Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-23
AS ONE WOMAN SEES IT
Some Women Who Have Remained
Young In Heart and Brain Despite
Their Years, and Some Younger
Women Who Have Developed
Leadership Qualities Since
the Occasion offered
BY SARAH u. LOWRIE


mittec met.
Since my earliest days of things political
1 have had chatting acquaintance With
that young gold ardent and wise woman.
Once met her 80 far aticld as New Orleans.
l being on a pleasure trip and she being also
on a pleasure and League of Women s
Clubs trip. She was enthusiastic then and
comfortable and amused at all the goings
on; and now, some twenty years later, she
Is as cheerful nm observer of the ways ana
the manners and the motives of the minority
that rule us.
Her commentary on the proceedings OF the
committee was almost the most interesting
part of that most interesting morning TO
me. l think she was quite unconscious
that she said anything aloud or that the
amused. kcenly critical. approving or hrmly
disappearing emotions that rippcd through
her shrewd mind were registered so un-
mistakably for the two Ware men who were
our chance companions in that box. or for
myself. She was too absorbed to care.
So much of the history that she knew ana
had had part in wns behind that conven.
tion that felt she was sitting as much with
the 'cloud of Witnesses whom she had
known and striven with long since, as with
us. Even the Ware men could not take her
witty, humorous aSides at the expense or
the machine in bad part. because some
how with the experience and patience OF a
seasoned rp1OrfnPr she has kept tue Wnlnsi-
cal Kindness of Il philosopher.
l sometimes think that part OF the per-
sonal baggage of an ardent. successful re-
former Is youthful garment of expectancy
of miracles which makes the unproductive-
ness that is apt to accompany old age an
impossibility. At all events. my impression
of that convention, thanks. | am sure. to
Mrs. Mumford. is one of hope and expect
ancy for the woman's share in the next one.
THERE is another woman, contempo-
L rary. 80 far as politics go. of Mrs. Num-
ford, whom l have grown to regard as my
personal guide in many vcXcd question or
the present rather shifting political values,
and that is Mrs. Blankcnburg. Nothing has
been dimmcd or dated about her. She might
have been an old young girl. but she Is GER
tanly now young old woman. and In her.
prime mentally and spiritually. 1t is good
for Philadelphia to have her "a chie amang
us takn' notes"
She always understood, when the ma
jority of political women did not under
stand. the value of party obligation, which
IS why / fancy she is now as much OF Il
leader as ever, when many of her former
associates are self -scrapped.
AT EVERY turn one hears wonder and
n dismay expressed over the women who
have had experience in leading. and yet who
are failing to matcrlalize in the new posi-
tions demanding leaders. They either sulk
in their tents with "better-t than thou
expression on and non -partisanship
golden text or they plead prior obligations
to betterment clubs, where political convcr-
sation is taboo.
The old belief that you cannot discuss
religion except in church, nor participate in
a political struggle except at the polls, has
made more ineffectivcS. rcligiIIsly and po-
ltically. than any other opposing force or
evil.
But as a consequence the new leaders who
have consented to lead ore untrammeled by
prcjudices and unhalnpered by party anil
ations
one of these women whom | watched
with much interest this winter is Mrs.
George Lorimer. She has come into her
own as poHtical lcader--and Repub-
lcan one at that--through life course
at other activities. which has fitted her
for what she is now and given her q per-
spective of what she can become. first
noticed her qualities of success in the CuSh-
man Club afternoons at the Academy. She
really presided. And she did it humorously
and cevcrly. and each tim" with Il surer
touch-for what she was doing was new
departure for any one--nnd she made an
atmosphere for the artists whom she intro
duced with just enough of personal blend
and not too much.
Now all this takes preparation, however
casual and light hearted the result may ap-
near TO be to a big public. For one cannot
speak to u public that fills the Academy as
one speaks in Il drawing room and get the
effect of drawing ROOM 1t all has to be
done in proportion.
And Mrs. Lorim"r'S casual. happy intro
ductionS were in proportion.
Ii was evident that she had what many
of us lack-a sense Of the public, what is
due to it and what it will demand
HNHIS sense turned to move public polti-
i cally can bc Of infinite value and has
immense possibilities And ] have been
further interested 10 observe that the or
ganization known for a year rs the Rcpub-
ii,,u Womans club uf PENNSYLVANIA. but
now and from hrncrfurth shortened TO the
Republican Women OF Pcnnsylvania-I have
been interested 10 observe that in planning
that organization and in carrying out the
plan Mrs. Lorimcr a. It's first president. has
made very strong ana individual mark on
it's character.
She was right about such q club being
needed she was right. too, in providing for
its partisan hut non iartlonal character.
and in insisting that this be kept clear in the
minds of the onlUoli"r>. Hs we'll as in the
minds of the parjcilarorS, of machine or
ganiZatiOn. Tn" pcrsonn"! of it's first board
has been admirably "hUNcn for holding the
respect and intriguing the interest Of the
public.
And it's publ" appearance. notably its
first banquet, and it's 'opon house. at this
spring primary election We're we'll calculated
admirably carried out and very effective
not Il lost motion
or COURSE, its presiding officer would
" be the first TO say that these activities
had been largely Delegated ones to very
efficient corps of committee women, tried
hands like Mrs. George Dunning, Mrs
Rlankpnburg, Mrs. Strawbridge and the very
ablc executive secretaries, Mrs. Mcneil and
Mrs. SandfOrd, but the fact remains that
the organizati ation-.aS ar" all growing or
rauiZatiOns-iS what It's chief executive
chiefly directs it shall hc. ! feel no doubt
TINT Mrs. Lormcr's qualities that | first
observed along less strenuous or less original
lines are admirably put to the successful
furrhcrancc of this frs, Statewide politi-
cal club for women in Pennsylvania.
r WAS bcwaiing not long ago TO n young
i married woman. who j. a leader in town
among her contemporaries indeed. | was
doing more than b"wHil. ! was bcrating her
and her pals among the younger SET for
not being citizens with tie rest Of us
Shn