By the
time the Federation held its Second International
Congress in Paris from July 26 to August
1, 1936, member countries were showing considerable
activity in their quest for a share in finding
solutions to the larger problems of the
day. It was evident, nevertheless, that
there was much to be done to free them for
such wider participation. The recommendation
made by the Prime Minister of Holland that
Civic positions be awarded to men but not
women appeared to be trying to force women,
including teachers, back into domestic service
by dismissal on marriage. In Czechoslovakia
and Poland, attempts at similar legislation
had been successfully combatted by linking
women's causes with men's. Even in Great
Britain, where prejudice and custom were
debarring women from the higher posts, there
had been some results. The Italian Federation
had proved statistically, in an article
by its President Dr. Maria Castellani, that
discrimination attempts by various syndicates
would be uneconomic and indeed harmful to
the best interests of the State. They desisted.
Doubtless, similar difficulties
confronted most of the countries represented.
It was in striking contrast to these complaints,
however, that Mrs. Anni Voipio, President
of the Finnish Federation, spoke about her
countrywomen. She said that "so far
as Finland was concerned, conditions were
really too good for women. They had attained
so great a measure of equality that they
did not appreciate it." It was a startling
statement for 1936. Even more, it was prophetic
when she added, "The human being who
does not have to fight, often becomes soft
and indifferent." She saw it, she said,
as a passing phase. Indifference has as
twin, inattention. It is then that backward,
rather than forward, steps may be taken
along the path of civilization.
The theme of the Congress
was "The woman who works - is she going
forward or back?" Over thirty years
later this question was still being hotly
debated in many quarters with no clear answer.
Meanwhile the role of members
was aptly described by Senator Plaminkova,
President of the Czechoslovakian Federation.
She said that "the woman who works
acquires a discipline, exterior as well
as interior, which is rarely found in a
woman who is never obliged to maintain a
schedule."
Mme. Paradowska-Szelagowska,
President of the Polish Federation, and
herself an accountant, not surprisingly,
saw the "way out" for women linked
to greater cooperation with men. But first
they "must have political rights,"
she said.
Dr. Signe Svensson, President
of the Norway Federation, followed this
up with saying she thought that perhaps
their "great fault has been to ask
for political rights without teaching the
great body of women that it is not only
a good thing, but that only through politics
can they do their duty as citizens."
She added that Norwegian women had already
been eligible for Parliament for 30 years,
but there had never been more than three
out of 150 members. Swiss women's political
frustration had been felt since 1870 according
to Mlle. Madeleine Daulte, their President,
and indeed, even as this book is written,
has been only slightly alleviated. By its
constitution, the International Federation,
of course, could not adopt any specific
political line, and this restriction affects
all the Clubs. But it could, and always
has, urged its members to meet the challenge
of Citizenship by becoming well informed
about the affairs of their own countries
and by never failing to exercise whatever
individual civic rights they, in fact, at
any time might possess.
If the standing of an organisation
can be at all assessed, one way is by the
calibre of those who are willing to address
its meetings. This Congress in Paris could
have had no complaints. On July 30, the
grand ballroom at the Hotel Lutetia was
the scene of a gathering of official and
distinguished people, both among the diplomatic
corps of many countries and members themselves.
The chief speaker, the
first woman in her country to attain Cabinet
rank, was the Hon. Frances Perkins, Secretary
of Labor of the United States. She was presented
to the crowded audience by Mme. Cecile Brunschwieg,
Under Secretary of State for National Education,
and shared the platform with Senator Plaminkova
(Czechoslovakia), Dr. Svensson (Member of
Parliament, Norway), and Miss Irene Ward
(Member of Parliament, Great Britain), all
of whom were active members of the Federation.
Miss Perkins said she saw the machine not
as a menace but as a possible means to the
enrichment of human life. "It is the
sanitation that protects the health of the
child, the maintenance of a productive system
adequate to supply food, clothing, shelter
and an opportunity to earn a living which
offers an economic future for that child.
So it is natural that women's obligations
should have expanded in the last 100 years
beyond the actual physical walls of the
home to preserve the essential functions
of that home." Miss Perkins added that
although the problems also created by the
machine were many, the humanities became
more possible. Enlarging on this at the
Banquet where the theme was "If Women
Ruled," Secretary of Labor Perkins
said they would stress war against disease
and make great progress towards the better
care of children. Miss Phillips, in the
same spirit, put her emphasis on the "spiritual
and moral training of the children, for
the hope of the world rests in the way in
which we prepare the next generation for
the duties and responsibilities of citizenship."
Meanwhile, grown women
had much to do to find wider outlets for
their own increasing experience. Towards
this end, the Committee on Study and Research,
presided over by Miss Dorothy Heneker, discussed
among other subjects, the Survey into the
Economic Status of Women which had been
undertaken by the International Labor Office,
and in which the Federation had been invited
to participate. Labour laws, comparative
rates of wages and salaries of men and women,
and the family circumstances of gainfully
employed women figured in this request.
"Equality" Resolutions on constitutional,
civic and economic rights, pay and opportunity
in relation to sex discrimination, were
adopted. Two years' special research with
respect to the above I.L.O. request for
information was decided upon, and the collaboration
with all international professional, business,
and similar women's organisations was to
be sought.
An announcement which aroused
enthusiasm was that Princess Fr. Cantacuzino,
President of the Romanian Federation, had
offered a prize of 1,000 French francs for
the best landscape painting by a woman artist
to be shown at the International Exhibition
of Fine and Applied Arts at the Jeu de Paume
in Paris in 1937. It was the first time
that museum had been offered to a women's
organisation. Possibly this inspired to
greater effort the program of subcommittees
on opportunities for women musicians, especially
in radio, and for women writers.
The potential growth of
the Federation gave rise to proposals from
the nominating committee, chaired by Dr.
Maria Castellani, that International Officers
for the coming year should be chosen according
to personality and not geography. In addition,
modification of the bylaws to admit six
vice-presidents instead of four was to be
studied. Those proposals were referred to
the Board of Directors, which was sandwiching
the sessions of its Sixth Annual Meeting
between those of the Congress. With only
slight modifications, the Board agreed upon
a system of rotation of vice-presidents
to be chosen from countries according to
the degree of development of their national
organisations, while observing the following
geographical grouping: the United States;
Great Britain and the Dominions; the Latin
countries; the Scandinavian countries; Central
Europe; and Oriental Europe. The increase
to six vice-presidents was agreed upon.
A necessary proviso was,
of course, that such officeholders should
be outstanding and willing to work for the
Federation. Obviously there was no room
for anyone who might think that accepting
office meant no more than basking in the
sunshine of the prestige of its title. It
was a time for hard thinking and constructive
action.
Finance was continuing
to be a problem. Miss Caroline Haslett,
Chairman of the Finance Committee pointed
out that for six years the Federation had
maintained two offices; one was in New York,
where the work of collecting funds was primarily
handled, the other was first in Geneva and
then London. This European office had met
the needs of the pioneer period. With the
resignation of Miss Heneker as Director,
the Board had voted to close it. It recommended
that future headquarters of the International
should be wherever the President for the
time being resided. Congress accepted the
recommendation. This would, of course, cut
some of the expense, but did not entirely
eliminate the anticipated budget deficit
of some $2,000. The contribution of $3,500
from the United States Federation which
had been a gift from their surplus funds
would not again be available, for the simple
reason that there was practically no surplus
that year. The U.S. was asking its 1,486
Clubs to become associate members at the
rate of $5.00 per annum, which was considered
to be a sounder way of guaranteeing permanent
support.
Miss Gordon Holmes, holding
the rare position, for a woman, of Managing
Director of one of the best known brokerage
houses in London, the National Securities
Corporation Ltd., and Director of the National
Savings Bank Corporation of Budapest, was
present as a guest. She was allowed to intervene
and appeal, on the basis of her financial
experience, for funds to meet the deficit.
At a later session she, not surprisingly,
was voted into the chair of the Finance
Committee in succession to Miss Haslett,
a vice-president, who herself moved that
this should be done because of the exceptional
qualifications distinguishing Miss Gordon
Holmes.
The Hungarian Federation,
through Dr. Aszody, offered scholarships
for two members which would enable them
to travel in Hungary for two months during
the summer of 1937, or pursue their work
at the University of Budapest.
True to its policy of cooperation
with other women's organisations, Senator
Plaminkova (Czechoslovakia) was voted to
represent the Federation at the meeting
of the International Council of Women in
Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia; Dean Maria Leonard
(United States) at the International Federation
of University Women in Cracow, Poland; Miss
Dorothy Heneker (Canada) at the League of
Nations Liaison Committee of Women's International
Organisations and similar groups in Geneva.
Miss Heneker's devoted work for the Federation
as Executive Director had evoked many expressions
of regret at her resignation from that appointment
owing to heavy personal responsibilities.
The Board of Directors had, at the Brussels
meeting, instructed Miss Heneker to assume
the initiative on behalf of the International
Federation in calling an early meeting of
the Liaison Committee of Women's International
Organisations (see Appendix
No. 3). The aim was to secure
united action in regard to the examination
into the Civil, Political, and Economic
Status of Women as set forth in a resolution
passed at the 17th Assembly of the League
of Nations in September 1935. In due course,
acting in cooperation with the International
Federation of University Women and the Industrial
Section of the Y.W.C.A., steps were taken
to collect data from all three memberships.
This resulted in a letter being laid before
the Governing Body of the Assembly in February
1936 which instructed the I.L.O. to undertake
the study of the legislation affecting women's
work. The I.L.O. informed Miss Heneker that
such a study was being immediately undertaken
under five headings. Information was sought
from the Federation on two of the five sections:
1) the comparative rates of men's and women's
wages, and 2) the family circumstances of
gainfully employed women and their responsibility,
if any, for dependents. Though this was
to mean a real sacrifice of spare hours
of women already busy enough in various
professions and occupations, it showed that
the helpless cry of, "Well, what can
we do?" had moved a fraction of a step
towards a solution. It was a beginning at
a possibly effective level, and all who
had brought it about deserved more praise
than would ever be realised by following
generations.
A brilliant and varied
programme of social events had accompanied
this Second Congress of the International
Federation. Members of the Cabinet, the
Quai d'Orsay, the Hotel de Ville, the Prefecture
of Police, the Paris Chamber of Commerce
- all were hosts to the delegates at receptions.
During the year 1935-36
the formation of a club at Jerusalem, Palestine,
had brought the membership up to twenty-four
countries. There had been increases in clubs
in Canada, Great Britain, France, Finland,
Italy, and Switzerland. National Federations
of existing clubs had been formed in Holland
and Sweden. An increase of 1,000 members
was reported from the United States. Many
new contacts had been made, and the affiliation
of a club in Southern Africa was imminent.
International Night was
an established event, being observed each
February, and there had been success with
international radio broadcasts.
An achievement which must
have brought useful publicity to the International
was the survey on the status of women made
by the Helsinki Club of Finland. The Finnish
Foreign Office undertook its publication
in pamphlet form, and gave an initial order
for 1,500 copies to be distributed to Finnish
diplomatic representatives throughout the
world.
The year had opened with
deep sadness for Great Britain in the death
of H.M. King George V on January 20. The
International Federation, through its President
in a message of sympathy to the Queen, said
that its "members throughout the world
mourned the passing of a great King and
a beloved sovereign."
As the Paris conference
and accompanying Board Meeting drew to a
close, some old and new officers were voted
in. The reelection of Miss Lena Madesin
Phillips, as President, and a number of
her original team ensured a continuation
of the inspired wisdom and stimulation which
gives to a young organisation the strength
and coherence it so greatly needs. She told
delegates: "Let us then be up and about
our own responsibilities, our own affairs.
No others will be about them for us. For
whatsoever we truly deserve, whatsoever
we merit, no more, no less, shall come to
us."
That many were indeed "up
and about" the Federation's affairs
is clear from the various records available.
International Headquarters
in New York, occupying a new office in the
Hotel Biltmore, were that autumn entertaining
Miss Caroline Haslett, newly elected vice-president,
who was making a whirlwind visit to some
of the largest electrical enterprises in
the country. She was to have made a nationwide
broadcast on October 1, but, unfortunately,
both N.B.C. networks were monopolised by
the prolongation of the World Series baseball
game, and her broadcast was cancelled, a
distinction incidentally, which she shared
on that occasion with the President of the
United States.
What might be termed a
by-product of membership of the International
Federation was the obtaining of one of the
15 seats available on the Hawaiian Clipper
bound for the Orient on October 21, for
which there were 3,000 applicants! Miss
Lena Madesin Phillips was responsible, and
she sent Mrs. Zetta B. Averill, of Washington,
off with authority to try to stimulate interest
in the formation of branches of the International
in that area. Meanwhile Miss Gordon Holmes,
enthusiastically in pursuit of funds in
her capacity as Finance Chairman, was enjoying
encouraging comments from people she tackled.
She told Widening Horizons, "I am continually
coming across total strangers who delight
my heart by telling me what a fine International
ours is." Someone said, "Even
the Lordly Ones who regard most women's
organisations with contempt say, 'Oh the
Business women must have what they ask for
- they're different.' " Someone else
told her, "I have seen the work of
this International at Geneva and it is so
good that I would support this International
for that reason alone."
The Soroptimist Association
in Britain in which she had many friends,
notably Miss Elizabeth Hawes, subscribed
generously to the reduction of the International's
deficit.
The most elaborate broadcast
yet attempted for International Night linked
the United States, Canada, and Great Britain.
It was introduced by the President, Miss
Lena Madesin Phillips, from New York, and
the question was, "Have women made
good in Government?"
It would be nice to know
to what conclusion, if any, the Speakers
came. Among the chief ones were Congresswoman
Caroline O'Day of the United States, Miss
Irene Ward, Member of Parliament of Great
Britain, and Miss Agnes Macphail of the
Canadian Parliament.
Three-Year
Objective
June, 1937, saw a large attendance at the
7th Board Meeting. It was held in Stockholm,
and business was laced with a brilliant
social programme arranged by a committee
chaired by Her Excellency, Mrs. Maja Sandler,
wife of the Swedish Minister for Foreign
Affairs. A twenty-fifth country, Denmark,
had now become a member. The President brought
her seven year old daughter, Margrethe Kornerup,
with her.
From the report, which
appeared in Widening Horizons (August 1937),
there was a generally satisfied feeling
that a positive sense of direction had been
achieved. The adoption of a three-year objective
gave each of the member organisations a
challenging goal, or goals, to reach. Not
least among these in the first two phases
of the campaign was the call to obtain a
larger number of women in both public and
executive positions before 1940. This meant
working all the way down the line from Cabinet
Ministers to local authority appointments.
"A smashing attack" upon some
of the fallacies hindering women in business
was included as the third phase. Miss Elizabeth
Hawes, now President of the Soroptimists
and present as a guest said, "You have
something here worth battling for. Believe
in it and fight for it." She added
that the time might come when the Soroptimists
would "be glad to join in carrying
forward the work," and so, in fact,
later they did as a member group of the
British Federation.
As illustration of what
could be done, Sweden's delegate told how
that country's women's organisations had
pooled their interests, and the result had
been to double the number of women in Parliament.
An effective campaign would
need money. Miss Gordon Holmes was confident
it could be raised. She had a piece of advice
to give also, "Show more consideration
to your junior executives. If you treat
them like people of dignity and prestige,
men will quickly follow suit, and the standing
of women in the business world will be greatly
enhanced."
As the months moved on
towards the 3rd Congress, which was to be
held in Budapest, Miss Dorothy Heneker drafted
a document (see Appendix
No. 1) expressing the "extreme
and urgent desire that the Assembly (of
the League of Nations) should take constructive
action in regard to the status of women."
The document pointed out that the desired
enquiry had now been made by women's organisations
and much valuable material obtained. It
called for "effective machinery to
be established to study this material with
a view to ascertaining the best and most
practical methods of improving the status
of women in many countries where inequalities
still exist, and also of establishing the
measure of agreement on definite points
now possible between Governments."
Giving
Stability
Every country, in turn,
which had played hostess to the International
Federation had something special to offer
and for which to be remembered. Hungary
was no exception. In the glow of a "setting
of incomparable beauty," the 3rd Congress
was held in Budapest. Hospitality was lavish,
with many of the country's great and famous
present. Their decorations gleamed and sparkled
in accompaniment to "the soft ripple
of waters against the Danube shore,"
in late afternoon and the evenings.
During the days of July
31 to August 6, though Central Europe was
uneasy under political stresses and uncertainties,
policies were shaped which were to give
the International Federation stability which
would serve it well for years to come.
As the sessions progressed,
a new Constitution emerged. It was more
compact, improved in operational efficiency,
and with a more stable financial structure
than before. The three-year objective initiated
at the Board Meeting in Stockholm was budding
into an awakened responsibility. Miss Lena
Madesin Phillips, in six specific concepts,
indicated the trend of the emerging social
philosophy and the part women must play
in writing it "into the hearts and
minds of people and into the structure of
governments." Otherwise the world as
we knew it would be "returned to the
shambles of the wilderness." These
were prophetic words, the sense of which
many prominent speakers echoed. Among them,
Dr. Eleanor Bowes of Canada told delegates
that women must learn three things: to regard
a promise as sacred; to prepare for responsibility
by expanding their range of thought; and
to exercise liberty of thought and action.
But they were warned by Dr. Emily Hickman
of the United States they must never lose
sight of service to society.
Meanwhile much action was
needed to carry into effect the adopted
three-year plan and Miss Gordon Holmes,
Finance Chairman, headed the special committee
formed to crystallise thinking about it
into constructive action. It was she who
urged the sending of a questionnaire to
business houses asking their cooperation
in a study of women in executive posts.
An anonymous gift of $5,000 secured by Miss
Lena Madesin Phillips made a systematic
study possible.
The Constitution at this
meeting was changed to establish a triennial
period between Congresses, and a new membership
classification was created. This admitted
other International organisations with a
75% business and professional membership,
to meetings and one vote, except on matters
of internal policy. Vice-Presidents were
increased to eight; seven to be elected,
and one place left to be filled by the Board
in the event of a flourishing federation
being established in territory not yet organised.
At this meeting the work
of the International's Legislation Committee
was given fresh impetus by the appointment
as Chairman of Mme. Marcelle Kraemer-Bach,
a specialist in maritime law. She had served
on the French Government's committee charged
with the redrafting of the French Civil
Code.
Miss Lena Madesin Phillips
was reelected president without a dissenting
vote, and members went forward to more work
in the forefront of women's international
organisations.
Then, so soon, so suddenly,
the volcano in Central Europe, which had
been the only shadow behind the brilliant
facade of the Budapest Congress, could no
longer be ignored.
In the October, 1938 issue
of Widening Horizons appeared the following
message from the Federation's deeply moved
President:
"The world seems to
have lost its substance. The scene shifts
so quickly, so violently, that one grasps
blindly for something eternal by which to
keep his equilibrium.
Since our last issue, we
have held a fine, constructive Congress
at Budapest but in surroundings of anxiety
and despair almost unbelievable. Beneath
the crust of Central Europe lay a volcano
of social bitterness and unrest.
That crust has now been
broken by the tragedy of Czechoslovakia.
Frantic appeals from our able leaders there,
begged us to 'arouse the public conscience.'
Whether with wisdom or compromise, that
crisis is for the moment passed. But the
moral and psychological faith of the world
is nonetheless shaken to the roots.
In such an hour, where
shall one turn, upon what depend? The answer
ringing down the centuries: only the just,
the good and true abide. Trust the eternal
verities. All else must pass. Humanity struggles,
however blindly, ever upward to the light.
It is the eternal spark which will not be
quenched."
Lena Madesin Phillips
Thus had the first note of a call to courage
in responsibility come to members, and particularly
the Officers, of the Federation.
Arrangements for the next
meeting of the Board proceeded. It was held
in Trondheim, Norway's ancient capital,
where the first Federation was formed in
Europe under the leadership of Dr. Signe
Svensson. The first Chairman of the Membership
Committee, Miss Anna With, came from there,
and Miss Caro Olden, after two years as
Corresponding Secretary, had recently been
elected a vice-president. Another newcomer
to the Board was Mrs. Alva Myrdal, Past
President of the Swedish Federation.
While deeply concerned
about the tensions in European countries,
the International Federation went on with
preparations for its Board of Directors
Meeting in June 1939. "Unity is easily
destroyed and the will to accomplish a set
purpose even more easily deflected,"
wrote the President in Widening Horizons
(April 1939). "Come then to Trondheim,"
she urged, "Let us prove our loyalty
to an ideal, a persistency of purpose."
Her appeal was answered
by scores of members, some of whom had travelled
only a few miles, to others who had covered
4,000 miles to discuss the place of business
and professional women in world affairs,
this, in spite of political stresses and
great economic stringency. It was true that
some familiar faces were missing, but courage
and high resolution set the tone.
Dr. Lena Madesin Phillips,
newly honoured by her alma mater with the
degree of Doctor of Laws, outlined the task
ahead. It was to strive earnestly to realise
their three-year objective which included
getting more women in positions where they
could influence economic trends and individually
make a more intelligent and effective contribution.
A warning to women not to "carry their
spirit of service almost to subserviency"
came from Mme. F. F. Plaminkova, no longer
a Senator of Czechoslovakia, but one of
the most respected of the Federation's vice-presidents.
She said, "Woman can render her best
service to her family and to mankind only
if she is free, if she is recognised as
a human being who is privileged to carry
out her own destiny." They were brave
words from one who was already uncertain
of what might await her upon returning to
her country. This theme was naturally not
uncommon to many speakers, but perhaps it
was Mrs. J. Borden Harriman, then the only
woman minister representing the United States
Government in a foreign country, whose words
at that moment went deep into the consciousness
of her listeners. "Women can render
no greater service than to carry into public
affairs the same qualities they use in making
an integrated, happy, and successful home.
For it is spiritual-mindedness that in the
last analysis will win the victory."
In spite of everything,
the year under review had witnessed many
gains, not only in the number of public
offices held by individual women, but in
the membership of the Federation. Miss Zonola
Longstreth, who had been sent to Europe
from the United States as field organiser,
reported many successes: ten new clubs established
by her in Great Britain were formed into
a National Federation working alongside
the existing British Federation which had
been composed of occupational groups rather
than cross-section clubs; the addition of
Burma to the Federation roster as a twenty-sixth
country; the graduation of New Zealand's
one club into a national Federation of eight
clubs; and a similar step in progress in
Australia.
By 1939, much of the business
to be done by the Board had assumed a recognised
pattern. There was, however, always some
matter of special interest for delegates
to take back to their own countries for
pondering over or initiating some kind of
action.
At Trondheim, it was the
report of Mrs. Alva Myrdal, a vice-president
from Sweden, presented in her absence by
Fru Eva Nyblom, which earned this distinction.
She had supervised the Federation's first
paid professional research. Authoritative
data bearing upon women's capacities for
advancement was assembled. Among the findings
of this research (from which the reader
in 1970 may turn a little impatiently, not
having shared the struggles), was a refutation
of the contentions as to women's inferiority.
The lines it followed have, alas, come up
again and again over thirty years or more
and are too well known to need repetition
in the limited space of this book. What
was of high significance to the Federation
was that questionnaires showed that women's
organisations had been helpful in securing
the election or appointment of those women
who had attained public positions. Also,
the survey provided a clear indication that
the majority of them had sought office because
they either regarded it as a duty or saw
in it an opportunity to achieve reforms.
A committee of experts was authorised to
continue the research and to bring to the
public's notice its bearing on current fallacies.
A resolution was sent to the I.L.O. urging
technical and vocational training for men
and women on equal terms. The question as
to how the International should function
in the event of a general war was, of course,
unavoidable. The conclusions are dealt with
in the next chapter.
Already in 1934 the Federation
had gained prestige as an organisation ready
to make a businesslike stand when its members
were especially qualified to express an
opinion.
By 1939, the Federation
had also been made a corresponding member
of the Advisory Committee on Social Questions
but refrained from undertaking work already
being dealt with by other women's organisations
whose set-up was devised specifically for
such purposes, though as someone is reported
to have said, there was nothing particularly
feminine in criminal law. Nevertheless the
women who represented their government on
various international bodies centred upon
Geneva, played a very special part. Their
significance lay in "the degree to
which they may modify the common standards
of values." They were said to "attach
less importance to the obsession of precedent
and authority, and the best of them care,
above all else, for life itself. They reject
ideas which harm it; they work ardently
for causes which help it. That is the measure
of their value, and it lends them influence
out of all proportion to their small numbers."
So wrote Dorothy Heneker, the Federation's
representative in Geneva, in Widening Horizons
(September 1939).
That care "for life
itself" was certainly uppermost in
the minds of all who attended the Trondheim
meeting. It underlay all the gaiety and
hospitality provided by the hostess country,
so small, and yet "with a well integrated
programme and as effective as any Federation
anywhere in the world."
A banquet brought the official
events to a close. In the next days parties
left to return home, or in the case of the
luckier ones, to tour the lovely fjords
and visit member clubs as they journeyed
to the Land of the Midnight Sun.
Soon a great darkness was
to fall upon the world. Many would have
occasion to recall the words of Dr. Lena
Madesin Phillips as she wished them Godspeed:
"I realise that we
as business and professional women cannot
alone solve the present problems or set
the world right. But each of us can turn
towards the dawn of a new and better day,
can gladly and courageously lay hold upon
any nearby task which seems to speed its
coming." |
