Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-25
DC. SUPPORT ASKED
BYM|SS BOARDMAN
AS SHE TAKES OATH
Crowd Cheers First Woman
on B0ard-HendriCk
Made Chairman.

An appeal to the employees Of he city
government and to every resident of the
District to cooperate with her in rem
derng Washington the best service sof
which she is capable, was made bx. Miss
Mabel T. Boardmap when she took the
oath as Commissioner at the District
Building today.
The boardroom was packed to it's
doors and scores filled the corridor out
side to witness the induction into Office
of the first woman Commissioner.
When Miss Boardman entered the
room. accompanied by her colleagues.
Commissioners Kutz and Hendrick, the
cheering which arose from the assem-
blage lasted several minutes.
Red Cross Workers Attend.
The presence in the auditorium of
many Red Cross, workers in their uni
forms of blue and white added a pic
turesque touch to the ceremony. The
Red Cross workers and numerous
members of the District chapter gave
generous applause to the woman who
has played a part so prominent in the
building up of Americas army of
mercy.
Deeply touched by the tributes paid
her by Col. KutZ and Commissioner
Hendrick. Miss Boardman responded
with sincere pledge to give the Ma
tional Capital the best that is in her
while she remains in office. She hu-
morouSly referred to the statement
of a man. who. upon learning of her
appointment, exclaimed:
What. woman mayor for WASH
ingtonr
Il want to assure you" Miss Boardk
man added. that l am only one-thiru
of a MAYOR and that the two men who
hold the balance of power will see to
1t that l do no damage.
Double Responsibility.
Miss Beardman said she felt that
every one connected with the District
government has double response
bility-one to the people of Washing
ton and another to the federal gov
ernment, of which Washington. is the
capital.
continued "are fortunate in having
for cne of their city heads an Army
engineer. ] say this because 1 have
always admired the great worf-done
by the military officers, not only in
war. but in the great peace under
takings with which they are as
sociated."
She paid a special tribute to the
ability of Engineer Commissioner
Kutz as a municipal official.
"In addition to Col. Kutz, Wash
ington also is fortunate in having on
the board of Commissioners one of the
ablest business men of the COM
munity.'' Miss Boardman added. re-
ferring to Commissioner Hendrick.
Introduced by Col. kutx.
! Cot -rKutz, when Introducing Miss
Boardman, said:
.'Since the appointment was made
by the President, on September IL,
you have all doubtless heard here
and there some doubt expressed as to
the wisdom of the innovation of
naming a woman Commissioner. But
when one S-opS to think of the
steadily increasing number of women
in the District organization, the ap-
pointment of woman executives at the
head of departments. the important
work women did and the sacrifices
they made during the war. and finally
the granting to them of nationwide
suffrage, no one can question. the
justice of naming woman as men,
Der of the board of Commissioners.
There are others who admit the JUS
tice of the appointment, but who doubt
the ability of woman to perform prop
erly all the duties that fall to the lot
of a District Commissioner. 1t is true
that there is certain work that possibly
can better be done by man, but with
full power in the board SO far as con-
Germs the distribution of duties. there is
no reason why work which a woman
Commissioner might find distasteful or
unsuitable should not be assumed by
her colleagues, and Miss Boardman's
colleagues. stand ready to relieve her of
any such responsibilities.
s'On the other hand, her presence on
the board, with her good judgment and
wise counsel, will more than offset those
responsibilities
Red Cross Record.
Col. Kutz said Miss Boardman's
service with the Red Cross proves
her ability as an executive.
Commissioner Hendriek 1ndorsed
the tribute paid Miss Boardman by
Col Kutz and added that the rederd
of Washington's first woman Commits
sioner gproves her ability better than
any statement he could make.
>'The oath of Commissioner was ad-
ministered by Daniel E. Garges. Sec
retary to the board of Commissioners,
and Morgan II. Beach. clerk of the
District Supreme Court. read to her
the oath of the Public Utilities Com
mission.
Among those who witnessed the ad-
ministration of the oath was former
Commissioner Cuno Rudolph.
Hendrick Is Chairman,
J. Thilman Hendrick was elected
chairman OF the DOdTu at the UTSI
meeting following the Inauguration of
Miss Boardman.
The division of work among the
Commissioners also WAS decided on at
this meeting. Engineer Commissioner
Charles w. Kutz will retain super
vision over the engineer department,
includir- all street and sewer i'm
provements Commissioner Hendrick
will be in charge of the police and
fire departments. the offices of the
auditor assessor, collector of taxes.
purchasing officer, District Jail and
PENAL institutions at Occoquan, Va.
Miss Boardman will direct the play
grounds department. the board of
charities and all of the child welfare
institutions which come under that
board, She also Will have the
health department. superintendent or
weights and measures and the alien
lists office under her care.
This action by the new board today
clears the way for resumption of the
normal operation of the District gov
ernment For nearly year the work
of the city has rested on only
Col