Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19
MRS. OWEN BRINGS
HEARERS TO TEARS
AS SHE TELLS STORY
Continued From First Pags)

Altman Owen, and pleaded for recog=
milton of the rights Of citizenship for
American women.
MRS. Owen married Mr.. Owen, who
died two years ago in Florida. in 1910
and under the law in that year thereby
lost her citizenship, becoming Q Brit
ish subject. She regained that citizen-
ship in 1925, two years after the Gable
act became effective, and which pro-
vides that American-born women who
have lost their citizenship rights
through marriage to q foreigner, and
who have subsequently become natural
tied, shall have the identical rights as
though they had never lost that eiti-
zenship. Under this law, MRS. Owen
contended yesterday, she was estab-
lished as entitled TO her seat In the
House. She presented Q statement from
Representative Cable author of the act
which bears his name, indicating her
Interpretation as correct.
The purpose of this act" Mrs.
Owen said, was TO do justice to Amer
lean women; to place them on sll equal
ity before the law with men who have
never lost their citizenship by marriage.
You cannot deny my claim without say
ing to millions of American women that
they are not entitled to the same treat
ment as men. If / must pay q legal
penalty for my marriage, l want to pay
it proudly-as proudly as / bear my
husbands name. II this election con-
test Is going to define the citizenship
rights OF women who have been dis
eliminated against by past laws of the
land, welcome the chance it has given
me to present our side Of the case.
Asks and Expects Justice.
II ask nothing more than justice and
l expect nothing less from this commit
tee. ask connrmat ton of my election,
not only for myself but for all Amer
lean women. ask that you serve notice
TO them In making your decision that
their citizenship rights are 10 be re-
spected by the Government.
i am American born. MY ancestors
fought In the Revolution. You might
trace the progress of American ciVilisa-
ton by following the march OF nv four
Sreat-grandfathers across the plains to
the West. Well you know what part nv
father played in the history Of your
country.
Il have never renowned ailesianc
TO my country. nor pledged allegiance to
another. l have the American back
ground-the background which the Con-
SCtu6ion intended to require and it's
barriers ought not to apply to me.
1t was suggested here yesterday by
counsel for my opponent that women
who married foreigners and returned to
thls country after years abroad, might
bring back vicious habits. Counsel
Klnoiy d1sclaimed any personal refer
ence 10 me, but l should like to account
70 TINS committee for the years / was
ABROAD and absent from my own
country.
After my marriage / went TO Jamaica
with my husband, who was an engineer.
and then to England. The war broke
out in 1914 and my husband immedf-
ateiy went to the front. l Joined the
american Women's War Relief Fund
organization and served on the execu-
tive committee in active work with
Mrs. Herbert Hoover until 1915.
Had 10 support Family.
In 1915 my husband was ordered to
the Dardanelles and in order to be near
him ! took service as q nurse in E0ynt
Long exposure injured my husband S
health and he was advised to take a
years leave of absence to insure recoy-
cry. He refused. The result was that
he left the army at the end of the war
a hopeless invalid. ! brought him back
TO this country to live. His family,s
fortune had been impaired, as we'll as
his health, never had an income N.Y.
self. 1t was necessary for me to 20 to
work. I had to earn money for the
support OF my husband and my four
children"
When Mrs. owen reached this point
Of her story, her voice lowered. It be-
cane so low as to be almost inaudible
She did not look directly at her audi
ence as she did previously. She told OF
her husbands death in this manner
Soon she raised her voice and, speak king
faster, as though to be on with the
| things she would tell she began on the
work she took and told how 1t made II
impossible to Ale an application fol-
naturalisat ton at that time.
Il went into university extension
work" she continued, las lecturer.
spent long months away from home
earning money. MY absence made II
| impossible for me to file my application
for naturalization under the Gable ACT
until 1925, although otherwise I might
have filed it two years earlier"
Pays Tribute 10 Husband.
She hesitated again, then said, az
did not object to work, for my HUSBAND
was injured In the defense OF his ooun.
| try"
There have been many tributes u
wives and mothers" she went on, hel
voice growing low again, and now
want to pay tribute TO . husband
Not only did Maj. owen have couras,
in war-he won Ave citations for gal
lantry" (here she flung her head vi
and faced her listeners but he alst
had the courage to face the slow hu
sure approach of death In peace"
Men In the room looked everywhere
but at MRS. Owen. They dTagge'
handkerehiefs from pockets and tn
women among those who came Just 10
curiosity cried openly.
Mrs. Owen said one more sentenc
and sat down.
May repeat myself; II there Is an
penalty of the law to be laid on m
because of M marriage. l want 70 bea
that penalty as I bear my husband
name-proudiy."