Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-03
NOMEN FITTED
To WORK FOR
PUBLIC GOOD
Bv ROBERT ADAMSON.
tri,-I commissioner Of NcW York
CitU.)

CtU.)
va, ask why | have appointed
len 70 the Fire Prevention Blu
!eau' .,,o,, 10 servo &C in
ar. i'm this bureau, first, because
',.orv large part of the work OF this
N,, i work for which woman are
o|,t,.ularlv qualified, and second, be-
P'' here was available civil serv-
"a. olfrible list containing the names
large number of very capable
,ran who had passed very diff
i. and technical examination
,,.b;.h demonstrated their ability to
nerform this work.
Nave none Of the prejudices which
.I.t in the minds of many against
NE employment of women in public
,yftions | believe where they have
KIM employed women have demon
,r,ted a particularly high order Of
sfutty and fitness for public service.
This is particularly true in pubic
work. which has to do with social
Welfare for the protection OF health
Take Interest in Work.
During the four years / served as
secretary to the late Mayor Gaynor,
had excellent opportunities to OBJ
so~,a the effectiveness of women in
public matters, both IN Office ana out.
found that in the city departments
there we're a great many extremely
r3nghIe. Jealous and public spirited
women who took unusual interest in
rhair work. and who took no note of
the hours of their service, but rather
measured their work by the urgency
Of the task to be done.
I'm the committees of women who
often called at the Mayors office. and
who often appeared before the official
committees. there We're many who
showed exceptional intelligence and
resources and a close knowledge of
ruhitc matters. Some of them had
given more careful study to the
ouestions before them than even the
public officials had had time to give,
and it often happened that the sug-
gestions made BY women were eX-
trcmey helpful.
on the whole, | am a thorough be-
lever in the activity of women in
public affairs, because ! am abso-
lutclv sure that our Government ben
efts by their interest and activity
They bring fresh and unfettered
points Of view into the discussion OF
public affairs, and sometimes also a
higher moral standard than the men
follow. | do not think the quality
of our public service will suffer from
an Improvement in its moral tone
Lack Only Experience.
of course women. as a whole, lack
the experience and knowledge of
practical affairs which men possess
but that is something which can
4
that there is inefficienCy among men
in public position. Everybody knows
that to be a fact In fact. no one
will deny that the percentage of eff
fceucy among women employed in
public service is as high or higher
than it is among men employed in
such service.
The women take their work much
more seriously, as a rule study their
task much more conscientiously and
take care To equip themselves more
thoroughly than the average run OF
men do. 1t is because Of this more
careful study and preparation fol
their particular tasks, public officials
md a reasonably high order of ca
paclty and efficiency among women
j is because of these reasons that fol
the salaries paid, it is not infrequent
that higher order of ability is
found among women than among
men.
In the Fire Prevention Bureau there
is a great deal of inspection work il
factories moving picture places
dance halls, stores and places of pub
lie assembly generally. When l APP
pointed the women inspectors to this
bureau | felt that women could dc
these classes of work with a great
deal Of diligence and conscientious
ness, and the results up to date have
shown that | was correct
This is the class of work which re-