Evening star., 1921-06-03

THINKS Representative
3 Reclassi6cation Hearing Draws In
teresting Discussion on woman's
Place in World.
That the nations economic fabric
may be undermined il the policy
10 adopted to give highly remunera-
tive positions to women in govern
ment work and private employment,
was suggested by Representative
Smith OF Idaho. at the Senate and
House civil service committee hear
ing today on reclassiication.
The Idaho members views on the
subject OF the proper place of woman
in industry were expressed following
the presentation by Mrs. Maude Wood
Park, chairman of the National
League Of Woman Voters, of a plat
form committing the league to the
for equal services performed.
This organization is said to have
unit in every county OF every state
OF the Union. and is advising the
women Of the country to vote for
their interests without making party
Affiliations. Mrs. Park said govern
ment positions should be filled on the
basis of merit and not on the basis
of sex.
would Discourage MaRf3agesf
Representative Smith asked Mrs.
Park IL she did not consider tha,
giving good paying positions to wom-
en- would tend to discourage mar
riages and to lessen the desire for
home building. The witness replied
that she did not think the question
of family relations should be con-
sidered in connection with the hlling
OF government positions. but added
that II the men made home life more
attractive there might be less Of q
desire on the part of women to go
into government employment.
Representative Smith drew a picture
Of a possible future day when the
down the best jobs and the men stay
ing at home and looking after house
hold duties. He said he did not know
what would become Of the men il the
women insisted on going to work and
il would be a sad day for the country
when the industry of the women
might place a premium upon idleness
OF men.
The representative said he hoped
he would not see the time when
women WOulQ come DOWN 10 wOtk
in the morning in theiflmaehines ae-
companied by their husbands, Who
would be left to Whfle away idle
hours, in pooirooms and other places
OF amusement
ouestion u Sslliefa.
Another question put - Mrs. Park
by the Idaho member sought her
filling government positions should
be given soldiers. The League OF
Women Voters head said this WAS
q question the league had taken
no action upon, and she would prefer
| not to express a personal opinion
| lest it might be construed as that
Of the leagues.
That the entire question of wom-
ems place in the government service
| is Interesting the joint committee
was indicated by questions asked the
! witness by Senator Sterling. He
! wanted to know her opinion As to
| whether married women should be
| employed by the government Mrs.
Parks answer was that merit alone
should. underiie the filling of va
Senator Sterling suggested that
women with families have duties at
home which might interfere with the
proper performance OF their duties for
the government. In such cases. said
Mrs. Park. there would be ground Tor
action by the. bureau heads. az merit
should be the first consideration TO
| both filling positions and keeping
employees in them She suggested.
however that in cases where women
are the sole providers Tor their fami-
lies, zeal to provide sufficiently Oft
times is an incentive to do work efh-
ciently.
| sWonen Need Only EXDeFaenees
Asked for her opinion as to the ad-
visibility of placing women in su-
peryisory positions. Mrs. Park replied
that women are as capable as men
in such positions. but they have mot
had as much opportunity gfor ex-
had as much opportunity for experiences
in snperyisosy pos,s,11s pSssstion ao men en- to tn.
general efficiency Of women was con-
Cured in by Representative Smith,
who said that, IL anything, women
arc more efficient than men But ne
emphasized his belief that every time
q girl in government service 10 pro-
NOTED she has just that much less in:
| caination to marry, and that by the
time she reaches the age Of thirty
lfiye years she is likely to be much
more concerned with making money
than in establishing 2 home.
OF Women Voters regarding the gov
ernment service contains fve planke,
which are as follows:
4 First. An actual merit system OF ap-
i pointment and promotion baAed on
/ Qualifications for the work to be per-
4 formed: those qualifications to be de-
termfned in open competition. free
from special privilege or preference
Of any kind and especially from dis
Termination on the ground Of sex.
/ second q Redistribution or the
uresent federal civil service upon
this basis. with q wage or, salary
tS~le determined by the skill and
traininG required for the. work to
i he Derformed and not on the basis oi
Third. a minimum wage insfederal
Il - - and local service which ehAll
4 - adoouate for the cost OF fvfhe
- determined by ofictal fnvestiga-
Fourth, enlarging federal and state
cfvtI service commissions 50 as e
include three groupe in which nneu
II and women shall be equally repre-
il aentnd: namely, REPRESENTATIVES, o.
Il ~ administrative ofIicials. OF tns
srnnioyee and Of the general pubic
.Fifth. the delegating to such CON
miasions of full power and respon-
Il sihality for the maintenance OF an I'm.
Il nartisi, non-political and emcae0s
! Administration
sure II Ceagress' seDpert.
l. u,s. Park said the league felt con-
adent Congress would enact legislas
tion In accordance with these pran,
iPPrscaainx Mrs. Park. Sidney, Smith
t~hief examiner in the patent ONCE