The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-21

first in stenography and then domestic science. She was the first stenograph- CT in Indian territory, and in the -arly days when the Indian commissi oners sat al Fort Gibson it was Alice Robert son who took the hearings in short hand. She made her home a school for Indian girls and taught them to cook and sew. AS the village of Mus kogee grew into a large town. Alice Robertson turned her home into a boarding house and later established a cafeteria, the Sawolka, wh oh she still owns and manages and where she conducted her campaign for Congress between meal times and the business of writing bills of fare and ordering beefsteak.
 With the Robertson home haven for Indians, Alice Robertson became a foster mother to one Indian girl after another, and it is known that she personally watched over the tender years of twenty orphans and gave them a start in life that led them to success. Because of her unselfish de- votion to the Indians, Miss Robertson was appointed Indian school super visor for the Muskogee district during the Mckinley administration.
 FRIEND OF THE SOLDIERS The new Congressman" is a jealous patriot. She jumped into the woman's s work of the World war with all the fer vor that marked her activity in the spanish-American brush. She led the Red Cross work of Muskogee. Her cafeteria belonged to the soldiers. No boy in khaki ever went through Mus kogee hungry. Alice Robertson's scouts were out with the basket to see that the boys were taken care of. As a matter Of fact, she would have gone bankrupt if the wholesalers who were giving her credit had not called her in and told her that they would refuse to extend her accounts unless she transacted her business on business basis.
 But the Indian word Sawolka, which nangs over the street as welcome to her place Of business, means, per petual welcome" and the good-hearted, motherly soul who presided couldn't be business-like with boys who were going overseas.
 She was behind the counter in her restaurant the other day wearing an apron in motherly fashion, opening tel egrams and burying her face in the flowers that arrived with every tick of the clock.
 How do you account for your cleo tion?" she was asked.
 T regard my election as direct answer to prayers. God helping me try anl make good, and I am sure I will do so with so many good women pray ing for me-"
 Have you any platform?'
 Yes, 8 very definite one" she an swered. First, I am a Christian; sec ond, l am an American, and third am republican. and A standpatter too" HER VIEW OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
 What do you think about interna- tional affairs?"
 Why, I don't know much about in- ternational affairs" she answered frankly. What do I know about rec ognizing Russia? Absolutely nothing l can't be examined on military tactics until I have had little training. will go into the trenches when the time comes for that and I devoutiy hope will be prepared Do you know how feel about all these foreign questions Don't trouble until trouble trouble. you."
 Miss Robertson was opposed to the League of Nations idea as proposed by President Wilson. She says she is too completely American to tolerate 1t. She was asked about her vote in the event of question of war developing.
 "Td vote for war and wouldn't do any whimpering or whispering about 1t, either" she flashed. "rhe mistake of this country was that it did not go to war against Germany much sooner than 1t did"
 Because Miss Robertson is an "old maid" is no sign that she is a man hater In fact she says she always has got along better with men than with women. I'm going to have a man for a secretary in Washington" she said. "There'Il be lot of questions about my districts business that folks would rather talk over with a man, so I'll have a man representative with me.
 MANS USE TO WOMAN
 "I've always done mans work, car ried mans burden, and have had to pay the bills" she continued. q believe that must be why I never wanted to see suffrage for women. The suffragists used to have a great deal to say about taxation without representation. That s all nonsense, for when it comes to money matters every woman gets some man to advise her. The only woman in the United States who ever handled all her financial affairs without male as- sistance was Hetty Green and she wasn't & woman--she was a freak
 Have you any particular measures you will work for in congress?" was a logical question.
 sI'll work for the interest of ,ne women and children. the soldiers, and the Indians" she answered. T really haven't given much thought to what l would do when I went to Washington. because everybody told me I didn't have a chance to get there.
 Above everything else I will work for the soldiers It makes my blood boil to think that there is not one bed for sick or injured soldier in Oklahoma. The last congress appropriated $46, 600 ,o0o for hospital care.
 'Thousands of soldiers in the state need attention and treatment. If they get so much as an examination they have to go clear to Houston, Tex. It's the rottenest thing I know of It is dis grace to the state of Oklahoma"
 BELONGS TO THE "DRYS"
 Speaking of liquor, Miss Robertson said she had never tasted a glass of whisky or anything else of considerable alco- coholic content. She cited the fact that her family had been in missionary work among the Indians for 100 years as the best evidence that she would have nothA
 ing to do with liquor and is as dry as a dry can be.
 Miss Robertson did little active cam paigning in the ordinary meaning of the word She made few speeches. and some of them were set addresses. She doesnt | care much for the stump. She did lot of visiting, talking politics with every man and woman she met, and depended upon a quaint system of want ad'' lC- litical advertising, absolutely original and new, to put her over. In agate type | in the classified columns of the daily ! m pers in her district Miss Robertson