The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1922-02-24
WOMEN TAKE.UP
NEW SPHERE IN
CAPITAL s LII {
War Establishes New
Work Precedents; Mrs,
Harding Leads Busy
Life.
(By J. E. JONES.)

the measure of the Washington of to
day from that recorder by the yart
stick quarter of century ago. II
those former days the fiction writer.
unraveled skeins of yarns about tn,
"intrigues of society" Milady hat
flocks of maids, butler, team o.
dancing, dashing horses with silver
bits in their teeth and guady harness
decorations; and at the end of Mi.
lady's party dress there was trail as
long as they are short nowadays.
Social distinctions still exist in
Washington, just as they exist in
Gotham or on Main street And they
always will! But impossible social
barriers, if they ever were reality
outside the sob stories" have gone
to the discard. Writers who send
stories to their papers about social
caste" in Washington usually do SO
because they have not been in town
long enough to know what is going
on, or to get acquainted with the in
habitants of what is in reality one of
the most democratic and cosmopolitan
citys in the nation.
Everybody Worked.
During the war more than half the
wives of cabinet officers, senators and
representatives, literally mingled and
worked day after day with the most
humble members of their sex, prov
ing that Brother Kipling was right in
his discovery that "the colonePs LADY,
and Judy O'Grady are sisters under
their skins" Women have not only
entered the fields of public service,
but in lot of instances they are so
numerous as to cause some congestion,
as it proved by the returns of the CEN
sus bureau, showing that third of
the 100000 persons in the employ of
federal, state and local governments
OF the United States are women.
Civil employment is rapidly becoming
profession dominated by women.
Serving at first in minor capacities as
clerks and typists the sex soon began
to invade the fields of greater re-
sponsibility Women now are occu-
plying many positions in the federal
government corresponding to that of
bureau chiefs, while an assistant at
torney general ranks just under
cabinet officers. Women hold offices
as civil service commissioner, District
ot Columbia rent commissioner, fed
eral judges in District of Columbia
courts, foreign trade representatives
abroad, deputy marshals, assistant dis
riot attorneys, deputy collectors of in
ernal revenue, etc.
OF the more than 10000 EMPLOYEES
IT the federal government stationed in
Washington, about one-half are wo-
men. Because of this fact the census
hows larger number of women in
he population to the number of men
han any other section of the coun-
ny. There is not a place of import
nee in the federal government. start
ng with the White House or the SEN
tie, and going down to the most un-
important bureau, where women are
ot found meeting some of the most
esponsible tasks.
ust Plain Women"
Cabinet ladies" have renowned
heir old titles Of distinction, and now
hey prefer to be called women"
irs. Hughes is active in the affairs
I the Pan-American scientific con-
ress, OF which she is chairman and
ne has been almost constantly before
ne public, engaged in planning pub
c work, and frequently she makes
ddresses. She is now giving special
ttention to the Girl Scouts, of whose
ational organization she is president
The first lady of the land" Mrs II
Harding, is occupied with countless
ublic activities, and she never seems
appier than when she is rendering
erVice to some group of people. The
ctivities of the women of the Wilson
abinet furnished brilliant page in
lie records of achievements in the
reat war.
Hundreds of women are qualifying
lemselves for the practice of law
tut of Ill persons who passed the
ar test in Washington recently II ii
ere women. This very large per-
'ntage, about one in ten, shows that
will not be long before Portia, the
dy who plead law for Shakespeare
write play around, will be for
'tten because there will be so manv
omen lawyers engaged in practice.