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Exhth of handler-nit work sent by Briti men at left. mid centre beautitully bound British lmtitutes ln gnflmde {or sympathy Mid practical help extended utlon over almost six years of war. The handicrait exhibit includes hock, leather hmdhng, men's and women's leather gloves, drown work, ingenious handmade buttons. book, "Women's InstiVutes--Tlie sh Institutes to Cnubdihn institutes. In front row are to hr. leather gilt. books sent by Scottish Women's Institutes and hniidwovcii bogs, In front row at extreme right is til be seen Oicily McCall's British People ill Pictur by the Canadian organi-- exquisitciy smocked child-s print handwoyen iincn blot and ' British Institutes Send "Thank You? Gifts to Canadian Organization By Elizabeth H ammand SELDOM has Britain sent to Canada a better ambassador of goodwill than Elizabeth Christmas, general organizer of the Federated Women's Institutes of England and Wales, Certainly those who chose her for the Canadian as. signment are to hocomplimented tor their discernment. This writer frankly acknow- ledges that rarely has She seen at more sincere and moving demons- tration of artectlon for a stranger than that exprased at the dozens of visits begun on the Pacific Coast. and terminating in Halifax * on May 24th. she will thou have completed her tour of the nine provinces. Miss Christmas, as has bean re- ported home in this section of the Family Herald, came lo Can- ada through the British Ministry of information in collaboration with War Information Board, Ot- town. it is said that in the beginning when plans for the tour were be- ing discussed. someone in the Can» adiun Institutes, requested, to gi e the British interpretation, "A plain body without an Oxford ac- cent." Which serves to point up the diiterenrc ln British and Can- adian terms. For, I can well im- agine that in blunt canadianese, what the common institute mem- ber meant was "someone who would not be the "lode-duh" type. Ccrtninly Elizabeth Christmas is not "plain" as we undo . rid "l.}all1," She is a slender. graceful young woman with d PhnI'ming. expressive face, an abundonre of poise and vitality-and a thorough. ly nice person. She has tlint rare gift for adnptlng herself lmnlcdiv ater to whatever group in which she finds herseli. She has told Britain's wartime story as lived in the rill-til areas so simply and so torn between tears quickly well that one is laughter rind tears dispelled by laughter, And she has strengthened the already strong bond between hel' Canadian and British sisteis. Perhaps the highest compliment of all was paid her when a quiet country woman turned to me and said with great sinccrity 'Slln i one of us." So quickly was. she W. I. Highlights First Women's institute in the world organized at Stoney Creek, Ontario in 1897. i: e:- a:- At the request. of Queen Mary, Women's institutes were introduced in England by Mrs. Alfred Watt. MB. E., in 1915. British institutes branches now total a paid membership of 500,000. There are 5,870 branches in England and Wales, 900 in Scotland, a goodly number in Northern ireiand, Newest Women's In tune in the world 'gunldetl re- cently at Trirnda Malta now making inquiries. accepted by women wherever she went. Having spent some institutes in each at ihe western provinces, as well as speaking to urban women's organizations on time with occasion, Miss Christmas visited stoiiey creek Institute in Ontario, birthplace of the first Women's Institute ln the world. _ _ Highlight oi'thg Quebec Vim was the presentation of a large, beautifully bound reddish brown leather gill book In the Federated Women's lnslitutes of Canada from the Federalcfl \Vomen's In- stitutes of England and Wales, at a meeting called by sncrbrooke County Institutes in Slierbmoke. In the absence of Mrs. Cameron DOW. Federated President, Miss Christmas presented the book. nldng with one from the Scottish Women's institutes, also heautiiul- 1y bound in cream colored leather, 'tunl giving details or their work during the war. and a very ilne collcrtlou oi British handicraft work, to Mrs. G. F. w. Kuhring. cheratcd Corresponding Secre- tary. Owing to lllntss in her fam- ily Mrs. Dow could not be present. This will (arm a travelling exhibit: wli _ -ill pass from institute to Institute across Canada. The pre- sentation was made in gratitude for the symrAlhy and pructicol help given to British Institutes (luring the, war. Halld-bnund, in fine red--brawn lehllior, and its pngcs hand-made. the gift hook wus \vrichn out in script by Frances Nutlall. mem- her 01 Biiiileigh Shltertoulnslilute. County of Devon, and was bound by Kathcrine R. Drummond, Na-- tional Federation Women's Instle tutes' leathercrafl iudge. It con< talus beautlfully illuslrated pages or specimens of Institute \vnrk par-chased by the British Council to include in the Exhibition oI Cratt Work to tour the Doniinions, pictures showing the packing ml children's clothes knitted liy Nor- thumliel'ldnrl institutes; Knitting for Liberated Europe; Her Majesty thc Queen, listening to an address by the Minister of Agriculture; w. 1. members learning to line coats for Mrs. Churchill's Aid to Russia _Sclleme: Making baskets at Worth- md. West Sussex: Sautllbaurne W.l.. East Sussex Market Six-ll Carrying Home produce irom Por- lack WJ. Market, Somerset. There clever and amusing color are Thoughts "by the Wa HAVING attended the Second conference of the Can- adian National Women's Organizations in Toronto, at which findings of the first conference were made known, and ideas and resolutions presented for the draw- ing up of a charter of women's rights, this writer ques- tions seriously the usefulness of the organization in its present setup. At the first conference last: February some 52 women's national organizations were represented. At the second meeting there were approximately 18! There was no rural representative at this second conference. Unless there is a great deal more intelligent interest and discus« sion when the delegates circulate in their own home communities it would seem doubtful as to how a charter can be drawn up and completed at the fall con< ierence. It is expected that next year an international conference will be held in Canada. To this writer the lack of really healthy and thorough discussion of topics which the delegates should have come entirely prepared for, the lack of a definite policy for implementing the resolutions -- putting teeth into them, are a drawback. , It is not enough for women to go on record as "stand- ing" for "equal pay for the job," appointment of women to Civil Service Commissions, greater activity in public life and exercise of citizenship, better rural housing, tional facilities, the development of better understanding between rural and urban women. But more important and more pertinent is the question "What action will be taken?" Unless a resolution has teeth in it and back of it the right minded woman, it: invariably gathers dust on some cabinet minister's desk. There are already too many women's organizations in Canada Whose resolutions never get beyond that stage. One does not get rid of war by hating war and loving peace, as I have said before in this column. One does not get rid of the inequalities of woman's status and social wrongs by forming a charter of the "right" things w0< men should stand for. You can stand until kingdom some and grow old and weary and dull of spirit in the standing. As to the possibility of an international conference of the heads of women's national organizations, I would be the first to admit the benefits to be derived from the exchange of woman ideas from the various other coun~ tries. The Associated Countrywomen of the World Cori- ference'in Ottawa called by Mrs. Alfred Watt, M.B.E., is proof of that. Before such a conference is even suggested for Can-- ada, it would seem very necessary that the present set-up be on a firmer basis. Women's Editor. 'rural electrification and improved community and educa- v sketches too, among them one Cir pressing "thanks for the hair pins and bobby pins . . . we can now face the members with confidence . . the fruit cukes were lovely an helped many a w.I. Christmas party." The book opens will) the inscrip- tion: "To the Women's Institutes of Canada from the Women's In- stitutes ol Britain in gratitude and friendship," and beneath it in color the institute crests of England, Wales. Scotland. Ireland and Canada. There is a message from Lady Deuman D.B,E.: "We ask the Canadian Women's Institutes ll) uc'cept this hook in appreciation of all the sympalhy and kindness which they have shown to us during the years of war. "To Canada we owe our origin. From Canada has come lhlely such warmth of friendship. such a pm- fusion of gins that our debt grows greater every duy. "As Chairman 01 the Natlonal Federation of anen's Institutes in Britain, 1 take thls fipportunily of sending to the Canadian Instit- ute members our thanks for thelr generosity and our very best wishes for happiness and slill greater opportunities for ship in the years ahead: Greetings from With: the Mountains and anleys oi: Wales We send you greetings. From every country house in'tliis war-scarred land there comes to you loving thanks {or all your friend- goodness to us, for opcning your ' hearts and homes to our boys, for giving us't'ood and ior making our gardens grow. "When the W1. movcmrnt came' [rum Canada it first took root in ' Wales in the Village of Llanlztil,' RC. Now Welsh Institutes num- ber 450 and they allsend greeting." G r e e t l n g s irom Northern - Ireland: "Members of the Women's Institutes of Northern Ireland join ' with England and Wales ill sends > ing greetings to Women's institute members in Canada and in par- ticulur to the Kazabazun Women's Institute who so kindly sent us a most welcome gilt or vegetable seeds. "Our members have greatly ad. mlred the lovely patchwork quilts which were sent from Canada- (Turn to Page 44, Please)