Arizona republican., 1922-06-28
BY Frederic ]. Haskin

by fTGuGElC y. L1dShlH : {.
WASHINGTON, d. C. June 26-
1t is ladies day in the halls of fame.
The league of women voters is
earnestly trying to compile list of
the IL greatest living women for the
benefit of a waiting Chilean public.
At the same time the Woman g
Universal Alliance is busily engaged
in scouting out the famous feminine
dead. The Alliance wants to know
the 25 greatest women of world
history. Statues of them are to be
erected in the women's hall of fame
that the alliance is to build in this
city This organization is also trying
to find out the 25 greatest women OF
each state so that columns about
the hall of fame can bear their
names These women must be dead
too. Aside from that. any American
woman is eligible for the list.
Both organizations have invited
the public to help them make wise
slection of names for their particular
purposes, and answers have begun to
pour in.
At the headquarters of the league
of women voters they admit that
they are not much nearer solution
of their problem than when the
question was first propounded. The
Chilean senorita, Graciola Msndu-
jano, certainly started something
when she casually asked Mrs. Maud
Wood Park, president OF the League,
for a dozen names of the greatest
American women. She wanted to
write magazine stories about them
for her people, the senorita ex-
planned Mrs. Park decided that she
needed help Her casual selection
might leave out women who would
be of greatest interest to South
America. SO the public was informed
of the situation and the excitement
started.
Wanted as Examples
You can see that the purpose for
which the list is to be used must
guide the selection of the names. Our
II greatest women of today are to be
introduced to the South American
women as inspiring examples. They
are to indicate what American women
are achieving by character, service
and talent.
The name of Helen Keller. which
has been mentioned in number. or
lists sent to the league, probably
will not be included in the final Sc
lection. Miss Keller has been an in
W lnOQSdIlQS Va INV iie.hANN
capped, but in so brief list the ap-
peal of each name should preferably
be to a wider range of people. Miss
Keller's teacher, Mrs. Sullivan, might
be a more helpful example for the
women of Chile. The patience, re-
sourcefulness, and determination OF
the teacher brought Miss Keller back
into the everyday world.
1t is interesting to note the personal
bias that enters into the lists sub
mitted Most of the letters are writ
ten by educated women with every
desire to be impartial. Yet 1T is pos
sible to tell with reasonable certainty
whether a set of names was chosen
by club woman. social worker or
one of an artistic type.
This is inevitable to certain eX :
tent. and the league is interested In
all of the angles on the fame ques-
ton Scarcely any one person Is
sufficiently familiar with all occupa-
tions to know and compare the
greatness of the leaders. A woman
doctor or scientist could name at
once half a dozen women who rank
high in her own line of work. But
could you, off hand, out of your
store of general knowledge, reel OH
the names Of a great woman doctor
politician, lawyer, poet, scientist. art.
ist, business woman. mother, anu
musician? If you did, would another
person of your own education agree
with the list? Yet out of large
number of names, written as broad
mindedly as possible, the league
of women voters thinks it will fInally
be able to arrive at an intelligen'
summary of American womanhoou
The first to respond to the league
call for assistance have been cruz
women and women interested in pol
itics. The outstanding women IN
these fields figure prominently In tne
lists submitted Some are entirely
composed of leaders in women
movements The names OF Mrs
Carrie Chapman Gait. Mrs. Thomas
Winter Mrs. Maud Wood Park, ana
Mrs, Harriet Taylor Upton occur
again and again
The women seem to be less IN
agreement in mentioning gresl
women in other fields. This u
strange because politics is new
venture for women while they nave
been artists, nurses and teachers TOT
years. Yet only one nurses name has
been mentioned Nor has any scien-
tist been named, and only one
woman doctor. and one educator.
Of the writers. Agnes Repplier
Edith Wharton. Amy Lowell Agnes
ST. Vincent Millay and Villa Gather
have been named. 1t is a comment