Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-28
BY CoRINNE FRAZIER.

ABLE dispatches have brought
two pieces of good news to
members of the Inter- American
Commission Of Women and the
National Woman's Party the
past week. Both are items looked upon
by the feminists as indicating one more
step forward in their campaign foi
political, legal and economic equality OF
women.
new degree of politico-legal equality
Is assured the women of Cuba IN the
passage of a constitutional amendment
under whose provisions no CUBAN
woman ever again may be deprived OF
her nationality against her Will.
With the passage OF this measure,
news of which was cabled to Doris
stevens chairman Of the Inter-Ameri-
can Commission of Women, and con-
firmed by the Cuban embassy In
Washington, Cuba takes her place
among the nine countries now leading
the world in the matter of legislation
granting permanent natlonaHty 70
women. In these countrleS-elgnI VI
the New World, including Cuba, ana
one of the Old, Russia-internatlonai
marriages will no longer affect the
nationality of women against their wiz.
A woman may marry where she pleaSes
in her native country.
Miss Stevens cable was received from
Amelia Mallen de Ostolaza, president OF
the Partido Nacional Sufragisto OF CUBA.
In commenting upon the news, MISS
Stevens said: IT,
we are reioiced to see Cuba join
the seven other countries OF Latin
America which led the world Oogether
with Russia) in guaranteeing the ma
tionality of their women.
THE inter- American COMMISSION OF
Women has devoted much of its work
during the past year to the veXed ques-
tion Of nationality and has found that
the worldwide picture is nothing short
of chaotic. In the midst of the wilder
ness these seven countrieS-eight, now
that Cuba has taken her place among
them-rise like mountain peaks In the
New World; with Russia, in the Old
World, providing an equal guarantee
of nationality to its citizens, be they
men or women.
ut is fitting that Cuba, which saw
the birth of the Inter American Com
mission of Women, and has so consist
entity aided in its work. should thus
publicly proclaim its pride in the Cuban
woman and her inalienable right to
citizenship in the land of her BIRTH"
The countries which now declare
that woman shall not lose her nation
atty by reason of her marriage to a
foreigner are Argentina, Brazil, Chile,
Colombia, Panama, Paraguay, Russia,
Uruguay and Cuba.
Members of the National Woman's
Party. who have been working with
the Inter American Commission in COL
lecting the data on the nationality OF
women and who are strong advocates
of equality between the sexes in this
as we'll as in every other respect, have
been no less elated than the commits
sion officials over the Cuba news, as
we'll as that cabled from Salvador,
which informed the feministS that the
government of Salvador had just ap-
proved the resolution Of the Sixth
Pan-American Conference, creating the
Commission of Women.
In approving the resolution Salvador
gives the commission the strong In
dividual Endorsement of one Of the
most progressive of the Central Amer
lean Republics, which the women feel
will both strengthen their status with
the Pan-American Union and be OF
considerable aid to them in their work
of collecting all the juridical and
other data necessary for the study OF
the equality of civil and political rights
of women in the American Republics
It was for the purpose OF champion1ng
these rights and placing their case
before future conferences Of the union
that the commission was formed.
Salvador is represented on the COM
mission by one of her most distinguished
women, Sonora Guillen-Rivas. wife OF
the present subsecretary Of state and
a novelist Of note.
NHUNA LEE, director of the Bureau
4FA Of International Relations Of the
University of Porto Rico has arrived
In Washington to resume work for the
Summer with the Inter-American Com
mission of Women. Miss Lee, in pri-
vate life Mrs. Luis Munoz Marin, Is
accompanied by her small children.
Munita and Luisito. the latter of whom
will spend the Summer in Camp Over
all. Va.
During the second week of August
Muna Lee will make two talks before
the Institute of Public Affairs of the
University of Virginia, on work ac-
conplished to date by the Inter-Amer-
lean Commission Of Women and on
unofficial cultural interchangeS between
the Americas.
Porto Rico has undergone two great
experiences since was last in Wash
ington," she says First. the nurri-
cane which struck the island four days
after my return last September and
the more lasting effect of which we
are Just beginning to feel; and second,
the granting of suffrage. even though
in limited form, to Porto Rican wom-
en-. All literate women of the island