Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-02
HOUSE WELCOMES
WOMAN MEMBER
Ovation to Lady From Mon
tana as She Takes Seat
in Congress
REPUBLICAN IN POLITICS
O.
Announces Support of Caucus
Candidate-Breakfasted
h by Suffragists
REPUBLICAN IN POLITICS
WASHINGTON. Anril 2.

- WASHlNGTON, April 2
One Of the most picturesque demonstra.
tons ever witnessed in the historic House
chamber was staged today when the first
woman ever to sit there as a member took
the solemn oath Of office.
Men and women in the galleries pounded
hands together and yelled themselves
hoarse members did the same on both
sides Of the chamber when Miss Jeannette
Rankin. the lady from Mon, na," fresh
from her suffrage breakfast entered the
hall at 11:55. She had previously been
accorded an entirely impromptu but hearty
welcome in the Speakers room. which had
been put at her disposal for the moment.
Speaker Clark personally escorted her
to a seat on the Republican side about in
the center.
Almost Immediately she was surrounded
and completely lost to view Every one
wanted to shake her hand-and almost
every one on the floor did until the rap of
the gavel called members to their seats.
BREAKFAST FOR WOMAN MEMBER
The breakfast this morning reached the
height of sentiment for the women who
attended. No one cried, but there were
lot of wet eyes as Americas first woman
Representative concluded her remarks with:
There will be many times when I will
make mistakes. And / need your encour-
agement and support. Iknow I will get it.
I promise-I promise"
little catch in the throat barely
perceptible trembling of the otherwise firm
lips, and "the Lady from Montana" sat
down. having made her first speech in the
nations capital.
REPUBLICAN IN POLITICS
Her single official statement to date re-
garding her party politics runs thus:
Il was elected on the Republican ticket
ind ehon oh do hxyt thn icin ,f t1a
publican caucus in my vote for Speaker"
Miss Rankin was up early and at suf-
frage headquarters, accompanied by her
secretary, Miss Florence Leech There many
old and new friends gave her an ovation, to
which she merely smiled and said, THANK
you"
THE lady from Montana" reached the
Shoreham Hotel at 9:15 o'clock-ifteen
minutes late for the suffrage breakfast She
wore stunning black satin and georgette
crepe dress, trimmed with white, cut low
enough to expose a gracefully rounded
throat She travelled from her apartments
to the hotel in a taxicab, accompanied only
by her secretary. and elbowed her way un-
noticed through the crowd that thronged
the hotel lobby
Miss Rankin was preceded by Mrs. Car
rie Chapman Gait, president of the Inter-
national Woman Suffrage Association, who
sounded a new slogan that almost swept
Every. woman in the United States will
have full suffrage in 1919"
Miss Alice Paul and half dozen others
also spoke.
Special guests invited to meet Miss
Rankin included Mrs Champ Clark. wife of
the Speaker; Mrs. Andrieus A. Jones. wife
Of the Senator from New Mexico, who at
the request of the Rational Association, will
introduce the Federal suffrage amendment
= IN the Senate, and Mrs John e. Raker.
~ A,,-A a,,I l.A J1I.ou - -
ment in the House last session and will
cooperate with Miss Rankin In pushing it
to passags-in the Sixty-fifth Congress
COURTEOUS, BUT RETICENT
Miss Rankin arrived in Washington yes
terday about noon. All in back-bIack coat
and skirt, that is, and wide e-brimmed black
sailor hat, with white shirtwaist an6
bunch of violets making the only touch
Of color-she looked singularly fresh and
unruffed after five nights in a sleeping car.
She was, of course, besieged by reporters.
each anxious to be the first and, IL possible,
the only one to see her. She was entirely
courteous. but not particularly communca-
tive. She did, however, make it plain that
she considered herself as having been
elected on the Republican ticket, and ex-
pectsd in the main to vote with the Repub-
licans. She also said she was elected on a
platform whose main planks were suffrage,
State and nationwide prohibition, child
8 welfare and woman welfare. She did not
yet know exactly what form her support
Of these causes would take. In fact. she
seemed very thoroughly imbued with the
idea that there was a whole lot she didn't
know and that it behooved her to keep her
mouth shut and her eyes open" for a while.
The one thing she is perfectly sure of is
that she is going to introduce the Susan B.
Anthony amendment the very first thing.
In fact, she expects to do 1t the first day Of
the new session of this War Congress"