ACCOUNTS AND BOOKS SEC. 3. The Treasurer shall report in writing to the Executive Committee at their first meeting in each month a balance sheet, and every existing appropriation which may effect the same. He shall also report at such meetings the number of members in good standing and the names of those in arrears. At the Annual Meeting of the Society he shall make a full report of the receipts and disbursements of the past fiscal year, suitably classified, and of all outstanding obligations of the Society. He shall keep regular accounts in books belonging to the Society. The books of the Secretary and Treasurer shall be kept in the rooms of the Society. SEC. 4. No member of the Executive Committee shall propose or second an applicant. All applicants for Resident Membership must be personally known to at least two members of the Executive Committee. The proposer and seconder of a Non-Resident Member must be personally known to at least two members of the Committee. THIRTY-SECOND ANNUAL DINNER OF THE NEW YORK SOUTHERN SOCIETY. HE Thirty-second Annual Dinner of the New 1917. Toasts were responded to by Honorable Josephus Daniels, Secretary of the Navy, Honorable Newton D. Baker, Secretary of War, Honorable James Hamilton Lewis, United States Senator from Illinois. T the conclusion of the dinner, Mr. William A. Barber, the President of the Society, and who presided at the dinner as Toastmaster, addressed the Society as follows: Not merely to conform to custom, but in genuine appreciation of his high ideals, in testimony of his pure and patriotic Americanism, and as a pledge of loyal support in this crucial hour, I ask you to rise and drink to the health of the President of the United States. (Rising toast drunk.) Before we are seated, let us remember with proud and grateful hearts the brave soldiers and sailors of the United States Army and Navy. May they carry the Star Spangled Banner to such a victory as will bring peace, lasting peace, to the war-wrecked nations of the world. Honored guests and members of the Society: Events which have occurred since we last gathered here have brought to all of us added responsibilities, new activities, and altered points of view. The finger of change has left few things untouched. Even as we look to the galleries above us, we must salute those seated there not only as wives, mothers, daughters, sweethearts, friends, but as our newly-made fellow citizens as well. Ladies, we are happy to see you here this evening. Whether we shall be equally happy to see you at the polls on next Election Day will depend upon how well you justify our hope, that the power of your ballot will be used to strengthen our Government in its great fight for liberty and democracy throughout the world. Did we not feel that by coming together for discussion of the great common purpose that animates all Americans we might contribute something to the attainment of that purpose, we should have foregone this annual dinner in this year of stress and strain, although to us it is rich with happy memories. If what is said here brings us to a better understanding of America's problem, her true problem, or sets our minds more steadfastly upon its right solution, we may all go away feeling and knowing that it was good to have been here. I am sure our honored guests share this feeling, and in that spirit we bid you, one and all, a most cordial welcome. To our sister societies whose representatives do us the honor to sit at this table, we are indebted for their very kindly interest. To the members of our own Society it is my pleasure to say that this, the thirty-second anniversary, finds the Society in strong and prosperous condition, doing those things for which it was organized, and some others besides. Your Officers and Executive Committee have thought that many of the social activities of the Society should be omitted, and that time, effort and money should be devoted to other and more serious things. A few months ago a committee was appointed to direct the activities of this Society in connection with the War, and particularly that committee is charged with the duty of seeing that no Southern family, resident in New York, suffers because its breadwinners are called to the colors. Recently, the committee recommended that the Society donate and maintain one or more ambulances for service in Europe. I am pleased to announce that through subscriptions by our members, the first of these ambulances was today ordered sent to the front. We are trying to do our bit in our humble way. You will observe, gentlemen, that with this anniversary, with this birthday, the Society passes beyond draft age; but by the token of more than a hundred stars on yonder flag, we would have it known that individually and collectively we will still be proud to be drafted into the service of the United States. My friends, duty calls our country to a task from which there can be no turning until it is done. We must hesitate neither at difficulties nor at cost. Sir (Secretary of War Baker), we know that under your wise administration there will be drafted and trained another and another and still another army, if needed; and we know, Sir (Secretary of the Navy Daniels) you will see to it that there are built and manned ships and ships and more ships. We must conserve our food and feed our Allies. It is just as important that they shall not go |