Evening star., 1922-03-26
BY WINIFRED MALLON.

~ IME was, and not very long ago. when
women generally looked to Congress for
prohibition and for suffrage. but for
little else They wanted. greatly wanted.
both. and they came to Washington for them
Now. In the light Of the experience gained while
travelling that long. hard road. they hnd the
calendars of both the Senate and House well
sprinkled with bills of immense and personal and
direct interest to them with still others pending
iE committee. and the subject Of hearings. which
they attend numerously and with enthusiasm.
Much Of the legislation considered. defeated
and enacted in times past waS Of equally great
concern to women. If they had only known It,
They know it now. They have taken the job
Of being citizens. That Congress also knows it
is amply evidenced by the increased attention
which now is devoted to measures which, while
not specifically "women's bills" are nevertheless
bills in which women take special interest
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Among them are the Austrian credits bill,
referred to by relief organisations the Chill
dren's BILL" extending for twenty y-nve years the
period within which Austria may pay for the
-four purchased from the United States Grain
Corporation. and use in the meantime her assets
basis for the rehabilitation Of her currency;
bills giving Congress power to enact uniform
marriage and divorce laws; the Towner- Sterling
bill to create a department Of education; the
Fess-Capper bill for the promotion OF physical
education: the Sterlng-Lehlbach reclassifcation
bill bills providing for the separate naturaliza-
tion of women and the retention Of their citizen
ship by American women marrying aliens; bill
proposing constitutional amendment giving Con-
gress power to regulate the employment Of women
under twenty years Of age. and scores Of
other measures. ranging all the way from the
Ladd bill for the stabilization Of prices of farm
products, which is backed with enthusiasm by
farm womens organizations to a bill introduced
by Representative Peterson Of New York to make
August 23 the anniversary Of the adoption of the
federal woman suffrage amendment, national
holiday.
The maternity BILL" introduced by Miss
Jeanette Rankin Of Montana in the Sixty-fifth
Congress- behind which generally
centrated, became law last November. and
thirty-fve states, through their governors and
state legislatures already have accepted the
terms which. under the provisions Of the act
they may benefit by the appropriation for fed
eral aid in caring for mothers and children and,
it is hoped reduce the appallingly high record Of
infant mortality in this country.
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In addition to the lump sum to be used in
carrying out the act. the childrens bureau has
been granted by tnis Congress an increase Of
$4,000 over the $50. 900 allowed it last year for
child welfare work. its total appropriation for the
next fiscal year amounting to $31f040. out of
which all expenses for salaries and administra-
ton Of the bureau must be met. Congress has
also increased from eight to twelve the number
of positions paying $4,000 or more thereby per-
mitting the bureau to retain the services OF ex-
perts 1t would otherwise have lost
TIE new appropriation for the wornen's
bureau. also in the Department OF Labor psr-
mits an increase from three to eight in the
number of positions paying 1880 and over. the
total appropriation being 100000. as against
$4,000 last year. Only three positions at $4,000
authorized last year. in spite OF the high
professional value of the work required. This
years appropriation, which will become available