WOMEN'S POLITICAL REFORM LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2615, 10 November 1915, Page 3

WOMEN'S POLITICAL REFORM LEAGUE

Those who are inclined to take a pessimistic view of tbe war as regards Britain and the Allies should have been present in the Theosophieal Chambers last evening, when a special meeting of the Women's Political Reform League was addressed by the llev. Mr. Jelly. His lecture dealt with various leading features of the war, the achievements of Britain and her Allies, the great gulf that existed between British and German ideals, tho causes that led to tho clash of the nations, and _the > pari that women can play in this Titanic conflict. Mrs. C. Earle (president) occupied the chair, and in introducing Mr. Jelly slio referred to the many questions which inevitably were brought up by tho war for public consideration. One of the most important of thesG was the question of compulsory service. _It seemed to her that no solf-respecting nation could do otherwise than bring it about when going through such desperate times as the present. The injustice of married men, many with large families, fooling impelled to leave their wives and children to fight for their country when there were young men with no ties, but who did not volunteer their services, was a question that called for compulsory service. Most men would say, if they were asked, that they were in favour of serving, so why should they object to compulsory service when they really believed that services should bo given? Mrs. Earle also referred to the bravery of the Serbian women. In the course of his address Mr. Jelly was emphatic when lie declared that tho woman who was , idle in these days was not in her right place. No woman should be idlo when there was so much to be done, and every woman could find something to do. He knew there were instances—and he was afraid they' were not isolated ones—of women who wero not doing a single thing for the soldiers, but had tliey lived in Liego or Brussels they would surely know thon what it was to livo in devastated towns, and would realise something of what war means. ' Many

women wero to-day wishing that they wero men to be able to fight for their country, but although they could not; do that thoir. cage had widened much of late, and thore were many fields of labour open to them. He instanced what Florence Nightingale had fought against, driven by a passion of pity for the miseries and tortures of the wounded soldiers in the Crimean War, and although every woman could not be -a Flormco Nightingale to-day she could do her share in other ways. Mr. Jelly described the work and the wonderful organisation of the Gorman women and the way in which they had perfected arrangements for taking the places of tho. men in the industries and work- of the .country during the time of the war.

. Before concluding 'his address, Mr. Jelly referred to the murder of Nurse Ca'vell. It was a case which summed! up tho whole attitude of the German mind to-day. If such a thing as that had happened in the days of old, ten thousand swords would have leapt from their scabbards to avenge that murder, and if they did not do so to-day, if that murder did not enlist the services of men throughout the Empire, then indeed the economist, tho sopliister, and the calculator had swept over tho land. # Following Mr. Jelly brief speeches were made eulogistic of his address by Mr. A. Crawford, Mr. C. R. Smith, and Mr. E. Hadfield. A vote of thanko to Mr. Jelly was proposed by Mrs. Dvrling for his splendid lecture, and was seconded by Mrs. A. L. Warburton, and carried by acclamation. .Tho singing of the National Anthem concluded the meeting. A dance recital, taken part in by Miss Vera Zohrab's pupils, is being given in St. Mark's Schoolroom on Friday evening in aid of the Wounded Soldiers' Fund. Mr. and Mrs. Sigurd Listrup, two Danish singers of repute,. are at present staying at "Kenilworth," Hill Street. , The Empire Fete in connection with St. Anne's, Newtown, is continuing to attract many visitors. An interesting entertainment programmo was given last evening, the Wellington South Orchestra; St. Joseph's schoolgirls, and Miss Rita M'Gee contributing to it. The drawing' of the raffles takes place this evening.