Evening star., 1934-03-17

The appointment Of Judge Florence
e. Allen of Ohio to the United States
Circuit Court of Appeals for the
Sixth District leads to suggestions
| that II she succeeds in her new posi-
! ton she will set still another prece-
dent in her unusual career by becom-
ing the first woman member Of the
United States Supreme Court. This
native of Utah and product of West
ern Reserve University has served on
the Ohio Supreme Court with dis
| tinction and is the first of her sex
| to be promoted to the higher Federal
| judiciary.
The belief that she will go to the
Federal Supreme Court is quoted by
the Richmond Times-Dispatch. basing
that possibility on her measuring up
to the duties Of the appellate court. u
The Richmond paper recalls that "in
1922, at the age Of 38, Miss Allen
| was elected to the Ohio Supreme
Court, where she has made a dis
| tinguished record" and points out
that "she is noted for her liberal at
| titude toward political and social
| questions" The Times-Dispatch adds:
| In Germany, under the Hitler
regime, such a thing as the elevation
of a woman to the federal bench
would, of course, be beyond the
bounds of possibility. Not only so
but the Nazis are determined to take
women out of business ard profess
sional life entirely and to restore
! them to the home. The re-
markable success Of many American
women in business and professional
life is excellent evidence of the fallacy
of the Nazi thesis"
"In 1892" says the Springfield
(Mass.) Republican, Judge Allen
was a Democratic nominee for Con-
gress. but was beaten by the rich
and popular Republican incumbent
from her district. For many years
there have been women in the House
Of Representatives at Washington
Mrs. Caraway, first appointed and
| then elected in her own name, has
been member of the Senate since
the death Of her husband. Miss Per-
kins is in the cabinet. Judge Aliens
nomination raises the question how
long it will be before a woman law
| yer wears a gown as a member o1
the United States Supreme Court"
"As the first woman jurist named
to so high a place on the United
States bench. her sc-vice there will
be watched with much more thar
ordinary interest the country over.
thinks the New Orleans Times.
Picayune. recognizing that in her Sc
lection "the President established
another interesting precedent" That
paper states in reviewing her career
This choice is not in any sense
/ experimental. Judge Allen now L
serving her second term on Ohio!
Supreme Court, and her judicial ex-
/ perience includes service also a.
judge Of the Court of Common Pleas
at Cleveland. She began the prac-
! tice of law in 1914 and her judicia.
career has been sufficiently dis
tinguished to attract national atten-
ton. Her experience and qualifica-
ton for the Federal bench will not
we dare say, be challenged. Before
adopting the law as a profession
Judge Allen-who is a native OF
Utah-studied music at home and
abroad and served several years as q
lecturer on music in New York City
An active worker in the woman suf-
frage cause, one Of the first cases she
accepted after admission to the baI
| was in defense of the right of women
| to vote in Ohio School Board elec-
tions."
THE judicial temperament, after
| all, may not be a matter of SEX de-
clares the Lowell Evening Leader, and
the McKeesport (Pa.) Daily News
comments In similar vein: 1T took q
great many years to convince eiviliza-