Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 5.djvu/765

WAR SERVICE OF ORGANIZED SUFFRAGISTS 727 more, who -were well-known "antis." It was learned that the names had been carefully considered by the council. Dr. Shaw was designated as chairman of the Woman's Committee of the Council of National Defense and asked to hold a meeting in Washington at the earliest possible date. Its headquarters were opened in this city and the members accepted their appointments as a call by the Government to the service of the country. In December, 1917, the 49th annual convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association was held at Washington. The chairman of its War Service Department, Mrs. McCormick, described the combination of efforts desirable between its branches and those of the Woman's Committee of the Council of National Defense, saying that such a combination was essential to efficient war-service by the women of the country. Comprehensive reports were made of the activities of the four sections by their chairmen which may be read in full in the Handbook of the association for 1917 and space can be used here only for the briefest summaries, (i) Thrift and Elimination of Waste. The chairman, Mrs. Walter McNab Miller, first vice-president of the association, said in part : "After consultation with Assistant Secretary of Agri- culture Vrooman and the heads of Economics and Extension De- partments and the Children's Bureau, a letter was sent to each State suffrage president outlining the plan of work and asking that a chairman be appointed to inaugurate and carry out the Thrift program. Food conservation was the subject stressed, for the experience of the European countries made it of prime importance. It is a matter of interest that the original food out- line sent out in April contained all the suggestions afterwards ted upon by Mr. Hoover, and the outline on Clothing con- tained the same advice as was later given out by the Woman's Committee of the Council of National Defense. The response from the southern States was e^urially gratifying. I have 11 ion times for Thrift, travelled 6,000 miles, sent out 144 form letters and written i<x> individual letters. Reports from States where Thrift Comm ive been at work show eon 1y increasing interest and the gradual adoption of a definite