The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-29
LADY FROM M0NTANA"
MAKES HER MAIDEN
SPEECH N HOUSE
House Becomes Extremely Attentive
When Chair Recognizes the
Only Congreaswoman.
GETS AMENDMENT 10
FOOD CONSERVATION BILL
Provides for Employment Of Women
Wherever They May Be Properly
Engaged in Governments Cam
paign Against Waste.

Washington. May 2s.-visibly ner-
vcus but spurred on by cheers and
applause. Miss Jeanette Rankin. con-
lgresswoman from Montana. made hei
maiden speech in the house of rep
resentatives today Woman's work
was her theme. She not only made
her speech, but had an amendment
passed to the Lever food survey bill
all in I'VE minutes. The amendment
read:
Provided that the secretary of ag-
= bic engage the services of women for
the work herein provided for"
The work. Indicated 10 food con-
servation, elimination OF waste, and
increased production as carried In the
bill. The sum Of $2.500,000 is set
aside for these purposes.
Miss Ranktn's speech came as a
ton to votes on the floor, but has
made no public utterance except be-
fore the woman suffrage committee
When Representative Hamlin. of Mis-
souri,. who temporarily occupied the
chair. recognized the congressw oma n
as the lady from Montana, the usu-
ally noisy and boisterous house be-
came suddenly silent and attentive.
Lady from Montana" Speaks.
Lie ohly ANAhk NciiSi Ccs "ctttoti
braced herself against the back of
the seat in front OF her. cleared her
throat and began:
The work provided for In this
paragraph, such as gathering infor-
nation, extending and enlarging the
food service and preventing waste,
includes activities we have been ac-
customed to seeing women I'LL. she
began.
Cb. cnaLn dcuharofolr aud calmly
|. "Women are well fitted for these
activities" she continued They are
so closely related to the home. 1t is
seif-evident that women are going
to NIL many positions that have been
filled by men in the past.
Women ofyicials. with their under
standing and sympathy for home
problems. will inspire confidence in
the homewoman and will encourages
her to Cooperate with the government
in this emergency
Reporters Made Happy.
BY the time the -congresxwoman
had proceeded thus far. the reporters
who were struggling in the press gal
lery with their notes. were handed
carefully prepared advance copies OF
her speech.
.Our higher educational institu-
TONS" she went on. have been turn
INK out a large DOQS OI WOmSH WHo
are trained to deal with fundamentals
from a scientific standpoint We have
| in these women source OF service
which we should not waste at this
time. feel sure that these women
will be capable and faithful In doing
this constructive work. 1t would be
to tho advantage OF the government
to utilize the services of trained wo-
men tn the place where they would
count the most for the country dur
Ing this present crisis and also In the
future.
Food conservation on a national
scale Is but the natural outgrowth OF
woman's traditional work. Women
in the past have been concerned with
the immediate preparation Of food
from one meal to another. They must
now consider the food supply for the
year. They must be individually con-
cerned with the food supply for the
whole country. And now a. we face
this international problem of feeding
the people the responsibility Is placed
upon al Of U.S."
II would not represent the chivalry
nor the good Judgment Of the COM
mittee II made any objection" said
Mr.. Lever. OF South Carolina. who
engineered the pending bill through
the house.