The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-14
OLD MAID SENT
TO CONGRESS, is
NOT MAN Halter
Miss Robertson Is a Chris
:ian, an American and
Republican Standpatter.
PROTEGEE OF ROOSEVELT
Helped Organize Rough Riders
and Would Not Hesitate to
Cast Vote for War.

gpecidl Despatch TO THE New YORK HERALD.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Nov. 13.-If Theo-
dore Roosevelt were alive to-day he
would have exclaimed Bully" clapped
his hands in glee and shown face
full of white teeth when he read the
news that Miss Alice Robertson of
Muskogee had been elected to Con-
gress on the Republican ticket in the
Second district, gaining the distinction
of being the second woman elected to
Congress In the United States and the
only woman elected to Congress in the
year of the Republican landslide, No
vember, 1920.
Col. Roosevelt discovered Miss Rob-
ertson. In way. When the Spanish
American war started she assisted In
the organization Of the famous Capt
Capron Company Of Rough Riders and
she personally prepared kit for every
man in the company, which included
housewife" and a New Testament.
It was during this early war work.
which made Alice Robertson famous
locally, that Col. Roosevelt met her.
When President Col. Roosevelt named
her postmistress of Muskogee. She was
the first woman to be put in charge of
q first class post Office In the United
States.
Miss Robertson who Is 50 years old,
was a bitter opponent of woman sur
frage. and took the ballot with reluc-
lance when the state Legislature gave
It to the gentler sex.
Last spring she said THE men have
thrust the vote on US and now | am
going TO see whether they meant 1t,
and she filed for Representative In
Congress forthwith.
The Democrats laughed at her. She
was a novice In politics. the proprietor
of cafeteria in the city OF Muskogee,
q woman farmer with lots of friends,
but no organization. But the complete
returns from the Second district retired
the veteran w. w. Hastings of Tale
Quah, destroyed a normal Democratic
majority by 5000 votes and elected
spinster by 27S votes.
Miss Robertson was born within ten
miles of Muskogee. at an Indian mis-
sion, where her father labored for the
betterment OF tribal conditions handing
down his zeal for the Improvement of
the red men to a daughter who sacri-
ficed the best years of her life for the
Indians Miss Robertson went to Bos-
ton to school, specializing first In stenog-
raphy and then domestic science.
She was the first stenographer in In
dian Territory. and in the early days
when the Indian commissions sat at
Fort Gibson II was Alice Robertson
who took the hearings In shorthand.
She made her home a school for Indian
girls and taught them how to cook and
sew.
As the village of Muskcgee grew into
q large town Alice Robertson turned her
home into a board hous nd alter
established a cafeteria, the Sawolka.
which she still owns and manages and
where she conducted her campaign for
Congress between meal times and when
she could spare a few minutes from the
business of writing bills OF fare and or
derine beef for steak
With the Robertson home a mecca for
Indians Alice Robertson became a foster
mother to one Indian girl after another,
and II Is known that she personally
watched over the tender years OF twenty
orphan Indian girls and gave them a
start in life that led them to success.
1t was because of her unseflsh devo-
ton to the Indians that Miss Robertson
was appointed Indian school supervisor
for the Muskogee district during the Nc
Kinley Administration.
Always n Jealous Patriot.
The new Representative IL a zealous
patriot She jumped into the women's
work of the world war with all the fervor
that marked her activity In the Spanish
American brush. She led the Red Cross
work of Muskegee. Her cafeteria was
the soldiers mecca No boy In khaki
ever went through Muskogee hungry.
ND.k - a.
the basket to see that the boys were
taken care of. AS matter of fact. abe
would have gone bankrupt II the whole
salers who were giving her credit had
not called her in and told her that they
would refuse TO extend her accounts TN
less she transacted her business on
business basis.
But the Indian word Sawolloa, which
hangs over the street as a welcome to
her place of business. means perpetual
welcome" and the good hearted. moth
erly soul who presided inside couldn't be
businesslike with boys who we're going
overseas
She was behind the counter IN her
restaurant to-day. wearing an arron in
motherly fashion. opening kilograms
and burying her face In the Towers that
arrived with almost every tick of the
clock
ftOW uO yUh dCCDunl lOT IOuI titt-
tlon7' she was arked.
II regard my election as a direct an
swer to prayers God helping me and
giving me strength, I am going to try
TO make rood and I am sure will with
so many good women praying for me-"
"Have you any pia tform7''
Eyes. a very definite one" she an
swercd First. am Chri tian Sec
ond, I am an American. and third I
am Republican and standpatter.
too"
what do you think about interna-
tional affairs?"
''whv. I don't know much about In
t~-rational Alters" sh answered
frankly. "Wfnt do know about recog-
nizing r ssh Abso'u ute nothing I
can't be examin a on mi tarv tactics
until have had little training.
Will 20 Into the trenches when the time
comes for that and I devoutlv rope I
will be prep red Do you know how I
feel atout nj these for ign questlonsf
Don't trouble trouble until trouble trou-
bles you"
Opposes League OF Nations.
Miss Rob tson was opposed 20 tho
League Of Nations idea az proposed by
President WI son. She says sNc ls too
completely Amer can to tolerate H.
she was asked about her vote n the
event Of question Of war developing