Evening star., 1928-04-01
Nomen Play Growing Part in Politics

of each woman to decide for herself. And since
the franchise has been granted to women that
Is the theory which apparently has guided them
in its use. There Is no woman vote such
in America today. There may be cases where
local issues break party lines, where the women
of opposing political factions find themselves
allied on one side. But the same thing Is trun
of the men. No national issue has arisen, and
none is expected to arise. which will record
distinct woman vote regardless OF part%
Women arc as distinctly partisan as mon. TheTc
nothing ever to indicate that they would
not be,
The participation Of women In the political
life of America. in running and being elected to
Office and in going to the ballot box furnishes q
rather interesting study. The National League
of Women Voters, through It's press department
has just completed survey of women in public
Offices that is not claimed to be exhaustive. But
1t furnishes the most adequate presentation of
the facts that can be found 1t shows that at
least 25 women holding responsible ap-
pontive offices In the Federal Government, and
among them are listed those women whom we
know so well in Washington, led by Mrs Nab"
Walker Willebrandt. Assistant Attorney General
In addition, there are Miss Grace Abbott, chief
of the Children's Bureau; Miss Jessie Dell. Civ,
Service Commissioner; Miss Mary Anderson
director of the Women's Bureau: Mrs. Bessie p
Brucggcman chairman OF the United States EN-
ployes' Compensation Commission; DR. Louise
Stanley. chief of the Bureau of Home Econom-
les. Maj. Julia StimSon, head of the Army Nurse
Corps and Mrs. Mabel Reinecke collector OF
internal revenue at Chicago. In addition to
these higher appontive positions held by women
there are -four woman customs collectors one
woman commissioner of immigration three
women In the diplomatic consular service two
woman assistant trade commissioners abroad and
six others who act as secretaries clerks to
trade commissioners or commercial attaches
But more interesting than these figures are
those which relate to the success of women In
elective offices. Eight women have been elected
TO the HouSe--MSS Rankin who was the first
and only woman to serve before the adoption OF
the nineteenth amendment: Miss Alice Robert
son. Republican. OF Oklahoma who served one
term in the Sixty-seventh Congress; Mrs Wini-
ired Mason Huck. Republican, of illinois, elected
to tll the vacancy created by the death Of her
father, William E. Mason: Mrs Mae E Nolan
Republican. OF California. elected to fill the va
cancy caused by the death OF her husband; Mrs
Mary Norton, Democrat OF New Jersey, elected In
1925 and reelected to the Seventieth Congress
Mrs. Florence Prag Kahn, Republican. of Cali
iornia, elected In 1925 to hll the vacancy caused
by the death OF her husband. and reelected to
the Seventeen Congress: Mrs. Edith Nourse
Rogers. Republican. of Massachusetts, elected in
1873 TO MI the vacancy caused by the death OF.
her husband, and reelected to the Seventieth
Congress, and Mrs. John W. Langley Republican
OF Kentucky, elected to the Seventieth Congress
In place Of her husband
Mrs Rebecca Latimer FELTON,, appointed to the
senate as a gallant gesture by the Governor OF
Georgia served one day. on November 81 1922
she Is the only woman who has passed the
portals OF the United States Senate.
Analyziig these figures, 1t is found that eight
women have been elected to the House four Of
them TO succeed their husbands and fifth sue
ceeding her father. Three of them have run
s ana have been elected. ION their own" but OF
the five who were elected out of respect for the
members OF their families two of them ran
again and were reelected
Some of these 1t Is pointed out. have been
ou,standng women. Miss Rankin. for instance.
although she has given up politics and gone in
Tor farming, and though she served ONLY one
Nim' Is generally regarded as an exceptionally