Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-01-07
CIVIL SERVICE
WOMAN WINS
CAUSE FOR SEX
No More Discrimination
Against Wives in Post
office.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7-Elihnination
of discrimination against married wom-
en- in the Postoffice Department, which
has just been announced by Postmaster
General VIII II. Hays, Is the direct re-
suit of efforts made by Mrs. Helen Ham
iIton Gardener, the only woman who has
ever held office as civil service commits
sioner. Mrs. Gardener asked Hays for
a square deal for her sex-and she got
| it. The Postmaster General decided a
woman employe OF the department does
not change her status or lose any rights
in the postal service because OF mar
riage.
Before Hays handed down this decis-
ion, when an unmarried woman hold
ing the position of postmaster married
she had to obtain a new appointment,
execute a new bond, or pass the required
civil service examination in competition
with other candidates seeking the Of
fee. Under the new ruling the woman
postmaster will continue to hold the Of
fee without a reappointment or another
examination.
SETTLES NATION
WIDE CONTROVERSIES.
Similar controversies have arisen all
over the country where women are en-
ployed in the public service, particular
ly as school teachers. In the latter cases
it frequently has been held that women
who marry forfeit their positions as
teachers The ruling of Postmaster Gen
eral Hays will set a precedent in tho
Federal service and will no doubt have
an important effect In establishing for
women the full rights of citizenship
intended to be conferred by the Nine
teenth amendment to the Constitution.
In a letter to the postoffice depart
ment referring to the old order dis
eliminating against women who marry
as an "archaic situation" Mrs. Garden
err continued: II deem it exceedingly i'm
portant, both In the interest of the
service and in the interest of the devel-
opment Of women, not to mention the
interest Of the postoffice department,
to work out some ruling which will
correct the obviously unjust condition"
Mrs. Gardeners statement of the case
won instant approval Of the solicitor OF
the postoffice department and the old
order was speedily revoked by Mr.. Hays
upon the recommendation Of his legal
adviser, who declared that he saw mo
adequate legal reason why marriage of
postmasters or of other women en-
pIoyes should 70 itself affect the tenure
of office"
MRS. GARDENERS
STATEMENT.
Discussing this incident the other day,
Mrs Gardener said:
Such an unjust discrimination as pre-
viously existed not only was archaic,
but 1t served as deterrent to marriage.
The entire problem of married women
in the public service should be settled
on the basis Of efficiency. If the marital
duties of q postmistress, for instance,
occupied so much of her time as to rem
der her inefficient as public official,
she should be removed; or If, on the
other hand the presence Of 81 husband
about the postoffice should be deter
rent to the best interest Of the patrons
that would be aground for her removal.
But to remove a postmistress solely upon
the ground that she was married con
stituted an anachronism. now that wom
en- have begun TO come into their
rights under the Nineteenth Amend
ment"
Virginian by birth and the widow
Of an army officer, Mrs Gardener has
been a worker IN the cause of women
for the past thirty five years. She EN-
phasizes, however, that she Is not an
adherent of the doctrine that women
should divide in politics along lines OF
sex. Recognizing that the sexes have
varying interests and aptitudes In po-
Iitica1 social and economic life, Mrs.
Gardener believes, now that women have
the vote, they will naturally work for
the interests nearest them, while at the
one or the other Of the existing po-
litica1 parties.