New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-10-08
WOMEN WILL ASK
POLITICAL JOBS
NEXT PRESIDENT CERTAIN 70
BE URGED TO GIVE THEM
APPoINTivE OFFICES.
LADY AST0R'S IDEA LIKED
She Believes Every Foreign Legation
Should Have a Woman Member
Other Federal Positions That They
Could Fill A~cceptably.
BY M p.

Gould FIi Acceptably.
BY JAMES p. HORNADAY.
Washington.-Must the politicians
prepare to share the appOintive Offices
with the Ome from this time on?
This is a question that is being fire.
quently asked by the political mana
gers, and also of them, since the pro-
mitigation of the suffrage amendment.
1t is evident that whoever is elected
president of the United States next
November will have to answer the
question so far as the federal govern
ment Is concerned, and that many
state officers chosen at the November
election also will have to give an an
swer to 1t.
The most influential Of the women
now active In politics make nc on
cealment of the fact that they intend
to demand their share Of the patron
age that Is always distributed follow
ing a general election. They say the
women will cast approximately as
many votes as the men in this years
elections and that there can be no
good reason for denying them their
share Of the appOintive offices. Al
ready there is a good deal Of CONVERSE
tiOn among the women leaders as to
the offices women can fill most accept
ably. Lady Aston, the Virginia woman
who is now a member Of the British
parliament, has put an idea into the
heads Of the American m by sug-
costing that women should be admit
ted to official diplomacy. She does
not advocate the appointment Of
women as ambassadors or ministers
or even as consuls general or consuls,
but she does insist that there should
be a woman member of every foreign
legation. This is an idea that the
women here who have been active in
the suffrage movement say is likely
to gain favor.
Lady Astor's Suggestion.
Lady Astor believes women should
be introduced to the diplomatic world
soon after the 4th of next March
when she would have the new presi-
dent Of the United States appoint a
woman attache to the United States
embassy In London and would have
an English woman assigned to the
British embassy In Washington. Her
thought is that IL this initial step
should be taken 1t would not be long
until many Of the nations would be
sending women to their foreign lega-
tions. In this connection Lady Aston
is quoted by the women here as say
ing: "We have attaches especially
selected to look after military, naval
and commercial questions. Why not
an attache to take care of the many
questions which involve and
Children"
There are, of course, many federal
positions that women could fill accept
ably. They now do about so per cent
of the clerical work of the government,
and In many instances they are the
brains of the bureaus and divisions.
In n few instances their ability has
been recognized In a broader way. A
woman is now serving as an assistant
to the attorney general Of the United
States and from all accounts is doing
good work as any Of the men.
1t has been suggested that the wom-
voters ask for at least one place in
the cabinet of the next president. In
all probability such a request will be
presented to the successful presiden-
tial candidate. If 1t is made and
pressed, 1t will give the new president
something to think about at least.
Want Assistant Seeretaryshlps.
The women say they will certainly
ask for and depend on getting some Of
the assistant secretaryships-asslst-
to cabinet officers. They are say
ing that If a woman can serve accept
ably as an assistant to the attorney
general 1t will be possible to find
women who will make good assistants
to other cabinet officers. In looking
over the minor federal places that DO
not pay so well as the higher-up jobs,
the women have already set their eyes
a great many appointments outside
Of the civil service that will be made
by the new president. So 1t Is evil
dent that after the 4th Of March
the throng of office seekers will be
made up of both men and women.
The percentage Of women workers
in both federal and state government
has increased rapidly during the last
few years. On account of the shortage
Of male help during the war thousands
of women were called on to do pro-
fessional work who had never thought
Of undertaking that line of employ
ment until the new opportunity arose.
War Reminders Disappearing.
Reminders of the recent World
war are rapidly disappearing from
the national capital. Only the other
day the heat brass sign bearing
the words. Headquarters American
Expeditionary Forces" was removed
from the old land Office building
Of f and Eighth streets. The TAX
Ing down of this sign marked the final
dissolution of the organization through
which the United States took her part
In the great war. Gen. John ]. Per-
shing, who commanded the expedition
airy forces, still has an Office In the
building, but he is there as the gen.