Evening star., 1937-12-19

This year Tor the third time the
National Federation of Business and
Professional Women's Clubs decided
to obtain data on women in elective
and appointive offices and sent ques-
tionnaires to all parts Of the country
for this purpose. Last Thursday after
noon through a broadcast conducted
by the national president of the fed
Grafton, Miss Earline White, with Mrs.
Franklin Roosevelt and Mrs. Eleanor
Patterson assisting, a preliminary re-
port of the data obtained was made.
Women Officials Increase.
This group is much interested in
encouraging women to enter public
service as a career and believes that
the measuring rod for such service,
to be applied to both men and women
should be fitness, training and apti-
tude They understand voters expect
more of women than they do of men
and 50 believe that especially capable
women should be urged to run for
Office. In looking the situation over,
they feel there is reason to be en-
couraged, by the progress that has
been made.
The results of the QUESTIONABLE
show from 1929 to 1886 steady de-
cline in the number of women hold
ing public Office took place. In 1886,
this decline was halted and the list
began to increase. 1t is apparent
that. numerically, women are hold
ing more Offices in counties than in
any other governmental unit. They
serve in many capacities, such as COM
missioners, criminal prosecutors, re-
corders of deeds and similar posi-
tions. However, 140 women legislators
served in 35 States during 1887. Most
of them served in the lower house, but
IA were listed in the Senates of IL
States.
The survival of the old New Eng
land blue stocking" tradition is per-
haps indicated by the fact that Maine,
New Hampshire, Vermont and Con-
necticut have more than half of the
women members of the State law
making bodies of the entire country,
Connecticut and New Hampshire each
have nineteen women legislators
Washington and Utah each have seven
women legislators, the largest repre-
sentation of the sort in the Western
States. Four hundred and forty-six
women are holding public office In
California. These positions range
from members of the State Assembly
to members of the Boards of Edu-
cation.
More Labor Positions.
It was also shown that women are
holding an increasing number of re-
sponsible posts in State Departments
of Labor This would seem to indi-
cate, an interest in welfare programs,
work hours for women, proper educa-
ton for children and similar subjects.
usually allocated to women. But it
is by no means in these fields alone.
that women have proved their capa-
bilities
The QUESTIONABLE was also concerned
with women in appointive posts.
Among the many women who hold
judicial Offices in this country Judge
Florence Allen, of the United States
Circuit Court, and Judge Genevieve
R. Cline, of the United States Customs
Court, were especially mentioned.
Seven women have been assigned to
foreign services as vice consuls or lega-
ton secretaries. There is one foreign
Minister, Mrs. j. Borden Hartman,
and Miss Margaret NJ Hanna occu-
pies the post of counsel at Geneva.
Many women are responsibly placed
in the government departments.
TWenty-nine hundred women have
been appointed postmasters since 1888.
In addition to this, between 1888 and
1887, $500 women have been ap-
pointed to a variety of positions under
civil service.
Brilliant Group Here.
There is no city in the country
which has such brilliant group of
women office holders, both appointed
and elected, as Washington. Twenty
years ago they would have been a
nine-days' wonder Now they scarcely
make a stir. Miss Frances Perkins
heads the list in her capacity of Cabi-
net member. Five women Represen-
tatives sit in the Lower House Of Con-
gress, Mrs. Nan w. Honeyman of
Oregon. Mrs. Virginia c. Jenkes of
Indiana, Mrs. Mary T. Norton of New
Jersey, Mrs. Caroline O'Day of New
York and Mrs. Edith N Rogers of
Massachusetts,. There are two women
Senators, Mrs. Hattie Caraway of Ar
kansas, and Mrs. Dixie Bibb Graves
Of Alabama. In addition there are
Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ras7. director of
the Mint; Miss Katherine Lenroot
chief of the Children'5 Bureau: Mrs.
Marion Bannister, assistant treasurer
Mrs, Ellen S. Woodward, assistant ad-
ministrator of the Federal Emergency
Relief Administration; Miss Mary
Dewson, member of the Social Sc
curity Board; Judge Fay L. Bentley
of the Juvenile Court; Mrs. Henry
Grattan Doyle, president of the Board
OF Education, and many others.
When the broadcast. giving the re.
suits Of the study was presented last
Thursday, about Is members Of the
local club attended a listening in
kdi W CIV Vic oOuuiO VI w MAIL.
Judge Lucy S. Howorth and Mrs
Steuart H. Britt, both of Washington
have been appointed to the board ol
the National Federation Of Business
and Professional Women's Clubs
Judge Howorth. who is in charge oi
program coordination, is also vice
president of the local club. She holds
A. B, degree from Randolph h-Macor
Women's Callege and graduated from
the University of Mississippi, Magma
cum laude, in 1922 She was the first
woman to gain first honors in tina,
law school and the first to be chosen
class oratory. She was also the frs
woman to serve as q member of the
Mississippi State Board Of Law Elk.
aminers, the first to be chairman Of
the board, the first woman elected x