The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-04-26
MISS RANKIN IS
LITTLE SISTER TO
LOWER HOUSE
ellison Gardner Gives Pen Sketch
of First Woman to Serve in
Congress
SOME SIDELIGHTs ON
HER ANTI.WAR VOTE
By gibson GARDNER.

Washington, April 26.-The first
woman congressman is generally
liked by her men colleagues. Their
attitude toward her may best be Xix
ened to that Of a big family of boys
to the one little sister. They all are
anxious to do something for her and
in a kind brotherly way are over
whelming her with attention.
Miss Rankin is taking it all with
dignitied composure. She has not
been swept off her feet, nor is she
austere or unfriendly. She evidently
is of the kind that likes people, and
to her even men are people.
Nice Looking.
Miss Rankin is good type to serve
as first woman congressman. She is
nice looking without being pretty or
beautiful. She wears good clothes
gracefully, but would not be charged
with being "dressy.' She is thor.
oughly womanly; does not suggest
the hard-visaged feminist Of the car
toons, and at the same time she
avoids any. suggestion of the flira-
tious or coy; There is nothing of
the purring nussyy about Jeanette.
AS to suffrage the fact that she is
! in Congress- is the best evidence that
Miss Rankin is a good suffragist. TO
obtain the ballot for woman is the
one big thing to her. Other issues
she views rather neutrality-suspicious.
typically. She is not slant-minded
nor an extremist. Her mind is open
and honest and she has evident cOur.
age to back her convictions even
though she may vote in tears.
Vote Against War.
Her vote against war was u good
illustration. She had expected to
vote for war. She had not given the
matter much thought, but her broth
er who was also her ba cker and cam.
paign manager, had advised her
strongly to vote a mans vote" on
the war issue. He assured her that
otherwise she would discredit herself
and justify the charge that women
were all alike and opposed to wal
for sex reasons.
Miss Rankin heard all the debate
on the war resolution. She planted
herself in the Senate when the de
bate began and was there when the
vote was taken Then she did the
same thing in the House. BY mid
night of the day the vote was taken
she had about made up her mind tC
vote against war, and she then re
tired to her room the House office
building to have final session with
herself alone and behind locked
doors.
1t has been widely heralded that
Miss Rankin sObbed when she deliv
cred her vote: which is true. But it
is not generally known that tele
gram announcing the death of a near
relative was delivered to her just
before the balloting and that there
were other causes for emotion than
the mere contemplation of war.
Measure Of Tact.
That Miss Rankin is possessed OF
large measure of tact is amply evil
denced by the breakfast which was
given in her honor the day of her ar
rival in Washington. This breakfast
was pulled off under the joint all.
spices of the Woman's Party (nee
the Congressional Union) and the
National American Woman Suffrage
Association, and on her right was
Miss Alice Paul of the first organiza
ton, and on her left Mrs. Carrie Gait
of the second organization; and no
scratches were exchanged.
Miss Rankin has had a lot of col
leagues to get acquainted with. Ev-
cry one of the ABA members of the
House felt the first day that it was
his solemn duty to meet the member
from Montana, and Representative
John NJ. Evans of MssOula suddenly
found himself as colleague from
Montana person of large and
pleasant responsibilities. He is now
almost as well known in the House
as the lady from Montana.
Miss Rankin has hard job. If she
pleases half the suffragists she will
be pretty sure to offend the other
half. If she pleases one political
party she will offend the other. And
every girl in her state and district
who wants job and can't get it will
be quite sure that woman suffrage is
failure.