Shaw, and welcomed by the president of the District of Columbia
suffrage association, Miss Harriette J. Hifton, and the president of
the District branch of the College Equal Suffrage League, Miss Mabel
Foster. The response for the National Association was made by Miss
Laura Clay of Kentucky, one of its officers.

The report of the Committee on Church Work was read by its chairman,
Mrs. Mary E. Craigie, who gave a record of the accomplishments of her
committees in the various States and said: "The moral awakening of the
churches to a need for more united efforts along lines of social and
moral reform carries with it a great responsibility for women, who,
representing two-thirds of the numerical power of the churches, are in
their present disfranchised condition negative factors in those
broader fields of activity which now constitute church work. Women are
beginning to realize that they are wasting their efforts and energies
in trying to effect moral and social reforms dependent upon
legislative action or law enforcement and they are asking: 'Shall we
go on with the farce of attacking the constantly growing evils of
intemperance, immorality and crime which menace our homes, our
children and society at large, knowing that our efforts are useless
and futile, or shall we take a stand which will show that we are in
earnest and demand the weapon of the ballot which is necessary before
we can do our part as Christian citizens in advancing the kingdom of
God on earth?'"

The excellent report of the new headquarters secretary, Professor Mary
Gray Peck, filled ten pages of the printed Minutes and in addition to
the large collection of statistics contained many useful suggestions.
Like all of the reports from the headquarters it showed the great
advantage of having them in a large center. Referring to the
literature department she said: "Local chairmen should see that tables
with suffrage literature are placed in all church and charitable
bazaars as far as possible and that our papers may be subscribed for
at all subscription agencies; also that our publications are on the
shelves and on file in the public libraries throughout the State. One
of the things Mrs. Pankhurst said when she was looking over our
work-room was: 'Don't give away your publications. We found we got rid
of much more when we sold and now we give away nothing.' We have
always given away ours with considerable freedom and been glad to have
them read at our exp