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Pan-American Conference of Women occurred in Baltimore, Maryland, US in 1922. It was held in connection with the third annual convention of the National League of Women Voters in Baltimore on April 20 to 29, 1922. Cooperating with the League in bringing the Pan American Women's conference to the United States were the US Secretary of State, Charles Evans Hughes, the US Secretary of Commerce, Herbert Hoover, and Dr. Leo Stanton Rowe, Director General of the Pan American Union (PAU). The conference was meant to strengthen and carry a step forward the initiative undertaken at the Second Pan American Scientific Congress, when a woman's auxiliary committee was formed to develop closer cooperation between the women of the American continent. The countries who accepted the invitation to be present at the Conference and who sent delegates, were: Argentine, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chili, Cuba, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela. The foreign delegates who attended the Congress were carefully chosen and were not political appointments but represented the most progressive and brilliant women in their countries. The foreign delegates represented 32 countries and two Provinces of Canada. There were in addition 23 delegates from foreign organizations, eight personal delegates from foreign countries, and a number of personal delegates from the US. The business or arrangement of the Pan-American Conference was achieved largely through the cooperation of the ambassadors from the Pan-American nations. The delegates were met at various points throughout the US until their arrival in Baltimore. The sessions were held in Baltimore's Roof Garden of the Century Theatre and in the ballroom of the Belvedere Hotel. During the sessions, all the delegates sat upon the platform under the respective banners of their countries. The large Conference Hall was decorated with the flags of all the nations represented. Many of the foreign delegates spoke in Spanish and their speeches were interpreted; one or two spoke in French and a few in English. ==Background== The invitations to the governments of South and Central American countries to send delegates to this conference were forwarded through the US State Department and its diplomatic representatives in the Republics of Latin America. While not an official invitation from the Government of the US, the plan received the sanction and approval of administration officials, who viewed these types of conferences favorably, as they would promote a better understanding and more friendly relations between the citizens of the various countries. The main purpose of this conference, according to Maud Wood Park, national president of the League of Women Voters, was to bring the women of the US into more friendly relations with the women of South America, Central America, Mexico, and Canada. Baltimore was selected as the next convention city of the PAU at the national convention which occurred in April 1921 at Cleveland, Ohio, this being on the joint invitation of the Maryland League of Women Voters, the State of Maryland through Governor Albert C. Ritchie, and the city of Baltimore through Mayor William Frederick Broening. Rowe concurred with the suggestion of the Maryland League of Women Voters that a Pan American conference of women would carry on and strengthen the friendly relations and good will between women of the countries represented by the PAU, the foundations for which were laid by the Woman's Auxiliary Committee of the Second Pan American Scientific Conference of December-January, 1915-16. In making plans for the conference, the National League of Women Voters consulted with Hughes, Hoover, and Rowe who approved. The plans were first presented to Hughes and Hoover by a delegation consisting of Park, Madeleine Lemoyne Ellicott, Matilda Backus Maloy, and Lavinia Engle, representing the Maryland League of Women Voters; Gov. Ritchie; Henry G. Perring, representing the State of Maryland; and W. M. Brittain, representing the city of Baltimore. Upon its approval by the Cabinet officers, the plan was laid before the Baltimore Board of Trade by the league, receiving their endorsement. The League of Women Voters believed that very definite results could be achieved through round-table conferences. Women everywhere were recognizing the necessity of raising the standards for women in industry, of securing legislation that would guard the civil rights of women, and of protecting in every possible way those who need protection. To this end it was fitting to discuss the best means to the desired end, and that the participants would have an opportunity to help one another through conference and consultation. Park said that women were instinctively ready to work together for the things that they wished to accomplish, because their interests were cooperative rather than competitive. "Women's distinctive interests are in common— home making, children, general welfare—whereas men's distinctive interests are sometimes of necessity conflicting and have to be settled by compromise. There is nothing about the ordinary occupations of women which is competitive. To illustrate, if the women of one nation are able to secure a child-welfare measure, and to develop and improve their work along these lines, their step in advance is a help and not a hindrance to the women of all other nations. The occupations and interests of women are the occupations and interests of peace, and lend themselves readily to cooperation." 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Pan-American Conference of Women」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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