Evening star., 1936-11-15
ROYALTY IN OMAHA
Annual Event of Nebraska City Leaves Fad
ing Impression as Women Take Inter-
est in Daily Tasks.

his chucrh, created q furore here
when, in a statement to the press, he
called Omaha a curious city. having
no integration, no working together.
IF you had been reading our news
papers at the time" recounted one OF
the city's most active club women,
you would have regarded all the
backfire to the minister's statements
with great deal of amusement. None
of the women bothered to defend it,
but how the men did rave" The
women are in accord with the minister
that Omaha is being hampered by
petty jealousies and factionalism.
But how about the women?" I
asked, certainly in many cities they
are accomplishing splendid civic i'm
provements. You have the vote now
for years and can express yourselves
through that"
She laughed outright. Il do not
want to appear too pessimiStic," said
she, "but here is an example of just
how important the women are re.
garded in Omaha. Several weeks ago
a national political columnist came
here to find out which way Omaha
was going to vote Did he see any
women? If he did I do not know OF
it. The men did not even tell us he
was coming. Why if had known he
was here I would have gone TO see
him. But the men simply feel that
while we are over $4,000 women
voters here, We Will probably vote
the way our husbands or fathers do.
And the sad thing about it is that I
am not so sure they are not right"
THIS is a Nation where one out Of
every four women works, and
where women have gained recognition
in the highest Offices Of government.
Yet you find Nine. Omaha re-
minding you (in this the thirty-ninth
city in the United states with a popu-
lation of one quarter of q million) that
many women are still clinging to the
fact that once they were the great
anti-Suffrage center. 1t is all still
somewhat of moot question. And
sometimes she makes the added con-
fession that Nebraska women have no
real desire for political position. nor
are they ready to accept women's
views in the Legislature.
One feels a certain rawness in the
countryside when the women explain
with shrug, that here a woman
must still expect to be accepted on
her, husbands position. Which prob
ably explains why, when q woman
does decide to take up a cause" she
is not personally held responsible. In
stead they ask her husband II he
knows what his wife is getting into.
One also learns that the husbands
do not worry much. for let there be
little response or bit of hard sled
ding and the cause Is dropped. All
of which makes that small group of
hard-working sincere Omaha women
gnash their teeth in vain, but they
carry on just the same.
Take the work being done by the
Women's Division of the Chamber Of
Commerce. They have been limiting
themselves to campaign to give out
eyeglasses to needy school children.
A fine cause. no doubt, and they have
accomplished much" pointed out my
informer, "but hardly the piece de
resistance for such an organization.
However. do not blame the women.
1t is the men. They care little about
real civic work and most Of our
women follow the trend set by their
men,
What does it take then, in the
way of civic interest, to excite your
women into action?"
PROBABLY the most open and
direct appeal is for charity.
Omaha women are great workers for
plain old-fashion causes. Then We
have our musical clubs and our drama
societies. One Of our greatest inter.
ests is the little-theater movement.
In spite Of all the self-criticism.
one Is quickly given to understand
that the women of Omaha are very
proud of their men and city. Their
men have raised the city from q COW
town to the second largest live
stock market and meat-packing CEN
ter in the world. OF man-made
things they have reason to boast.
The most beautiful railroad terminal
In the world, where they say that
East meets West at Omaha In the
beautiful gateway to the Gate City.
Then there is the Josslyn Memorial,
q $3,50o.000 privately donated art
institute which Is now directing the
women's interest in the direction Of
art.
One finds the women having little
interest in that great question that
caused so much diSsension recently,
where will Omaha go7"
Let the men worry II the city needs
q rebirth," they say. For they are
too busy with their little social groups.
their homes and families. It IA Up
to the men TO plan, and they are
always ready TO help.