Evening star., 1917-04-02
Miss Jeanette Rankin. Repre-
sentative From Montana,
Given an Ovation.
SUFFRAGISTS MAKE MOST
OF THE HISTORIC EVENT
New Congresswoman Holds Continu.
GUS Reception in Her Office and
on the Floor.

o'clock today Miss Jeanette Ran
kin, new representative in Con
gress from Montana, and the first
woman ever to hold such an Office
in the United States, took her seat
in the House. Thus 1I:55 o'clock
am, Monday, April 2, 1917, be-
comes historic in the annals of
suffrage.
Nicely Dressed Of Course.
Far be it from an ordinary. hard
working reporter of the masculine per-
suasion to put into this story the femi-
nine touches for which woman readers.
yea, even the militant suffragists, will
search. The first congresslady of the
United States was arrayed in what
seemed to be one of those gauzy
things, blue and black. with some more
gauzy stuff pinch hitting in place of
real material in the bosom of the
gown. She carried a big bunch of
some kind of fowers-it wasn't possi-
BILE to see just what they. were-and
she looked like just what she was. a
real woman in the midst of a lot of
men. the first woman ever to occupy q
seat there by virtue of the suffrage
of her fellow citizens. and perhaps a
little nervous about it all.
Holds Informal Reception.
Before Representative Rankin had
time to sit down she was surrounded
by her colleagues in Congress, and un-
til the gavel fell to call the House to
order the first congresslady held an in
greet her was Representative Phil
Campbell of Kansas, who evidently said
a lot of nice things in his usual man
ner, because the new congresslady
smiled and bowed and bowed and
Smiled some more as the beaming
Kansan chung to her hand. Others fol-
lowed in rapid succession, and Miss
Rankin was kept busy shaking hands,
bowling and smiling as she acknowl-
edged introductions right and left Then
the gavel fell and the first session of
Congress including woman in its
membership got under way.
Following the breakfast at the Shore
ham Hotel and the open-air reception
at suffrage headquarters. in Rhode
Island avenue. this morning, Miss Ran
Kin went to her office in the House Of
fee building, where she continued the
reception.
fragists, men as well as women,
from all parts of the country crowded
the office room to speak a word with.
and, If possible. to shake the hand of
the nrst woman member, and Repre-
sentative Rankin was busy every sec
ond OF the time until she started for
the House.
Everybody Is Cordial.
Suffrage leaders and suffrage workers
representing every phase of the move
ment called at the rooms in the House
office building this morning, and it was
noticeable that even the representatives
of movements diametrically opposed in
method were as friendly and as cordial
toward the woman member and toward
each other as if never a suspicion of
difference of opinion had existed be-
tween them. And during the entire
time Miss Rankin shook hands and
smiled, until her facial muscles might
well have been pardoned for rebellng-
something they never seemed to do
even for the fraction of a second.
Miss Rankin was escorted to her seat
by Representative John NJ. Evans. her
colleague and fellow townsman of Mis-
soula, Mont.
When the name of the first woman
member was reached in the roll call the
House again broke into applause
which continued until Representative
Rankin rose and bowed right and left,
She had to bow several times, too. be-
cause it seemed as If the members @
wanted to get a good, long look at her
and the applause persisted for several
minutes. Representative Rankin. how
ever, just kept on bowling and smiling
and after awhile the applause stopped
and the calling of the roll continued.
Tributes Paid Miss Rankin.