Evening star., 1938-02-09
IMPETUS GIVEN
/, EQUAL R|CHTSACT
Amendment Strongly Urged
Before Senate Body-Mrs.
Miller Leads Women.

OF the banners under which the
womens suffrage fight was waged two
decades ago, proponents Of the sex
equality amendment to the Constitu-
tion today converged on the Senate
Judiciary Subcommittee holding hear
ings on the legislation, and cheered as
speakers urged their cause and as
sailed those opposing 1t.
Directing the onslaught was Mrs.
Emma Guffey Miller, sister of Senator
Gufiey, Democrat, Of Pennsylvania and
wife Of Commissioner Carol Miller Of
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
Her allies were women from the ranks
Of toilers.
Answering the argument Of op-
ponents that the amendment would
nullify so-called protective legisla-
tion," today's witnesses told the sub
committee laws Of this nature actually
nave operated to throw members of
their sex out Of work, and they cited
cases.
Denies Implied CHARGES.
Mrs. Miller, who is Democratic ma
tlonal committeeWoman from Penn
syiVania. brought appreciative chuckles
when she said that ''as the mother
OF four sons and the wife of the same
husband for 35 years." she denies the
implication raised previously at the
nearing that proponents of the amend
ment. which derives its principal sup
| port from the national woman,s party,
are Influenced by resentment toward
men"
Protective legislation has not done
what some OF its sincere and honest
supporters thought it would do when
they first advocated it," she said. ITO
be sure. 1t fixed or raised the standard
OF wages in certain industries through
minimum wage laws, but the result
has not been what was hoped for.
The contrary is true in many cases
because in many industries women,
because Of such laws, have lost their
JOBS to men underbidding them.
Therefore, discriminatory legislation
Tor one sex has lowered the wages for
both. If women are given equal rights.
jobs will not depend on sex. Secre-
tary Perkins last year suggested that
It's the job that counts and not the
sex. and In the wages and hours bill
President Roosevelt expressed similar
views"
Mrs. Miller also derided the conten-
tion That women must be protected
from hazardous occupations"
May I remind you that the most
hazardous occupation on earth is
child-bearing," she said.
Questioned by O'Mahoney.
Senator OMahoney, Democrat. of
Wyoming, asked the witness If "Pri-
marily' the equality amendment was
intended to equalize property rights
or working rights.
Equality of working rights comes
first" she insisted
Mrs. Maude Williams of New York.
a proofreader on the Herald.
and a grandmother. entertained the
committee room with her homely OBJ
servations on the argument that
women need protective legislation to
safeguard health and morals.
Stamina" She scoffed. THE first
thing a man does when his wife dies
Is to get some other woman to do his
dirty work"
Passing then to the immortality" of
night work for women, she nodded
sagely and observed that you can be
as immoral at 8 o'clock in the after
noon as at 2 o'clock in the morning. >
I've never been bothered at night"
she emphasized as the spectators and
committee members laughed.
Criticizes Trade Union League.
Mrs. Williams pointed out that un-
der New York law woman can work
nights on a newspaper, but is pro-
hlbited from doing the same sort of
work in a job-printing plant She
criticized the Women's Trade Union
League. which is opposing the amend
ment, describing it as headed by well
fare workers"
Mrs Williams is president OF the
Catholic Society for the Betterment
of Conditions OF Working Women, and
was the first Of three witnesses who
spoke of their membership in the
church. In arguing for the amendment
which previously has been attacked by
spokesmen from a number of Catholic
societies
Miss Mollie Maloney of New York.
president of bindery workers local,
and Mrs May A. Murray of New York,
president of the Brooklyn Manhattan
Transit Womens League. pointed to
the unemployment among women
that was caused by the enactment of
q New York statute in 1918 that pro-
hibited women from working before
am. or after 10 pm
Previously. the proposed legislation
had been submitted to a two-day bom-
bardment by the opposition forces mus
tered by the National League of
Women Voters.
Senator Burke. Democrat, Of Ne
braska, co-sponsor of the resolution
which would submit the issue to the
states and chairman of the subcom-
mittee holding hearings on the meas
ure. said the supporters would be
gwen Whatever tlIQc Is necessary
expected to be two days-to present
their case. The opposition expects to
offer concluding arguments Saturday
morning. and the Judiciary Com
mittee has arranged a vote on the
resolution Monday.
Mrs. Rufus Gibbs Of Baltimore, q
member Of the Board of Directors of
the Women Patriots Corp, Yesterday
described the Woman's Party, which
sponsors the amendment, as a very
small, noisy group" and asked the sub
committee members: Are your wives,
mothers, cousins, sisters or aunts cry
ing for equal right?"
Miss Elizabeth Eastman of Wash.
ington, speaking for the National
Board of the Young Womens Chris
tian Association, said that group had
opposed the amendment since 1921.
She sounded a note that substan-
TALLY summed up the arguments more