Evening star., 1936-03-15

Government Oficials and Labor Leaders
Diagnose Women's Place in Industry.
w YASHINGTON is a mecca for
A trained women workers.
wv This is not true of the in
dustries, since Washington
Is not an industrial city, but of those
in public Office and the great mill of
the Federal Government.
Like their sisters in other cities, who
occupy positions in mill and factory or
executive offices in industry, these
women fill comparatively new niche
in economic and social life. 1t is a
niche that is constantly expanding.
Is this army of women workers max
ing it more difficult for men to find
jobs? And would their retirement to
the home and household cares solve
the problem of unemployment?
To the uninitiated the answer to
these questions will appear simple. 1t
Is not. I have sought replies in inter
views with both men and women, who
hold Office and jobs, and who have for
years been in close touch with labor.
In Washington, women have reached
the highest strata of public office. We
have woman member of the Presi-
dents cabinet, six women RepreSen-
tatives in Congress. two Senators, an
Assistant SECRETARY of the. Treasury,
a director of the Mint and commits
sioner of civil service. There are
scores more important Offices also held
by women.
Presumably these are all Offices
which might be filled by men. But
could they be filled as acceptably?
Should not women have an equal op-
portunity with men when it comes to
filling public Office, anyway?
Miss Josephine Roche, Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury; answers
that question effectively. She is out
standing in her position.
Miss Roche has been referred to by
no less of an authority that President
Nelson of Smith College as "a woman
who has succeeded where many men
have failed"
Her biography is filled with an i'm
pressive record of past achievements.
The successful war that she waged for
economic fair play in the Rocky Noun
tain Fuel Co. won her spurs, that have
been clanking resoundingly down the
ranks Of industry ever since.
ITO MEET and to talk to Miss Roche
- is an enlightening experience. My
first questions on whether women in
industry had contributed to the un-
employment problem, and whether
those women not in actual need should
give up their jobs to help the situa-
ton, met with polite but firm re-
{usal to discuss.
"I think of women as people and
do not discriminate between the
sexes" Miss Roche declared. Tact
fully softening the blow of this indi-
rect answer, she went on to explain
that the more we focus our attention
on our joint interests, the more We
can accomplish together. Certain it
Is, she pursued, that We are concerned
with progress for every one, and you
cannot segregate the subject in a
water-tight compartment.
Fundamentals must be faced, Miss
Roche stated in no uncertain tones.
Like the three RS to education are
Miss Roche's three fundamentals to
our industrial well-being. The first
fundamental Is shorter hours for
workers. This will give more people
Jobs. The second is increased pay.
This will increase purchasing power.
The third is organization Of workers
into unions of their own choice. This
will make better relations In industry
possible for all concerned.
Briefly, she said, summing 1t up. 1t
amounts to help agriculture, help in