The evening world., 1919-02-08
4 WILL" WOMAN
ASSERTS SHE'LL Be
CH|CAGO'S MAYOR
Leonora Meder Has Already
Done Big ThingS-lS Sure
She'll Be Elected.
tspcial tn me Evening worldly

CHICAGO, Feb, S.-"Chicago'S e
symbol is a woman with lifted right
hand. saying I WILL, We'll. I'm that
woman"
And Mrs. Leonora u. Meder's bon
net js in the ring for the Mayoralty
contest in that city.
Mrs. Meder was the first woman
to be admitted to the bar in the
State OF Kentucky. That was in
1894. She was the first woman juror
in the State OF Illinois. She was the
first woman member OF n Mayors
Cabinet. And she Is going to be the
first woman Mayor OF Chicago. At
least that is what she says, and there
are those who agroo with her.
We'll, why shouldn't be?" sho
asked aggressively. "Chicago's Mayor
should be a good housekeeper, and I
am. l know politics, and am bound
by no party lines. for l shall run in
dependontly. IL / broak up the po-
liticol machine during my four years
in office / shall have done a lot. II
obligations to any one, and | will sur
round myself with the best people l
| know. l will choose the men and
women With the biggest brains and
most experience for the big Jobs.
They will be my best friends or my
bittcrest enemies"
viii you favor women" was
asked her.
Tho big, breezy woman settled
back in her chair.
NO, | won't, but III give them a
fair chance" she responded slowly.
Il won't favor woman because she
is a woman. Neither will discount
her for that fact. Don't you sup
pose there arc scores OF women who
are botter qualified than the men
who are. holding important civil po-
sitions2
After all, all the big reforms here
were started by women. The wom-
ems clubs have done more toward
bcttcring conditions and bringing
| about needed legislation than any
other one factor. As u matter OF
fact, there are n thousand women
who could fill the Mayors chair, and,
what is more, ill 1t well. | happon
To know the political conditions bet
ter than they. that is all"
Mrs. Medors experience during the
years of depression, 1913 and 1914,
when she served under former Mayor
| Carter Harrison as Commissioner OF
| Public Welfare. has given her consd-
| erable insight into civic problcms
| and the manner OF dealing with
them. Delinquency, unemployment.
crime and child welfare are but a
fow OF the subjects given thorough
investigation by her and her de-
partment.
| Sho gave the first municipal dance.
She started tho first municipal lodg-
| ing house, and when the knights OF
| the road hocked To Chicago for a
soft wipter she Immediately instl-
tutcd the first municipal woodpilo BY
which they were compelled to earn
their bed and board and the influx
| drifted away again. She started the
municipal nelghborhood gardens,
which later developed into war gar
dens. Bread was kept down to 5
cents q loaf for year due to her
| efforts And milk stations were
started in congested parts of the city
distributing free milk, which was
| paid for by Mrs. Mcdcr.
But it Is her work on non-employ-
ment that Mrs. Meder considers her
! most important qualification for the
/ position. She started the first munich
| pal employment bureau, which, ac-
| cording to her plan, later combined
with State and Federal agencies. The
employment problems which pre-
sented themselves during the years
| 1913 and 1914 are rapidly returning
and the qualities which met the ques-
ton then are the qualities which are
most necessary to the coming Mayor
according to Mrs. Meder.
"In 1914 | was ordered out OF the
City Hall Square building. You will
notice | am still here, The manage
mcnt objected TO the crowds OF la
| borers out OF work who came up TO
see me. There wero 1,l00 one day. In
7 the next forty eight hours | had four
Il fferent municipal employment
agencies running full blast. the first
the city had had. They are still in
existence"
Those were stirring years in CHI
cago when Mrs. Meder was Public
Welfare Commissioner. She 'invcstl-
gated" right and left. Nothing was
safe from her scrutiny She went into
the subject of doscrtion, She studied
DELINQUENCY. She descended on the
Italian quarter. and 1t has never been
quite the same there since. II Is
cleaner and more sanitary, due a. her
efforts. Sho kept busy and, what Is
moro to the point, brought her re-
ferns to actual accomplishment.
Some of her recommendations ARE
still pending In the City Council
Notable among these is the "concen-
trntion of public works in periods OF
depression"
"There is plenty OF work 10 be
done" she said. There are the sub
way and lots of other projected
works. | live on "A fashionable street
in a wealthy part Of town, yet It is as