Evening star., 1928-03-18
by GEORGE WHARTON PEPPER.

BY GEORGE WHARTON PEPPER.
Former Senator from PennsyIvania
7 AM not one Of those who advocate
electing women TO Congress as a
measure Of Justice to women
4 hope l am as ready as anybody to
act from motives Of Justice when
ever the issue is between doing justice
and not doing It. But what the welfare
OF the country demands in Congress is
fitness; and II woman Is to be sent
there she should go on her merit and
not on her sex.
Brains and education count In Con-
gress for woman just as much as for
man. Personality and persistence
count more for woman than for a
man. II woman combines brains.
education. personality and persistence
she Is certain to make big mark on
the congressional record.
Congress always has on the calendar
three sorts OF bills: those that are GER
tain to pass those that are certain not
to pass and those that depend upon the
personality OF their supporters.
Diligence Required.
| In Senate and House the most useful
member is the member who. either in
| committee or on the floor, helps to per-
| pass. Constituents. however, are most
| likely to appreciate the Senator or Rep
reSentative who is able to put doubtful
measures through
| Brains and accurate knowledge are
all that is essential in perfecting legis-
| latiOn. In getting action on doubtful
/ measures. two additional qualities are
| at premium: personal popularity and
everlasting persistence. Few people
| realize how much depends upon the
diligence OF the member and the extent
to which he has the good will of his
! colleagues.
| When the calendar Is overcrowded
and the time for action short. a COM
mittee will let unessential bills slumber
Even II the bill has been reported favor
ably and awaits action. 1t may sleep
almost as soundly on the calendar as If
1t were bunked in committee pigeon
hole. A member who has earned
abundant good will and Is using 1t in
telligently can often get committee
action and. later, gain the ear of the
House or Senate. when a less popular
member would be absolutely helpless
1t Is because I believe that we'll
I equipped women In both branches OF
| Congress can be useful to the country
that am in favor OF sending there
those that can win their way.
/ Suggests Ability as Requisite.
| There are no women in the Senate.
/ Indeed. there has never been a woman
! Senator except in the case OF Mrs
! FELTON,. OF Georgia. who took her seat
under a courtesy appointment and held
| 1t for few hours. This case. however,
t has no great historical interest. Ny
/ x.An {e kaf
/ Senator should 60 to the Senate as the
: result OF election or. IL appointed. on
the strength of record of political
experience and achievement
A woman appointed 10 the Senate
merely because she was an outstanding
citizen would be even more heavily
handicapped than a man sent there
under the same conditions. In both
cases eXtravagant expectations of per-
formance Offset by hostile criticism for
! political inexperience, tend to make
actual achievements look small and
mistakes loom large
The same considerations apply in the
House. Women elected ''on their own"
have position much more satisfactory
to themselves than II sent TO Congress
under special circumstances which were
more or less accidental in nature
/ House Two Of them know TO be
women OF ability The other two are
/ reported TO be capable. OF the four
one was sent more or less impulSiveiy
/ by her husbands constituents as a pro-
( test against what they presumably re-
! car0ed as an unjust conviction for law
breaking,
! Mccormick Candidacy.
Two OF the others were chivalrously
! sent to occupy the seats made vacant
| by the deaths OF their husbands while
In ONCE. can imagine that both
would have preferred TO come into
office after a hard-fought battle. They
were qualified 10 win. and initial victory
would have increased their prestige.
! For all the reasons above suggested
| special interest centers upon the candi-
dacy in Illinois OF Ruth Hanna McCor-
mick for the once of Representative at
large. She Is candidate for one Of the
two Republican nominations for this po-