Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-04-06
LOT OF WOMAN
IN CONGRESS rs
NOT SUGARY ONE
Club Members Who Thought
She Talked Too Little Now
Take Other VieW.
By FRANCES GORDON DENNY.

Alice Robertson, member of Congress
from Oklahoma, continues to draw the
fire Of the more radical faction of club
women by the frankness of her opinions.
At first they thought she did not talk
enough. They interpreted her long
months of silence in the House as re-
fiectlon on womans ability to enter into
the legislative game. They wanted her
to show off. Now they are In fair way
to think she is talking too much. Her
recent assertion that she would not know
where to find women who are competent
as Legislators Is embarrassing to those
who expected her election to the National
Assembly to serve as an entering wedge
for future Congresswomen.
Miss Robertson Is not the first woman
who. after being elevated to a post of
honor usually not accorded to one of her
sex, has limited at the incompetency of
other women to follow In her steps. The
first impulse is to say such an attitude
on the part Of a woman is selfish, ego
tistical or, perhaps, designed to win ap-
plause from her masculine associates
who, 1t is generally assumed. disapprove
of an invasion of their territory by a
woman. Such criticism sometimes may
be justiiable; but there is another side
to the question, especially in the case of
Miss Robertson.
STILL SHOWS
NTI-SUFFRAGE IDEAS.
1t is true she was an ant-suffra gist,
and her old scruples against the partici-
patton of women in public affairs may
still color her Judgment. Her mind
seems to dwell a good deal on the WON
anly functions that have been denied
her, a characteristic not infrequent in
women Of her somewhat masculine and
aggressive type. At times she mixes
these things n little irrelevantly with
her political opinions. But the sincerity
OF her opinions. the fealrlessness with
which she expresses them, even at the
risks Of losing the support Of the women
OF her constituency, eRtitle her a to a
RESPECTFUL hearing
She is entirely within the bounds Of
reason when she says that the mex
perience OF women renders them less
competent than men in the Legislative
chamber. The whole sum Of earthly
achievement has been built up through
experience. 1t would be folly to ex-
pect women TO spring, Minerva Ike full
armed into the arena Of public affairs
No doubt the disadvantage under which
Miss Robertson labors because Of her
personal inexperienee have weighed upon
her more than she has as yet admitted.
Having had but one predecessor In Con-
gress, she has little upon which to base
her Judgment Of Congresswomen other
than her own experience. She is the only
woman in the Congress at present.
SHE MUST DRAW
l-OWN CONCLUSIONS.
1t follows then. she must arrive at her
conclusions on the subject of women's
Incompetence as legislators by an anaIy-
sis OF her own ability as compared with
that Of the men about her. She seems to
have made the comparison conscienti-
ously, she finds she does not measure up
to the masculine standard and concludes
her short -comings are common to her
sex. Perhaps they are. There is no
way to ascertain that until we shall have
had an opportunity TO observe greater
number Of women in the capacity Of leg
islators.
In the meantime we can not escape the
fact men and women are different. In
deed. there is no reason why ye should
try 10 escape It. All women may not
aspire TO a seat IN Congress. 1t would
be a calamity If they did. Miss Robert
son says they have more important bust.
ness in life, and we gree with her. This
viii not deter them, however from being
good citizens and intelligent voters, and
that IS the main point Office holding
Is an after consideration