The Washington times., 1920-09-29
CITY AFFAIRS !.
WOMEN'SA|M.
Miss Boardman Discusses Use
Of Ballot in Talk at Club
4 Luncheon.

Com missioner Mabel II. BoardmAn
at luncheon at the City Club this
afternoon told the members that
women will confne themselves more
#, TO the municipal affairs OF the coun-
try than 10 the Federal affaUs. now
that they have the vote. The munich
pal affairs are close 10 their hearts,
she said. and they have had experi-
ence TO a certain extent in them. They
know what is needed to make the
children healthy and happy and make
the home what IL should be, while
Fedsral affairs involve treaties,
tariffs and other big subjects which
they know only slightly.
Miss Boardman made a plea for the
: women OF the country in their new
rqole OF voters and asked the men to
be considerate OF them until they had
attained balance In municipal affairs
that the men had acquired after years
OF experience. Women have more
vision than men. she said. and will be
impatient when their efforts meet
with disappointment, but the men
must be patient with them.
The methods OF the women are
much ismpler than the methods of
men. Commissioner Boardman told
the members, and this is help in the
organizations which do not require
much machinery. But women need a
better balanced judgment, she said,
and that the men of the country must
help them to obtain.
SUFFRAGE A FACT.
II would like TO say a few words to
the subject OF women in public Of
nee" Miss Boardman said.
"Womens suffrage, whether we
a
opinion, but fact: and with suf-
frage viii undoubtedly come the
additional duty of civic responsibility
and to a certain degree of official SER
vice.
II believe that this official service
will be more apt to function in NUM-
cipal rather than Federal Government.
Municipal affairs have closer and
more immediate contact with the
home in certain OF their phases Mat
ters of public health, schools, play
grounds, markets and charities are all
questions In which women are great
.ly interested. Their own experiences
an draining, especially when the
questions concern their families and
their children, will make their service
of value to the community.
Federal service either in legisla-
tive or executive departments has to
do with great number of interna-
tional, financial and business prob
lens. 1t deals with treaties with in
'ternational finances, with postal man.
agement, with national methods Of
taxation, and appropriations. with ma
tional defense, public lands, and
score of other important problems.
for the solving of which few women
have had either training Ar reyperi-
ence. @' T" GtE = r.
at is for these rea asons that i think
women will find a greater sphere of
usefulness in municipal rather than
Federal office.
However, men and women should
be selected or appointed because Of
their fitness for the position and
mont because they are men or women.
1t is true that in civic affairs women
have their interests as we'll as men,
and it seems natural that in some re-
spects a woman can more understand
,ingly represent the interests of wom-
en- and children than can a man.
ASKS AID OF MEN.
"Realizing then the fact that wom-
en- in the future will enter more large
into official life, 1 want to ask for
them your clemency in their new
duties. / speak as a women who has
accepted the grave responsibility of
public office. Do not Judge US now
with too great severity, but help us
with your longer, wider experience
land knowledge. Women occupies an
important Nhere in the world, but
her training, as a rule, has been Of
a more limited nature, and her ex-
perience has been with the home
rather than the national life.
"In her enthusiasm for the things
in which she is deeply interested, she
will feel intensely the disappointment
go often to be met in the efforts for
desired results. She may be impatient.
but be patient with her. She will
learn, and her vision will broaden.
am sure you agree with me that
the vision OF woman will not lack in
height. Woman will sometimes wish
to accomplish things that the more
practical and experienced man will re-