States more directly interested. There were large visiting delegations present from Canada. Many of our women's clubs from various states sent delegates, although club activities had ceased for the summer. Your Chairman acted as honorary chairman for the Inland Waterways Committee of the Detroit Board of Commerce, providing for the entertainment and comfort of the women delegates.

Your chairman was also the Conservation Chairman for the state of Michigan, as well as carrying the divisional work on waterways.

Just when years and months of labor had been completed, word came on March 1st, the year of change of administration, that President Wilson had requested the resignation from the International Joint Waterways Commission, of Honorable Obadiah Gardner, who was also the chairman of this International Court, in order to make way for the appointment of his private secretary, Mr. Tumulty.

Here was a situation which did brook of no delay. Telegrams and special delivery letters were rushed to Washington! Mr. Tumulty very wisely refused the offer. The President then appointed the retiring Secretary of Labor Wilson, with Senator Smith of Arizona. The commission found itself handicapped in rendering a decision, because the new members knew nothing of testimony handed in, and the hearings about completed. Hon. Charles E. Townsend, the father of the resolution to pave the way for the world use of the Great Lakes, was overwhelmed with telegrams and letters conveying protests against Gardner's removal, but without success.

When President Harding took office, again telegrams and letters were sent requesting that Gardner be reappointed. This meant the resignation of Wilson, which took place March 21, and on March 23, by just a little help from you and some others, the Hon. Obadiah Gardner was reappointed to the International Joint Waterways Commission.

After careful consideration, the International Joint Waterways Commission reported to the two governments at Washington and Ottawa that the two countries should give greater heed to foreign and domestic commerce. The President has always been a friend to the waterway. At the present time it

now rests with the Department of State relative to Treaty Rights with Great Britain.

The International situation respecting the waters of the Colorado River, versus Mexico, presents a problem of reclamation, irrigation and water-power development, great in magnitude and far-reaching possibilities. That is, providing the First Right Use remains within the jurisdiction of the United States. The project has become a question of national defense against the aggressions and menacing alien population across the border in Mexico.

This danger became so apparent that a convention was called by the states interested on December 8th last, at Riverside, California, for the purpose of protecting the interests of United States. Secretary Fall, Department of the Interior, and Herbert Hoover, Department of Commerce, were present assuming an important part. Delegates were present from all the states interested, Canada, and some fifteen from Mexico.

Mrs. Harriet W. Myers, Chairman of Birds and Flowers, represented the General Federation and was the only woman speaker. The purpose of the convention proved successful, in that a stay of proceedings halted the giving to Mexico first right use of the waters of the Colorado River. We may be justly proud and gratified at the place accorded the General Federation.

Your Chairman has met all speaking engagements in so far as possible, at other times recommending speakers who could fill the need.

FORESTRY.

MISS JULIA THORNE, Chairman.

The work of the Forestry Chairman during the past two years has been one of encouragement in the increasing interest shown in this branch of conservation.

In 1921 a leaflet, "Forest Program Suggestions" was published, many copies of which have been distributed. A letter on suggestions for work was sent out later in the year; also, a contribution for the Conservation Hand-Book, published in 1921.

In several states, new Forestry Commissions or Associations

have been formed, and it is gratifying to know that the cooperation of women's clubs in securing these has been acknowledged by including a woman as a Board member.

In two states, the co-operation of the club women is said to have prevented the threatened abolition of existing Forestry Commissions.

In many states the women's clubs are manifesting deep interest and giving substantial help in working for the protection of the remaining standing forests and in the reforestration of cut-over and burnt lands.

In Louisiana, the Federation is co-operating with the state departments of Conservation and Education. Together they were instrumental in securing, at the last session of the legis lature, the first Seed-Tree Law in the country. The State Conservation Chairman has been employed to visit schools and clubs, to interest teachers, pupils and the public generally, in Forestry.

The Georgia Federation co-operated in the Southern Congress of Forestry and reports much work along this line. Eleven out of its twelve districts report observing Arbor Day.

The Kentucky Federation plans an active educational campaign to restore the State Forestry Commission abolished by the legislature, three years ago.

New Hampshire and Vermont are among the states in which Forestry has a prominent place in Federation work.

In Minnesota, the women, like those in Wisconsin and Michigan, see the need of redeeming some of the millions of acres of cut-over and idle lands, and by tree-planting, by education and agitation are promoting an effective forest policy which shall remedy existing conditions.

The Pennsylvania Federation, one of the earliest to enlist actively in promoting Forestry interests, co-operates actively with the Forestry Commission and gave efficient aid in securing from the last legislature greatly increased appropriations for reforesting their cut-over lands.

Material has been gathered by the Division and Committee Chairmen for a circular news-letter which will be sent out soon, giving information as to some of the recent work for Forestry by club women of the various states.

The number of inquiries for information and the interest evinced in the Federal legislation proposed for establishing a national forestry policy are the best evidence that the clubs of the General Federation, which was one of the first organized agencies to take up a systematic study of the question, have not lost, but have continued to maintain their spirit of cooperation with the forces that are striving to conserve our forest

resources.

THE CLOTHING PROGRAM FOR FEDERATED CLUBS. ETHEL L. PHELPS,

Chairman Clothing Committee.

Clothing is one of the several phases of home economics and cannot be thought of apart from the other problems that are associated with the ideal of a home and family life of the highest type. This general ideal has been quite universally accepted and the time has come when we shall make greatest progress by bending our efforts toward understanding and endeavoring to solve the specific problems which are associated with these fields, including clothing.

The consumer plays an important role, and as a large part of the buying of retail merchandise is done by women, they become an economic force by this fact. Sociologically the consumer is, in part, responsible for the workers whose labor helps. to produce the merchandise she buys. A careful study of actual facts concerning labor conditions, especially those affecting women and children, and of labor legislation which has been enacted, as well as that which is pending, will give a basis for well-founded opinion and active support when legislation concerning conditions of labor becomes an issue.

While the consuming public is the ultimate outlet for all manufactured goods, economically the consumer plays an important part in controlling the products of manufacture. Theoretically, commodities are produced to satisfy the wants of the consumer. The purchasers who clearly formulate their needs as consumers, who are thoroughly acquainted with the characteristics of the commodities which will best satisfy those needs, and who refuse to buy materials other than those which will give

them the greatest satisfaction, have the power of creating a demand for the type of commodity which they desire to have available.

The textile materials of the present day are markedly unstandardized and a very large proportion of them are novelties. There is without question a real need for novelty materials, but there is also a very great and as yet unsatisfied need for at least a few well standardized fabrics, such as serge, cambric, satin, etc. In this day of standardization it would seem only reasonable to have available in ample quantity several standard grades of those few materials, the use of which markedly predominates. A recent study of purchasing habits revealed the fact that out of 104 materials, 32 were used for 94 per cent or more of the cases listed. These are the fabrics which should be standardized both as to manufacture and price. They will not take the place of, nor force out, novelty materials, but they will fill a long-felt want.

The writer of a recent article asserts that if mothers will persistently and consistently talk about and ask for an attractively built shoe with a sensible heel for their girls, in time it will be forthcoming. So with all ready-to-wear clothing, if enough of us will ask often enough for conservative, well-designed garments of satisfactory quality, we shall find in time a larger supply available from which to choose the garments needed for daily service wear. As a saving of time and energy alone a larger supply of conservative styles in clothing would be a welcome relief.

Here then is a general program ideally suited to club study, but in order to carry it through, club women must be acquainted with the actual facts of the problem. If we are to evaluate the relative quality and cost of a fabric, we must know something of the characteristics of textile fibers and of the way in which they are produced. The price of fabrics in part reflects the available supply of raw material. The kind of material chosen and the way it is handled while being made into a garment and later while being worn, may largely depend upon the characteristics or properties of the particular fiber used, as well as on the manner of treatment during manufacture. If we are to evaluate the relative value of a garment we must balance against