5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁World ' s ▁Congress ▁A ux ili ary ▁Building ▁and ▁listened ▁to ▁speech es ▁given ▁by ▁almost ▁ 5 0 0 ▁women ▁from ▁ 2 7 ▁countries . ▁ ▁The ▁World ' s ▁Congress ▁of ▁Represent ative ▁Women ▁was ▁arranged , ▁spons ored ▁and ▁promoted ▁by ▁the ▁women ' s ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁World ' s ▁Congress ▁A ux ili ary , ▁under ▁the ▁guidance ▁of ▁President ▁Ber tha ▁Honor é ▁Pal mer , ▁the ▁wife ▁of ▁prominent ▁Chicago an ▁Pot ter ▁Pal mer . ▁The ▁men ▁of ▁the ▁A ux ili ary ▁formed ▁sevent een ▁depart ments ▁and ▁held ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 ▁con gress es ▁with ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁political , ▁social ▁and ▁technical ▁ag end as ; ▁the ▁women ' s ▁branch ▁held ▁just ▁one ▁con gress . ▁Of ▁all ▁the ▁con gress es ▁at ▁the ▁World ' s ▁Columb ian ▁Ex position , ▁the ▁World ' s ▁Congress ▁of ▁Represent ative ▁Women ▁was ▁the ▁most ▁highly ▁attended . ▁ ▁The ▁Woman ' s ▁Building ▁ ▁Ber tha ▁Honor é ▁Pal mer ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 1 7 - w oman ▁strong ▁Board ▁of ▁Lady ▁Man agers , ▁the ▁organization ▁which ▁de alt ▁with ▁women ' s ▁business ▁at ▁the ▁World ' s ▁Columb ian ▁Ex position . ▁The ▁Board ▁built ▁The ▁Woman ' s ▁Building , ▁designed ▁by ▁ 2 1 - year - old ▁Soph ia ▁Hay den , ▁as ▁the ▁show