Evening star., 1933-04-23

helping the unfortunate. Hence, men
find it easier to recognize a woman's
success in this field than another.
Then, too, it Is women in this field
who have won pre-eminence today.
Ask almost any one to name the great
est women in this country and he will
invariably begin with Jane Addams,
Martha Berry, or some other woman
engaged in social welfare. In addition,
this is the field in which women, since
they predominant in it, have had some
chance to rise to the top.
Regarded as Gift to Sex.
And lastly, the appointment Of q
woman is always regarded as gift to
the entire sex It follows that If the
sex is to appreciate the gift, the woman
appointed must be known for success
in some work with which women gen.
orally are in sympathy. And today the
average everyday woman is more in
terested in social welfare work than
any other-witness the numbers en-
gagged in club and charity work. It
was not accident that Mary Woolley
was named to the Disarmament Com
mission or Ada Comstock to the Law
Enforcement Commission.
This does not mean that only women
with experience in some kind Of social
welfare are appointed to political posi-
tions of importance. Annabel Matthews
occupies place on the United States
Board Of Tax Appeals. Jessie Dell be-
came a Civil Service Commissioner.
Mabel WilIebrandt was an Assistant
Attorney General All these women
brought to their Offices specialized
knowledge gained elsewhere than in
politics.
Nor will the new appointments be
limited to welfare workers. Witness
the selection of Mrs. Owen to be Minis
ter to Denmark. But Mrs. Owen, too,
has an equipment for this special pcsi-
ton, and this equipment was acquired
through experience that was quite apart
from her partisan activity. A few years
ago she had the good fortune to make
a caravan tour of Denmark. She liked
the little country and its people. When
she returned to this country she said
so in magazine articles and on the
lecture platform. The good people of
Denmark heard about it and are eager
to welcome her. In addition, when Mrs.
Owen entered Congress she asked for
and received place oh the Foreign
tended to specialize on international
relations She was named as q repre-
sentative to the Interparliamentary
Union. She lived abroad many years
and has Travelled in many countries.
Hence her equipment to represent her
country in this foreign court.
Gov. Ross, it Is known, Is slated for
important appointment. What it will
be is not known at the time I am
writing. But it will, We may be sure,
be to some post where her experience
as Governor of State and her study
OF governmental problems will be val
liable.
There will undoubtedly be others.
But I venture to prophesy that most
OF the women appointed, if not all, will
political eligibility an availability gained
from some occupation other than
politics.
No Room for Amateurs.
Does 1t not really look as if the
women who expected to reach high
Office by making politics their vocation
have been barking up the wrong tree2
Does it not seem evident that women
will receive political appointments only
when they 80 into politics as men go
as by-product of some other career,
or as an avocation?
NoI Oo KNOW why We SnOulQ ever
have thought it would be otherwise.
The idea that women could work their
way up through political apprenticeship
to high governmental posts ignored
certain factors In our business civiliza-
tion. 1t overlooked what John Lang
don Davies calls our American pro-
feSSlonaliSm." In this day of specializa-
tion there is no room for the amateur
in Government To secure political po-
sitions women must have the expert
ence and training that fit them for
the posts this party service does
not yield
Yet those women who go into politics
as career. or a business, should not
feel that their time has been wasted.
True, they themselves. may be mere
party hacks, having their little day
at conventions, their time on the stump.
But 1t is their activity, their party
work, their support of the ticket that
open the door for these women spe-
cialists If these party workers are
feminists they should, find satisfaction
In that. If, in addition, they are ideal
lists, they may take comfort in the
thought that many of these specialists
are also altruists. If, however, it is
recognition for themselves that these