THE WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2588, 2 June 1923, Page 2

THE WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION.

(Contributed). The Women’s Christian Temperance Union is one of the largest women’s organisations in the world with auxiliaries in over fifty countries. It was founded by Frances Willard and organised through the agency of the National Women’s Christian Temperance Union of the United States in 1883. The United States Union was organised in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1874, and is' the sober second thought of the great Women’s Temperance Crusade, which swept over the country during the previous winter, and whose influence extended to lands beyond the sea. Scarcely was the organisation of the National Society completed than the question arose as to why not have an International Women’s Christian Tempermice Union? At the Detroit Convention, held in ISB3, Miss Willard, the president, urged, and the Plan of Work Committee, responding to the request, recommended the appointment of the Executive Committee of a commission on Plan of Organisation of a world’s Women’s Christian Temperance Union. Through the untiring labours of Mrs Mary Clement Leavitt, the first, and other round-the-world missionaries, supplemented in foreign fields, and of individual White Ribbon Workers in various nations, many National Unions have been organised and local branches established in almost every civilised country in the world. The New Zealand Union was organised by Mrs Mary Clement Leavitt in 1885. There are now about one hundred and twenty branches of the W.C.T.U. in New Zealand with a membership of 8,000.

The W.C.T.U. has always been in the forefront of every movement to lead the world upwards. The motto is: “For God and Home, and Humanity.” The badge is the white ribbon how, symbolic of peace and purity. One of the best definitions of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union is: Organised mother love. Whilst this organisation is out for all reform, its chief aim is the abolition of the drink traffic. Tt realises that unity and organisation are necessary in making effectives demands and that much depends up-J on the womanhood of the world in the fight for this great and muchneed reform. As Lady recently said the temperate question is particularly a woman’s problem. The drink traffic endangers all that women count most dear, hampering the work for the extension of God’s kingdom on earth, endangering the homes and degrading humanity. Women have great opportunity both in civic and national life and must face this and other great problems of our day. At the W.C.T.U. all denominations are represented in the membership. Pro. Commissioner Hayes, of the U.S.A. said at a recent gathering: “The W.C.T.U. lias been the foundation from which all temperance reform work has sprung in America, which has resulted in prohibition in America. To-day the W.C.T.U. is making an effort to extend its work by organising new branches throughout the Dominions. The organiser, Miss Ernshaw, is at present in Foxton with this object.