Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-13

Women Who Hang Together In little
oroups % Not Always Know What
Other Women In Other oroups
Desire and Can't Find Out
By SARAH d. L0wRIE


A MAN who was sitting opposite to me
"A at dinner the other evening looked across
ut me severely and remarked:
''Iou women that think you are so public
spirited all hang together in little class
groups discussing what you want and what
YOU don't want, without an idea to bless
yourselves with about what the women in
the other groups want or think they want,
and you don't know how to reach them. let
alone influence them!'
had just returned from New York where
I had been listening for a whole day to the
deliberations Of the Woman's Branch Of
the National Civic Federation, an organ
ization chiefly of men that deals-supposed-
ly-with civic questions from the viewpoints
OF both capital and labor and employers and
employed. The reason that say Sup.
posedly" is because when the names Of the
Federation were read of as being re.electcd
some forty or fifty Of them representing
most of the States--I heard no names promi-
nent among women's labor organizations nor
were any of the reports from the States in
forming on that side Of the question. One
self and her State committee rs the key
women OF the State, but 1t struck Inc they
we're "keys' that opened philanthropic and
social and civic and educational doors and
not the doors of trades unions and beneficial
societies or indeed any Of the political labor
groups.
asked where such representatives could
be found, since the federation was civic and
national. and one woman said:
"Oh. but this IL only the executive. We
have meetings when Gompers and Others
And still another explained that repre-.
sentatives Of labor could not be Mt such a
session us that because they could not spare
the time from work. $50 we have to repro.
sent. thcm." she had added kindly. Still
another member pointed to short energetic
woman who had just made speech about
the chemists Of the country and asked for
n resolution Of appreciation for the American
chemists and their war work and govern.
mental work since the war.
''YOu ought to talk with Miss Openauer
about how the federation keeps in touch p.,
made any amount Of surveys for the Govern.
ment and for the federation about the cost
OF living dnd minimum wugcs and various
trade situations. She knows more about II
than the employers or most Of the employees
T ATER on l did have n talk with Miss
IL Openauer. She is very interesting
woman, one of the war products, for though
she had been recognized rs a person OF
ability, first as teacher and then Us an
organizer before the war, her first big step
into the open was in 'her work for the Coun.
ell of National Defense, in which body she
perfected her technique as q maker OF sur
vcys.
The minute the war was over she set up
n private consulting Office with q group OF
assistants that she had learned to work with
during the war. and her schedule for surveys
is crowded and booked up for a year or two
nh llnn n$ has mot
chemists and their benefcent discoveries:
She told me Of cement factory that had
been changed from n nuisance to the sur
rounding country in the Orange Belt Of Call
ifornia to a dustless fcrtilizing plant which
turned out tons Of potash, all the work of
experimenting chemists! Which was why
she brought her enthusiasm for her fellow
federation members to share.
DCT remarkable as was Miss Opcnauer's
- success as a surveyor of achievements
and of conditions. and great as was the glory
she was an honOred member she could not be
euid to represent the labor or employe groups.
Later on In the day heard recent Cabi-
net member speak on the Peace Disarmament
Conference and still later the present Com
missioner of Immigration, the Hon. Albert
ployer class l felt, although doubtless the
Commissioner rejoices in the conventional
ideal of being Servant of the public
lie was breezy soul and might we'll take
with any group. unless it sidewiped his
plans, then it struck me he would take OF
his very well LIFTING coat and go in tor
regular fight, to get his plan over or under
or through without further ceremony or BY
your leave.
lie described himself as the target for op-
position from all sides in the matter of the
/; per cent ruling for restricted immigra-
ton. And rather thought that, due to his
mailbox being heavy with suggestions and
complaints from all quarters, he really was
the sort of an all-round man the federation
was invented to encourage and listen to.
AT THE height Of immigration before the
n war, something under n million new
persons entered the country q year. AS the
war came to a close 1t was plain that the
undesirables and the starving apd the dying
and the helpless would be sent over to this
country by their bankrupt Governments, If
some regulation were not made to limit the
number Of new arrivals and the national1ties.
SO a per cent limit for each country was de.
yiscd which was fixed to continue until June
Of this year. This limitation has brought
tile number down 70 little over 200. 900 q
year And new bill Is being prepured with
improvements on the old bill which will
continue ut least some OF the restrictions for
some time to come.
In connection with these new would be
citizens there will be certain Legislative
changes proposed as to citizenship in general.
For instance, an American woman on marry.
Ing a foreigner does not automatically lose
her American citizenship If one clause Of the
new bill is accepted, and q new citizen must
yead. write and speak English, and the
children of foreign born parents OH reaching
an age for citizenship must take the oath of
allegiance are still other provisions.
What he told Us of the situation presen,
and to come was very interesting; but as
most of us were Colonial danes or Daugh-
ters of the Revolution our pleasure in it
was purely vicarious.
AT 4 banquet in the evening at the very
~ charming Cosmopolitan Club q good
many women spoke. and spoke delightfully."-,
short, agreeable. little speeches on a variety
of interests but the only woman who spoke
ns labor would have spoken had 1t been
there was Miss Tarbell. who described the
Eryn Mawr Summer School experiment and
the demand for education by the working
women of this country, demand that would