The Washington times., 1938-10-08
WOmen's Clubs:
.VOteLeague
Holds First
Gathering
By MARY PADGETT


this season for the District of
Columbia League of Women Vo-
ters-which sent the group away
resolved to study and make bet
ter all conditions in this city.
Mrs. Louis Gutenberg, presi.
dent, who made q short address
OF welcome, declared the leagues
work was for issues and princi.
pies rather than for parties and
personalities, and while It
worked for legislation it was
non-partisan,
NEW HEADQUARTERS
The president also announced
that new club headquarters had
been acquired in the Star Build.
ing, the first local headquar.
ters in 18 years.
Mrs. Harris T. Baldwin. ma.
ttonal vice president and ma.
tlonal chairman of legislation,
who Is a member Of the Wash.
1ngton group, outlined the legiS.
latiVe gains sponsored by the
league, emphasizing the Food
and Drug Act, child labor and
and the merit system. She
pointed out that it took five
years for the Food and Drug
Act to become q law.
An all-too true picture of the
lack Of interest and lsck of
knowledge on the part of many
native Washingtonians concern.
ing their city government and
Its public institutions was pre.
sented in a skit entitled "The
Indictment Of Mrs. Apathetic
Citizen" In the skit were the
following:
Mrs. Donald Blaisdell, who
played the part of Mrs. Apar
thetic Citizen: Mrs. Lorraine
Bradford, the 'Court Crier," and
Mrs. Harry Lee Parkinson, as
the Judge" The prosecutors"
included the chairman Of the
different departments - Mrs.
Charles Weston, Government
and Operation; Mrs. Charles L.
Hodge, Government and Child
Welfare; Mrs. Allen Moore, Gov
ernment and Education; Mrs.
p. w. Chappell, Government
and Economic Welfare; Mrs. M.
o. LorenZ, Government and
Foreign Policy; Mrs. Pearl B.
Klein, Government and Legal
Status Of Women.
DENOUNCES APATHY
In questioning Mrs. Citizen"
Mrs. Weston discovered that the
lady was apathetic indeed at
her disinterest in the votelesS
situation in Washington.
Mrs. Allen also questioned the
defendant and discovered that
she knew nothing Of how the
public school system was ope-
rated here-nor seemed to care,
just as many thousands others
in this city-and informed that
there were AZ public school
buildings that were more than
so years old, which should be
replaced by modern structures.
Mrs. Allen declared that her
departments greatest task this
year would be to study and offer
a solution Of a unique Situa-
tion"-to place the educational
and administrative functions Of
District Public Schools COM
pletely in the hands Of the
school board, instead Of being
controlled by Congress.
OCCOQUAN CONDITIONS
Mrs. Klein brought out the in
formation that facilities for
women offenders at Occoquan
are inadequate and fall below
the standards Of other women'S
detention institutions in other
parts of the country. She also
declared that washington needs
q new home for the Women'S
Bureau. Mrs. Klein added:
"In our Women'S Bureau we
house homeless mothers and
small children. These are often
women who have committed no
crimes, but are being held as
material witnesses. Because Of
the inadequate facilities, these
women are housed with women
of strong criminal tendencies,
resulting in keeping the women
who are not criminal in a high
state of tension and also plac-
ing them in danger Of infection
from diseased inmates"
Following the testimony, the
Judge remanded the defendant
to the care Of the League"