Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-30
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF
SOME WOMEN IN OFFICE
interesting Review Of tho Work
Done by Them in Field
of Politics.

De1AwNro being IN the midst OF
political campaign. with women re-
ceiving full rights in the party organi-
authority on women as citizens, says
TO both party conventions. II Is inter-
est.ng to note the achievements OF
women IN politics in the past few
years is OF particular interest.
Anna Steeee Richardson, who Is an
authority on wamen as citizens, says
that she has an actual record OF / .546
women holding responsible offices IN
rs states. This list - not complete.
and she believes that list of women
holding Offices by appointment would
run into tens OF thousands.
Recently a furore OF excitement was
aroused among women at tho news
paper report OF the resignation OF Mrs
f. II. Ward OF Des Laos. N. D.. the
first woman marshal. When Mrs.
Ward tried 10 enforce an unpopular
law, she found herself helpless and
resigned. Her successor promises to
enforce the law strictly, but indica-
tions seem to indicate that his efforts
will be confined TO popular laws like
curfew for children rather than en-
forcement of the Volstead act.
! Miss Richardson declares that one Of
the rocks on which women Office hold
ers are wrecked is found in the fact
that the word Compromise" is absent
from the vocabulary OF women or Is
synonymous with "dishonor." They
do not take public opinion or mob
spirit into consideration when they ad-
minister government. They possess
keenness OF vision for misdoing tina
the male Office holder frequently lacks
and they are without a sense OF humor
They live up to the letter OF pre-elec-
ton promises. and their literal in
depreciation Of laws and town ordi-
nances often d.sturbs easygoing citi.
zens.
The first town with a woman gov
eminent was Umatilla, Oregon. In 1915
the town, with population Of 40l
was practically bankrupt and the city
charter was about to revert to the
state. The administration decided ts
turn the government over TO womer
and let them exercise the powers o!
management that they showed In theil
homes. Each office holder wrote hi.
wife's name on the ticket and cleo
tioneered for her. From Mayor Laura
Stracher down every Office was filled
by women.
Everyone except the new official.
considered the election joke. TIL,
women went to work, however, ar
resting all breakers and turninl
their fines into the treasury. Whei
the jail burned down, the women col
lected the insurance, hired a room II
the hotel where drunkards were lock
ed up until they were sober enough t
pay their fines. People from out O
. town were put on trains and sent {
their home towns.
Fines and thrift gradually liquidat
: ed the towns debts. Another admin
lstration OF women, headed by Mr..
Stella Paulu, was elected. During tn
two administrations, the officials ha
to contend with the War and with
4 smallpox epidemic, but the towns in
Y debtedness was wiped out, the sum {
4 $1,000 was in the treasury, new mai
= street was surveyed, and eyerythin
: was in readiness TO improve 1t. The
= the men elected an altman admins
tration, who do have the good sens
TO carry on the campaign OF maxim
u umatilla a clean and thrifty little cit,
!. The women said that they were gla