Evening star., 1932-06-24
NELLIE ROSS HOLDS
FAST TO HOME TIES
Leader of Democratic Wom-
en- Does Not Desert Do
meStic Traits.
Special Dispatch to The star.


CHICAGO. June "A (N.ANA).-
Stepping from an environment entirely
| domestic into leadership of wyoming
and then into csptaincy OF the Demo-
cratic women of the nation has made
politician of Nellie Tayloe Ross.
But throughout this progression she
| has retained her kinship with the great
body of home women whose interest in
| politics she seeks to enlist.
In her capacity as vice chairman OF
the Democratic National Committee
, Mrs. Ross, whose eo-workers still call
, her Governor, is in Chicago preparing
| for the Democratic Convention.
In the Congress Hotel, Mrs. Ross and
| Sue White, her capable assistant, who
| Is a veteran Of suffrage campaigns and
a lawyer from Jacksonville, Miss, have
| opened headquarters In the English
room for Democratic women.
! Politics has not eclipsed feminity, Mrs.
| Ross proves. Instead of rushing into
political conferences upon her arrival
she went shopping.
Up Early for Chat.
! The next day. appearing gentle and
/ feminine in pink chiffon negligee gir-
| died in a shade of blue velvet that
exactly matched her eyes, she was up
| early for a chat with Mrs. George Bass,
| long q Democratic leader in Illinois.
Later, when she spent an hour discuss
/ ing the issues of the coming campaign,
her attitude was more that OF an intel
| ligent woman voicing her interest In
national affairs than of a partisan
cheering for her side.
| That women should be intensely in
terested in politics seems entirely
natural to her.
my own life has followed the pro-
gression Of any normal, domestic
woman: l was absorbed in my home
nv children and my husbands career,
explained this rather small woman with
the fluffy brown hair and wide, sensi-
tive mouth.
when we we're married in Missouri
and went to wyoming TO live, there
were so few Democrats in the State
that II took all Of them TO all the
| ticket"
! Mrs. Ross was an enthusiastic by
| starder as her husband climbed to
prominence, and finally was elected
| In 1924. into the middle Of the game
which she always had viewed from the
side lines.
Now, when I come into a room,
! people begin to point out Democrats
! to me as though they were my only
interest" and the idea seems to
amuse her.
Temptations Are Met.
After all, have the same domestic
interests I always have said. / can't
pass an antique shop or see lovely
linens and china without an overween-
| ing temptation to indulge, even though
! I now live in a hotel In washington,
| and have no more use for them than
q car has for a fifth wheel"
| Other women whose interests have
been largely domestic are slowly and
surely learning the technique Of politics,
just as she has done, she believes She
cites the fact that there VIII be almost
! 400 woman delegates and about $50
woman alternates at the coming con-
| vention. And during the last four years
she has worked aggressively to make
| contacts with at least one woman In
each of the 5000 counties IN the United
States.
I'VE want women to come into the
party and hep decide policies and
scarlt recognition during the last three
Republican administrations, but Indiana
has shown what women can do. There
q woman serves with . man all down
the line of the State Democratic or
Il gariization As o result, 90 victories In
large cities have been won BY Democrats
since 1898"
Mrs. Ross herself refuses to express
her preference for any one Of the con-
tenders for the Democratic nomination.
II have my convictions and ! am
| mighty anxious. But my ONCE Is sup
ported by all Democrats and 1t would
| be unethical for me to voice pref
erence. I shall be glad to work for
| whoever Is nominated for believe that
every Democrat in the forefront would
make q good President"
Proving that she lacks the reticence
| on controversial issues that most wom-
an leaders betray. Mrs. Ross herself
| introduced the subject OF prohibition.
! st have not featured prohibition In
my public speeches because I wanted
! to place emphasis on such problems
| as the tariff, Unemployment and the
| bureaucracy, which Is hurdening the
| taxpayers But don't forget that pro-
/ nibition has an economic phase. We
are throwing away millions Of dollars
/ on enforcement without stopping the
| fiow of liquor The tfaffic that once
| centered in the saloons now permeates
| the country. Some change must be
brought in that situation.
Economic considerations are most
| important right now The crying need
| is to open the world markets. The
Fordney- McCumber act in 1922 made
our tariffs too high. When the market
crashed, they should have been lowered
and heroic steps taken to provide an
outlet for our surplus Instead, the
Hoover administration made tariffs still
higher. Other countries adopted re-
taliatory measures and world markets
were damned"
From talk Of tariffs to plans for the
coming week, when she will work with
the Victory Fund and Platform Com
mittees, Mrs Ross turned with the ia
cility she learne,t when she exchanged
domestic for political duties.