Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-06-17
Press Club.
Yields To
|Fen1inists
BY CHARLES p. STEWART
Central Press COlumniSt

Washington, June 1.-THE worst
afflicted place in Washington dur
ing the English kings and queens
stay in the capital was the National
Press Club. Their majesties didn't
patronize it, to be sure, but their
party's overflow did, and then some.
Of this expedition the journalists
were an important part. When |
say Journalists" l speak advisedly.
1t insults a Yankee newspapermm
to be called journalist" but that's
what the English scribe considers
himself. In his own language it's
all right with any European chronic
Ter Even a Canadian can stand it
Well, it was only decent hospital
ity for the National Press Club to
extend its facilities to these for
sign craftsmen. They sWarmed in
all right and completely swamped
The local inhabitants. 1t was like a
national convention. The regular
club members hunted Out-of- the
way holes to do their own work in,
or their guests convenience. Equar-
discriminating, Scotland Yarders
Ordinary clicks" we'd deem them)
md misc "1cous attendants as
sumed ln,., 1ney likewise were in
Vited and accepted.
One of them wore a lonocle
(think of that!) onto the ltional
Press Club premises.
Another one asked where l a
ale bar" was to be found.
A third called for ''be' )" and
complained because he got Iarger-
not stout, which was his idea of
beer.
That's Bad Enough
That was bad enough, but it was
transitory.
Worse, permanency is to come.
Lady reporters for years have
been trying to chisel into the Ma
tional Press Club
They're numerous and powerful in
Washington, for "sassiety" reasons.
They long have claimed it as a right
that the National club should accept
them. But the club has fought em
like wildcats. It's accorded them a
ladies' dining room. It's given 'em
open house" days. It's done its
best to pacify 'em.
No USE The lady reporters have
an organization of their oWn-the
Woman's National Press Club. But
they want to belong to the Ma
tional Press Club
And here came situation in
which the ladies were dominant
Essentially it was feminine blow |
out If a masculine reporter wanted |
to get into a White House reception |
or a British Embassy garden party |
he had to have a lady reporter to
sponsor him.
Mrs Roosevelt ale<s Lady Lindsay |
were the bosses-and the ladies
knew 'em. s<
Naturally the ladies grabbed the
opportunity.
What they did was a-plenty. They
took possession of the entire place. |
The writing room was CONF
pletely feminized. l brought my |
own portable down town and sneak |
ed it into the pool room. If | want
ed lunch I had to get lady report
er to order it for me. 1t was a
ladies' club-that was all. Mere
males were of no consequence.
It's A Permanently Il
The beauty of it is that it's a per-
manency.
The ladies have horned inland |
they'll stay in.
They're talking already of a La
dies auxiliary
A ladies' auxiliary? If we have
anything left, it'll be a gents auxil- |
larry.
This thing is more important than
it may appear on its surface.
Hitler and Mussolini broke in
rather unostentatiously. Democracy
didn't realize how it was being sub
verted.
Now feminine influence begins to !
manifest itself.
It's running the National Press
Club-hitherto purely masculine.
al -