The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-01-25
By sIGRID ARNE

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-If there is one thing that can make Rep Mary Norton, of New Jersey, 'tir- ed" it is the repetition of the old cynicism, Well, look at the wom en in gross. What have they done?"
 Sure, we haven't changed the face of the country says Mrs. Norton as she looks back over the years since 1925. She entered Con- gress that year with Florence Kahn of California and Edith Noursa Rogers of Massachusetts-and all of them are still here.
 Convincing the Men
 "The critics forget you can't build tower without laying a foundation says Mrs. Norton.
 Just how much good would we have been if we had arrived here determined to use the floor of the House of Representatives to make a name for ourselves? Not much. We are Representatives of voters, after all, and we could either try to swim upstream or work along with the men and get something done.
 That's what we've been doing, and think the men are convinced now that there is a place in Con gress for women."
 Achievements The Gauge
 There's little guess about that to anyone who has seen Mrs. Norton preside over a committee meeting. She is handsome, mature figure, with sparkling eyes, well groomed, deliberate in action and sharp of mind.
 Like any woman, when Mrs. Nor ton has "a cake to bake even if it is the beginning of new law, she wants to get down to work ard have it done That's the way she looks at her sister Representatives. Not, How much attention have they attracted?" but What actual ly have they done?"
 People forget" she says, 'the many hours we sit down to untan- gle the individual problems of peo- pie in our districts. Men come here upset by tax refund cases Weep ing families arrive because some member is going to be deported. Widows worry over their pensions. All of it has to be ironed out. Lit tie O. It is ever known-but that is true representation of the people.
 'sWhy, when see Edith Rogers spend 10 or 12 hours a day listen- ing to troubles, just like mother, I want to go out and tell people that women contribute plenty to public life.
 Look at Florence Kahn on the House Appropriations Committee Do you think that grand, white haired woman was named to the committee just as a gallant ges- ture? Not a bit of it. There is too much work, and she has good sound common sense they can use in approving the nations huge ex- penditures.
 Don't forget Ruth Bryan Owen who is Minister to Denmark. She has a womans sense of human re- lations, and she is busy making friends for America"
 Recently Mrs. Norton was in the thick of the fight that resulted in the House adoption of 8 District of Columbia liqucr control plan hailed by liberals"
 l As Chairman of the House Dis trict Committee, the mayor of Washington, as Mrs Norton is known, participated actively in the deliberations that sent the approv- ed bill to the Senate, both Houses serving as a legislature for the dis trict in matters of this kind. Only once has she questioned public life as career. Her brother had died. She was in the midst of New Jersey campaign. Suddenly she thought, T belong home with my family" She hurried down to the party leader, and announced I'm washed up."
 That man was shrewd psychol- ogist. He saw career ahead for this woman who had devoted So much volunteer time to welfare work. He swung in his chair and 1 said:
 e6o you're yellow"
 Mrs. Norton gasped.
 You can't say that to mel" she exploded.
 And he couldn't. She swung into the campaign, and the mayor of Washington" was on her way.