Evening star., 1937-10-10
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

The entrance by Miss Molly Dewson,
vice chairman of the Democratic National
committee. upon her new duties as a
member OF the Social Security Board,
where Miss Jane M. Hoey is director of
the Bureau of Public Assistance. empha-
sizes tnat the women in Government"
movement is groWing-with 149 in State
and Federal positions, the largest number
since 1929 when 149 women served as
legislators in the States.
In the Federal Government. from
cablnet member down through all
branches OF the service, women are hold
ing most responsible positions including
Secretary OF Labor, Miss Frances
Perkins; director of the mint, Mrs. Nellie
Tayloe Ross; Assistant Secretary of the
treasury. IN charge of public health,
Miss Josephine Roche: Miss Margaret
A. LIE Hand. personal secretary to the
President; civil service commissioner.
Mrs. Benton McMillin; chairman of
United States Employees COMPENSATION
Commission, Mrs. Jewel w. Swoford.
chief of the Children's Bureau. Miss
Catherine F. Lenroot; chief of the Wom-
ems Bureau. Miss Mary Anderson: chief
of the passport division, State Depart
ment. Miss Ruth B. Shipley: Assistant
to the Secretary of the Treasury, Miss
Henrietta S. Klotz; chief of the division
of appointments, Interior Department.
Mrs. j. Atwood Maulding; assistant COM
missioner. general land Office, Miss An
tolnette Funk; assistant commissioner
of education, Miss Bess Goodykoontz.
and nearly all cabinet officers and other
high officials have women as admins
trative assistants
Two women are guardians of the
great seals" of their States-Mrs. Goldie
Wells, who began her first term as Sec
retary of State of South Dakota this year
and Mrs. Elizabeth F. Gonzales. who has
served as Secretary of State of New Mex
leo for five years.
The Council Of State Governments re-
ports that most of the 1887 legislators
who were reelected are serving their
third, fourth or fifth term, thus prom
lslng development of a group of trained
feminine lawmakers. Four of the Wom-
en- State legislators have responded to
roll calls for more than ten years. They
are Eleanor Miller, California; Mabeth H.
Paige and Hannah Kempfer, Minnesota,
and Senator Rhoda Fox Graves, New
York. Katie E. Taylor of Vermont and
Margaret H. Barden, New Hampshire, are
beginning their seventh term next month.
Among the States, Connecticut and
Vermont, are each represented by nine
teen women in their law-making body.
Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio,
and Rhode Island have from four to
eight women legislators. The Great
Plains and Southern States have been
least progressive in welcoming women to
legislative positions. In the West, New
Mexico, Oregon. Washington and Utah,
run ahead of Midwestern States in the
number of women legislators. Ten States
have lone woman on their Legislature
while there are fourteen States that have
none at ALL
There are now seven women in Con-
greSs-making total of twenty-five who
have served since 1916, when Miss jean
cite Rankin of Montana was elected as
pioneer feminist. Two current United
States Senators are Mrs. Hattie Cara
way. Arkansas. and Mrs. Dixie Graves,
Alabama. The House has five women
members from as many States-Mrs
Mary T. Norton, New Jersey, the first
of her sex to become chairman of one
of the major committees (she now heads
Labor; Mrs. Edith Nourse Rogers of
Massachusetts. Mrs. Virginia E. Jenckes.
Indiana; Mrs. Caroline O'Day cat large)
New York, and Mrs. Nan Wood Honey
man, Oregon.
The Presidents pronouncement that
the wage and hours bill is one of the
most important legislative measures to
come before Congress. whether In an
extra session or early in the coming
session, throws the newest member of
the House into the front ranks from the
start. Larry Connery, elected to succeed
his late popular brother and pal, Repre-
sentative Billy Connery, who at the time
of his death was chairman of the Labor
Committee, announced that his chief
effort in Congress will be to carry through
"Billys" program for the underprivileged
and the needy. Billy was leading the
fight for passage of the wage and hour
bill when he died. 1t is quite probable
that, out of enduring love for Billy when
that bill is passed it will still be known
as the "Connery Bill" with Larry as
sponsor. Never were two brothers more
devoted to each other than Billy and
Larry Connery. They served overseas
together, each refusing commission SO
that they might continue to fight side
by-side When Billy came to Congress,
Larry came, too, as his secretary-and
they went through law school studying
nights together. In recent years Larry,
still continuing as secretary, conducted
m ONCE in their home city, Lynn, Mass,
where their father was formerly Mayor.