Evening star., 1931-12-06
National Woman'S Party
Hears Chairman Speak on
2-YeaT Campaign.
PASSAGE OF CABLE ACT
IS HELD BIG VICTORY
Reception for Delegates From
Every State, Alaska and Porto
Rico Follows First Meeting.


ans Party in session at the MayfioWer
Hotel, Mrs. Harvey W. Wiley chair
man, yesterday afternoon pictured that
period as one Of struggle TO hold rights
menaCed by attempts to place addition
al restrictions on working women as a
result Of the economic depression.
In number Of States. she said laws
have been proposed to limit the rights
of women and throw them out Of work
in order to provide more jobs for men
These attempts have been vigorously
opposed by the National Woman's
Party, the national chairman declared,
and in most instances successfully.
The one great advance in the two
year period, she asserted, was the pas
sage Of the Gable act last March This
she termed the greatest feminist vic
tory since the adoption of the ninteenth
amendment to the Constitution"
The Gable act provides that a woman
married to a foreigner may keep Ler
American citizenship
In the international field, Mrs. Wiley
pointed out, tTo members of the Ma
tional Woman's Party have been sig
nally hOnored They are Miss Alice
Paul, she said. whose work for a world
code Of equal nationality rights has re-
suited in the appointment of COM
mittee by the League Of Nations TO
draft such a code, and Miss Doris
Stevens, recently selected as a member
of the American Institute of Interna-
tional Law Both women are founders
and council members of the Womans
Party.
The session yesterday afternoon was
the first of the three-day convention
Approximately $50 women attended,
about $50 Of them coming from other
cities and representing every State,
Alaska and Porto Rico.
Reception for Delegates.
Last night Mrs Wiley assisted by
members Of the National Council, held
a reception in honor OF the delegates
Special guests present included the
Minister of Colombia and Sonora de
Lozano and Dona Juanita Molina de
FTOmen, representative Of Nicaragua on
the Inter-American Commission of
Women.
An itensifed feministic interest
caused by depression and consequent
attempt to legislate women out of jobs"
was described yesterday afternoon by
Miss Maud Younger, national congress
sional chairman.
Miss Younger told the delegates that
women the country over are becoming
loud in their demands for greater in
dustrial equality. She predicted heavy
pressure for the passage Of the pro-
posed equal rights amendment long de-
manded by the party.
This amendment, she explained, |
would give women equal economic |
rights as well as political equality, since
1t specifies complete parity Of laws for
men and women.
Mrs. Jane Norman Smith reported
the cooperative effort by Women's or
ganizations in Georgia, Wisconsin and
California had prevented passage of
laws discriminating against women.
TIE tight to prevent such legislation
was unsuccessful in New York, she de-
clared.
The speaker said a no-night work law
was blocked by women's organizations
In Georgia; law limiting the working
hours of women was blocked in V'iscon-
sin, and proposal TO discharge married
women from the State payroll was frls-
trated in California
She pointed out that many women
still are prevented from obtaining de-
sired employment by the nO-nightWork
law in New York.
No Outstanding Debt
In her report, Miss Laura Berrien of
Georgia, treasurer, brought out that the
National WOmen's party has no out
standing debts and functions on a
month-tO-mOnth basis. She reported
about S700 in the treasury.
Miss Margaret LuerS an undergradu-
ate at George Washington University
and chairman of the students council
Of the Woman's Party, told Of her
work in organizing Woman'S Party
branches in various universities The
most recent branch was established in
the University Of Porto Rico, she said
Feminist feeling is considerable less
intense among the professional women
of Southern Europe, but not Of North
ern Europe than in America, DR. Mary
OMaley, chief Of woman doct-rs at
81. Ellzabeth's Hospital, declared in
telling Of her trip to Vienna last Au-
gust TO attend an international meet
ing Of women physicians there.
The feminist movement is becoming
a youth movement. Miss Mabel Van
Dyke, chairman Of the Young Womens
Council Of the party, declared. She
said that economic conditions which
compel young women 10 work are cauS-
ing them to take an increasing interest
in equality Of right with men.
Mrs. Rebekah Grcathouse, assistant
United States attorney in the District,
reported that the National WomanS
party is winning the support Of lawyers,
both men and women.
Mrs. Valentine ViCkery of MaSsa-
ChuSettS. chairman Of the Committee on
Petitions and Resolutions reported that
her committee is cooperating with
other women'S organizations to obtain
their Endorsement Of the proposed
equal rights amendments.
Mrs. Burnita Shelton Matthews,
chairman Of the Committee on Wills,
told Of the activities of her group.
The session was closed with talk
by Mrs, Edith Houghton Hooker con-
Cerning the weekly publication Of the
party, Of which she is editor.
At the reception last night those in
the receiving line included Mrs. Wiley,
Miss Alma Lutz Of North Dakota, Mrs
Matthews Of Mississippi, Mrs. Dora G.
Ogle and Mrs. Hooker of Maryland, Mrs.
Smith, Mrs. John Jay White, Mrs. John
Winters Brannan and Mrs. Ruth Van
deer Lift of New York; Mrs. Nina T.
Allender of the District of Columbia
Miss Berrien Of Georgia, Miss Elsie Hill
of Connecticut and Miss Younger and
Mrs William Kent Of California
This afternoon the delegates will meet
IN the Alva Belmont House, headquar-
ters of the party. at 1890 o'clock to
listen in on the international broad
cast from London on feminiSm by Wis
countess Rhodda, a member of the In
ternstonal Advisory Council of the
Womans Party.
Mrs Kent will preside at the session
on recent feminist achievements. which
Will be held in the Mayfiower Hotel this
afternoon at 2:30 O'Clock, and Mrs
Izetta Jewel Brown win be toe stmistress
AZ the dinner in the ball room of the
hotel at O'Clock tonight.