident, and Mrs Foster Avery as its corresponding secretary. The preamble 'to its constitution indicates the main bond of union which unites the members of the Internationa! Council. It runs as follows: . —“ We, women of all nations, sincerely believing that the best good of humanity will be advanced by greater unity of thought, sympathy and purpose, and‘that oil organised movement of women will best conserve the highest good of the family and of the State, do hereby band ourselves together, in a confederation'of workers, to further the application of the Golden Rule to society, custom and law.” The objects of the International Council are:—“(1) To provide a means of communication between women’s organisations in all countries. (2) To provide opportunities for wpmen to meet together from all ' parts of the world to confer upon questions relating to the welfare of tho family and the Commonwealth.” At the same , time the National Council of„ Women of the United States was formed, with Miss Frances Willard as president. During the next five years not much wasi, accomplished, but in 1895 the .Women’s Branch of the World’s Congresses held >in connection with the Chicago World’s Fair, invited the International Council to hold its first quinquennial meeting in Chicago. Besides this, the National \ Council ’of the United States hospitably ' entertained many women, workers of about ! thirty’ nationalities, some of whom were present in, an official sense. A large number of these women returned to their own countries, pledged to form National Councils, in harmony with the constitution of the International, and which should in due time affiliate with that body. The next quinquennial was arranged to meet in London in 1898, but was postponed for one year. The National Councils of ten countries, representing many’ hundreds ’of societies and some seven, million individual women, were here represented. The, report of that meeting is contained in seven well-bound volumes, edited by the Countess of Aberdeen, and; cost--1 ing, with postage, 245. The first volume contains a report of Council transactions, 1 of sermons preached on the occasion by the Bishcn of London, Canon Scott Holland and others, as well as those preached by American women licentiates of various communions, to whom many of the Nonconformist clergy kindly lent their pul-. pits; about one hundred and eighty photos; .: and an account of entertainments offered to'’the-visitors, including, by special invitation of our late Queen, an elaborate afternoon tea at Windsor. The remaining volumes are devoted to a review of women’s work in education, the professions, politics, and in industrial and social life. There are still copies to bo'had, so that if anyone would wish to learn mots of the scqpe of this great work, he or she would do well either to order direct from Lady Aberdeen, Haddo House, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, or communicate with the President of the New Zealand National Council on the subject. The first volume may now be Lad separately for 3s 6d. A meeting of the Executive of tie International was arranged to meet in Paris during the continuance of the Universal Exposition last year. Mrs May Wright Sewall, of Indianapolis, U.S.A., presided. Lady Aberdeen, vice-president at large, and* a number of other International officers were present. The CommissionerGeneral of the TJ.S.A. placed at the disposal of the executive, free of charge, a room in the United States Pavilion, where an International headquarters might b: . maintained as long as should be deemed ‘ desirable. ‘‘lt is indicative,” says Mrs Sewall, “ of tho care which the ExecuMv.. takes to prevent the practical identification of the International Council with any one country belonging to it, that Mdlle. Vidart (Recording .Secretary) prefaced her motion with the statement that, excepting for the fact that the headquarters of the International Oouneil are necessarily in tho country of the President, and that for the summer the United Staten Pavilion re presents that country, she should object to accepting a room in the American Pavilion.”

A central banner, bearing the inscription “International Council of Women,” in English, French and German, cn a white ground, and the flags of all countries with affiliated Councils, covered one entire wall, and elicited much interest. Ladies were daily in attendance to distribute, literature and supply informa- ' tion; the Commissioners-General placed .bulletins conspicuously in many parts o 'the Pavilion the Paris Press gave generous recogi;., ju of the Council’s plans ; and so it came to pass that the headquarters were well advertised and patronised. A' series of eleven weekly conferences was held, and though the room was only -supposed to be seated for 200, from 250 to 27 b crowded in (by invitation) each, evening. About seventy-four speakers—men and women almost- equally divided—presented different aspects of internationalism. The , list was a remarkable one, including “Ministers of past and present Cabinets in France, distinguished jurists, members c-i the French Academy, members- of the Institute, members of the various faculties o:

the University of Paris, editors of all tin. • best Paris newspapers;, together with writers, savants, and publicists of not loss ■merit-and distinction.” From the beginning the Preside lit ruled that all controversial matter shoukl.be excluded. The constant theme and common thought was that “the next l 'step in the development of civilisation must b-a such a consciousness of common interest among different nations ns will make them realise that, in the language of the Muster, they are indeed ‘all members of one body,’ that ‘no member can suffer that the whole' boJy doernob suffer with , it, and 1 neither .can. any member be exalted that the, whole body does not rejoice with it’” .This conception of Internationalism implies mat antagonism ahull b‘3 replaced by sympathy and competition by co-operation. V 'There were many curious episodes, too, of which Mrs SeWall tells us in her latest memo. It had been understood from tic beginning that no resolutions should foe offered, no vote taken save cu how -best t<f'foster the spirit of Internationalism, bin Don Arturo ■Marcnartd, a distinguished' member -of the Spanish. Cortes, all unaware .apparently of the noa-cor.trcvcrsial limitation, concluded a brilliant advocacy cf Internationalism by moving the following resolution:—“That in the opinion of this Conference,' the hour has arrived for protesting energetically in all civilised countries against the subordination of women. The Conference shall address itself to all Parliaments in Europe, America, Australia and Africa, at their respective next sessions, presenting the solemn request that they shall grant absolute equality of rights, 'political and civil, to men and women.” i The Conferences were usually either preceded or followed by tea and unrestrained, ■ informal discussion cn the' subject in hand. The meetings resulted in the formation and affiliation cf new (National Councils , in Franco and Italy, and, while Switzerland is making up her somewhat conservative mind tm- the subject, the far-off Argentine Republic has federated thirteen Provincial Councils (of Societies, not individuals) and affiliated. From Austria, Norway, Greece £nd Russia most encouraging reports have

been received. In Finland, Victoria, West Australia., Capo Colony, Palestine, China and Persia, honorary Vice-Presidents arc now organising; and it is probable that India, Japan and Turkey will be represented at the International Executive to. be held next month at The .-ague by their respective Honorary Vice-Presidents, To quote from Mrs Sewall once more: “It is interesting to observe that the reports from all the countries into which the Council idea has been introduced show, rob only that it'fosters Internationalism, but that it strengthens the .spirit of Nationalism and weakens sectional antagonism. Tho deepening of the sentiment fraternity and aia ever widening application of it are the certain fruits of Council work.” NATIONAL COUNCILS.

In the Montreal “Herald'’ of Dec. 22, 1900, appeared a greeting to the New Century by Lady Taylor, president of the National Council of the Women, of Canada: —“ It is the mission of the Council to promote the uhity of Canadian; woman of every section, race and creed, in order that peace and mutual appreciation, may be established, and that common effort towards the attainment of all that is pure and good be fostered.” Change Canadian to English, French to New Zealand, and we have, in a word, the mission of English, French or Now Zealand National Councils. The leading idea of each National Council must be “Union (not uniformity) of all for the good of all. To it are welcome the representatives of Societies for any /purpose and of any religious, social or political creed who can adopt this motto. That this is possible we have merely to consider facts. The corresponding secretary of the International tells us already in 1897:—“In Canada twenty-one flourishing Local Councils have been formed to carry the Council idea into each part of that vast dominion and to take deep root in the hearts and lives of the women there. Much, very much definite work has been accomplished by them;” and again, It (the Council’s idea) is the very stronghold of Women’s work in Canada, where a divided nationality and different' religions faiths, were thought to be insurmountable difficulties.” “It has entered into the National life of the United States, where women have such a, great positioiriof influence and so many careers of usefulness.” “The German National Council has sixty-five federated societies, and is interesting itself in factory inspectors, in the care of children and in social purity and temperance questions. They have made a noble stand against the re-imposition of laws bearing heavily on women, and if they appear to have failed in their petition to- Government we are assured that their efforts have not been thrown away.” Space forbids multiplying examples. Let us rather ask, what is our own National Council doing? Is it, as the representative of enfranchised women, strenuously striving to work out the social, political, and educational salvation of the women of New Zealand, that they may take up their burden of adult responsibility? We think so. We are “ humbly glad ” to believe so. And for this reason wo should like to see a larger representation of societies, who »"e working zealously for the establishment of His kingdom on. earth, but who are working separately and therefore weakly. Come, we would: say to such, and let us work together,; come and let ns reason togotber.; come„rfUid discarding all minor differences, Ist us hold together directly for the emancipation of women, and so indirectly for the whole human race.

Said Canon Kingsley, and often in these latter days have his words been quoted : “ Women will never obtain equity till they have civil equalityand without moral equity any high spiritual development is impossible.” What is this terrible “equality” for which we women are asking? What, indeed; but the “bare, ordinary rights of an adult human creature in a civilised, democratic State.” And yet, an : d yet, Avomen are so eloav to understand--some that there are interests in God s universe outside the salvation of their oavn individual souls; others, that there is any need for the enlargement of their several spheres of usefulness; they have more to do now than they have time to think bf,_ forgetful that this also is one of the handicaps a fuller education Would tend,, to remove. Some, again, seem to- forgot "that though they have all the Avi-sh for—manly husband, loving Avell-born, well-bred children, home, competency, all; there are many who have nothing; Avho are paupers, physically, morally, mentally, and, though materially aiding to-maintain the annual numerical efficiency of the birthrate, are as utterly incapable of bettering their own condition as of. (measuring its disastrous consequences. Others altogether fail to realise that Avhile there, are ten women in this land who suffer, and Avhoso children suffer to the third and fourth generation, from injustice and oppression, wo, each one of us severally, and all pf us collectively, are responsible. And instead of ten, it is no exaggeration to say that thousands of women would be directly relieved, in one way or another, by. the removal of the cruel—if also truly “ quaint and middle-age’’—impasse still resting on the sex. “Each country,” says the lady 'above quoted, “knows its OAvn needs, and will very quickly find out what a Council can do, though no one can lay dorvu rules as to what that Avork may be. Whatever it is, it Avill give the r orce of its united poAver to preparing the Avay for any and every change in the condition of women, which is, at this time, a bar to her true position and dignity.” The National Council of New Zealand exists for the purpose of focussimr in our colony every good and wholesome (endeavour toAvards the peace and prosperity of all the' nations of the earth. May it prove an increasingly active member of the international Avhole. In the larger and more densely populated countries by Local Councils are understood federations of Local Societies. For instance, in a vast extent of territory like that of Canada, or Russia, or the United States of America, such organisations are a necessity. In Nerv Zealand, hoAvecwr, we propose to- adopt a modified plan. We should he glad to < ganise a Local Council of Women, or of men and Avomen, in each electorate, on Avhich Avhen. desired any local League or Association Avould be represented by delegate. This would bring even the Avomen Ario ha\'e their homes in remote districts into touch Avith National Council work,' and so Avith the Council idea and tire Avhole Avoinan movement. Any Avoman, or -association of Avomen, or of men and Avomen, wishing to knoAV more on the subject are requested to apjdy cither to the President (its SieAwvright, Gisborne), or to the Corresponding Secretary (Mist Henderson, 58, Andover Street, Christchurch), who Avill bo happy to- forward a “ model ” constitution and sujrply all information. The Avork of a woman in the backAVoods of New Zealand is, more than falls to tire lot of most mothers, Avithin her home, and “*if our Avork lies,” as Lady Aberdeen puts it in an address to the women of far-away Victoria and Vancouver, “ especially among children, Ave need to think of the various influences AA’hich tend to mould the child’s life, and Avhich will mould it in the future, as regards body, mind, soul; avc need therefore to take a Avide A r ie\v, to Iciioav more than our oaa-u par ticular line of Avork, and so avo feel from time to time that we need to come in touch Avith. the general work which is being done by others. I think it is a feeling of this- sort Avliich has brought about these Councils of Avomen, or, as they are called in England, Unions of Women Workers.”

A quarterly letter from the Secretary of such a Local Council containing up-to-date nformation regarding Council work, an occasional periodical, and the National Council’s annual report would be locked forward toinourbackwocd homes and be the source of much pleasure, probably of substantial help. The postal service might be utilised, in some cases, as the medium of reading circles; and agencies yet unthought of, spring up to brighten and broaden the outlook of country settlers. The great Mazzini believed in association. Half a century

ago ho wrote:—“The highest possible degree of human progress will correspond to the discovery and application of the vastest formula of association. We believe, therefore, in tho holiest alliance of the peoples as being the vastest formula of association possible in our epoch. . . . As we believe in the association of the peoples, so do wo believe in the association of tho individuals of which each people is composed ; we believe that it is their sole method of progress, the principle destined to predominate over all their institutions and the pledge of the harmony of action. Are these illusions? Do I presume too far in asking such prodigies of faith in an age still undermined by scepticism; among men still slaves of tho Ego, who love little unci forget early; who bear about discouragement in their hearts, and are earnest in nothing save in the calculations of egoism, and the passing pleasures of the hour? “No; I do not ask too much. It is necessary that these things should be, and they will be. I have faith in God, in the power of truth, and 1 in the historic logic of things. I feel in my inmost heart that the delay is not for long. The principle which was the soul of the old world is exhausted. It is our part to clear the way for tho new principle; and should we perish in the undertaking, it shall yet be cleared.” 1988