43

Mrs. E. W. Peattie, Dr. F. H. Krueger
Are Speakers, Omaha Woman's Club

Mrs. Elia W. Peattie of Tyron, N. C.,
a charter member of the Omaha
Woman's club, now dramatist, novelist,
and literary critic of much ability,
and Dr. Frederick K. Krueger, of
the University of Omaha, divided
honors Monday afternoon at the
open day meeting of the Omaha
Woman's club at Burgess-Nash auditorium.
Mrs. Peattie, who came to
Omaha to speak last Friday at the
Fontenelle hotel under auspices of
the Omaha Woman's Press club,
read several of her poems Monday
afternoon, including "January Jasmine";
"Wood Smoke"; a tribute
to Sidney Lanier, entitled "Lanier in
the Valley"; "Brides of Tryon," being
a reference to the dogwood blossoms
in spring; "Hills Round My
Valley," and "In the Cool of the
Day."

Mrs. Peattie made a very strong
appeal to Omaha and Nebraska club
women not to permit the defeat of
the bill pending in the state legislature
providing $26, 360 for traveling
libraries. "This defeat would deprive
three-fourths of the reading public of
Nebraska of good and suitable reading
matter. Such action would be reactionary,
and should not be permitter,"
Mrs. Peattie declared.

Dr. Krueger, speaking under the
direction of the Political and Social
Science department of the club, reviewed
the history of Europeans
immigration to America, and the baneful
influence of southern and eastern
European immigrants upon the
national life here, as compared with
the sturdy integrity of the north
European immigrants. He explained
the new immigrant law, passed in
1920, which seeks to reduce the undesirable
flood of illiterates and
papers. Dr. Krueger criticised the
new immigration law as not taking
quality into consideration, but paying
attention only to numbers, since
immigration is now restricted to 3
per cent of the amount of immigration
in 1910. "We need quality, as
well as reduced numbers. We must
use love, tolerance, and understanding
under our so-called "Melting Pot
of America," rather than hate, prejudice,
and lack of understanding," he
said. Mrs. Thomas R. Jones presided.

S. R. Elson, secretary of the Omaha
Council of Americanization, announced
a mass meeting for naturalization
of 150 foreign born men and
women at the city auditorium Wednesday
night, as in line with the
work urged by Dr. Krueger.

Mrs. J. M. Welshans and Miss Virginia
M. James played two piano
solos and Mrs. Leslie A. Ayers sang.
Election of club officers will take
place Monday, March 5, with the
heads of departments and chairmen
of standing committees acting as the
nominating committee.