Evening star., 1932-05-08
Women i'm Official Life
Interesting Interviews With Prominent
Hostesses in Washington.
MRS. EDWARD P, COsTIGAN.

club work, and was elected president
Of the Denver Wemen's Club. She be-
came allied with social and reform ac-
tiVities-the betterment Of prison and
lahoring conditions, as we'll as provi-
sion for adequate care fer the needs OF
women and children. She carried on
her work through addresses before va
Fious organizations Throughout the State
weRen's clubs, civic organizations, Ro-
tary groups. Tse radio audience knew
her voice. She was q tireless worker,
too, in committees which mapped out
the welfare campaigns In which she
took part.
For II years the Coetigans remained
in Denver-active participants in civic
and State affairs. In 1917, President
Wilson appointed the Colorado attor-
ney to position on the Federal Tariff
Commission. Mr.. Cestigan found, upon
coming to Washington, that the chair
man OF the commission was none other
than his one-time noted professor of
economies at Harvard, Frank w.
TausSig.
The new environment of the Capital
City gave Mrs Costigan a still broader
sphere for her talents. She took part
in the work Of the League of Women
Voters and Of the National Consumers
League. She was instrumental In or
gsnizing at Denver one Of the first
chapters OF the League of Women
Voters In the Far West. She became
an authority on living costs through the
Consumers League, and was made the
first chairman Of the Living Costs
Committee Of the League OF Women
Voters
Disagreeing with some of the policies
being followed by the Tariff Commits
sion in later years, Mr.. Costigan re-
signed and, in the words Of his charm
ing wife, they returned to their little
gray home In the West"
*s**
join official Washington life once again
this time at the opening OF the Sew
enty-seeend Congress, when Mr. Costi-
gan took his seat as . Democratic men,
Der of the Senate. As for her hus-
bands political Affiliations, Mrs. Cos
tigan enjoys telling of an interesting
incident on the subject. 1t occurred
when Mr.. Costigan was . member of
the Tariff Commission.
MY husband was called before a
committee Of the House OF Representa-
tives in 1917 to give his opinien on
some pending legislation" she recount
ed, When asked by member of the
committee for his political affiliation,
he replied, ! am progressive, with
Republican antecedents and Demo-
cratic consequences.
Back of every member of Congress
there has been o campaign. Senator
Cestigan's campaign had real interest
for Mrs. Costtgan, for she was on the
firing line, so to speak, taking the stump
actively in her husbands behalf,
II had eampaigned for every one
else" she laughingly explained, 80 !
thought it only fair that should do as
much fer my husband" Among her
activities In this sphere Of political cam
paigning previous to that time had been
active support Of the La Toilette ticket
when the senior member of that fam
lily was running for the presidency
But to 60 back further than that
Mrs. Costigan enjoys recalling an in
cident which occurred when her hus-
band first entered the political arena
he was running for q civic post in
Denver. Mrs, Costigan was ardently
supporting her husbands cause
One day she sat at luncheon with a
group of women A manager for the
opposing candidate approached with
the observation that he supposed every
one there was "for 0estigan" Upon
receiving the expected reply he re-
marked that he supposed they would be
for Costigan" II the latter said black
was white ---~
whereupon the loyal wife imme-
diately retoined that black would be
white II Ed Costigan said II was"
y
From the realm of experience, there