Evening star., 1940-03-17
Puerto Ricon Children Call
Mrs. Leohy Governors Lady
Tukes Active Part
In Activities on
Island
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.
The pitiless light of publicity beats
as mercilessly on new Governor
and his wife in Puerto Rico, island
territorial possession of the United
States, as it does on the head Of
royalty newly ascendant on the
throne in an Old World empire.
Mrs. william D. Leahy, wife Of
the first United States naval officer
to hold the important post of Cover
nor of Puerto Rico, apparently has
won all hearts by virtue of her own
gracious, sincere personality. "The
Governors Lady" she Is called by
little Puerto Rican children as they
shyly point her oat to each other
in the streets of San Juan and
elsewhere throughout the thickly
populated island.
California born and bred, edu-
Gated in tie schools of San Fran
cisco, Miss Cary's in Baltimore and
in France, and a devoted wife who
has accompanied her husband to
the outposts of his distinguished
naval career, Mrs. Leahy's cosmo-
politan background makes her ad-
justment to her new environment
easier than it might be for many
women in a similar position.
Beginning Life Anew.
Mrs. Leahy frankly says, Com
ing to this new post of service for
our country was literally beginning
life all over again, at time when
I had supposed we might in the
natural order of things be taking
life more simply and see more Of
our grandchildren" Gov. Leahy
was appointed Governor of Puerto
Rico Immediately following his re-
tirement from his post as the ad-
miral in charge of naval opera
tions.)
Just how successfully Mrs. Leahy
is embarking on the social duties
and civic responsibilities incumbent
upon the Governors Lady," is at
tested to, emphatically and without
reservation, by Puerto Rican women
in all ranks and stations Of life.
To her own affability, Mrs. Leahy,
underneath her calm, unhurried
manner, has either through inher-
itance or propinquity developed
great deal of her naval husbands
efficiency and thoroughness. In the
midst of a taxing social program as
the wife of the highest ranking
United States Government official
on an island known for its elaborate
entertainments among the old Puerto
Rican families of distinguished Cas-
lillian descent, she has nevertheless
come to know representatives from
all groups. Her chief objective is to
try to understand and to help with
Puerto Rico's myriad problems, par
ticularly as they pertain to women
and children.
No one would be quicker to dis
claim fair for the balancing of
budgetary items or the process of
trying to make one dollar do the
work of two than Mrs. Leahy her
self, yet she instinctively Sits the
essential from the unessential in
OIL NCyAl6 oAy PAObACAA.,
Has Visited Institutions.
She has paid personal visits with
her husband to most of Puerto Rico's
institutions, and is familiar with the
day-to-day endeavors of such fem
mime leaders in Puerto Rico's social
welfare as Sonora Ana Alfonso, ex-
ecutive secretary of the Board of
Child Welfare; DR.. Beatriz Lassalle,
chief of the Bureau of Social We'll
fare; Miss Celistine Zalmondo, Mrs.
Gilda c. Fernandez, assistant direc-
tor of the Bureau of Women and
Children in Industry for the De-
partment of Labor; Maria p. Rain,
president of the Puerto Rico Chap
ter of the American Association of
Social Workers; DR.. Roberto A. Ro-
men, chief of the Infant Hygiene
Bureau of the Department of Health;
Mrs. Mary P. Diaz, director of occu-
pational therapy of the Health De-
partment of Puerto Rico. and many
others of similar unselfish purpose
and endeavor
Mrs. Leahy is honorary president
of the Notre Dame Day Nursery,
where, at a cost of a dime a day,
children are brought by their work.
ing mothers and given adequate care
and attention during their necessary
hours of employment in the en-
broidery and cigar factories, and
elsewhere.
Unfortunately, however, for both
mothers and the children, employ
ment has been severely reduced by
the well-intentioned wages and
hours law recently enacted by our
Government, since factories once
employing 400 and 500 employees have
been obliged to reduce their stats
to very nearly skeleton ones to COM
ply with the new wages and hours
regulations.
Honored by Women.
The Governors Lady" has also
been made an honorary member of
the Society of Women Graduates
of the University Of Puerto Rico
and Of the Puerto Rico Chapter OF
the League of American Penwomen
Putting her World War experience
into effect again, she is serving as
the active head of the production
committee, of Puerto Rico's very
active Red Cross Chapter.
OF her contacts with the women
Of Puerto Rico Mrs. Leahy says, 81
could not possibly be more i'm
pressed with the splendid things
they are doing and the singleness
of purpose with which they give
themselves to their endeavors tc
ameiorate undesirable conditions.
With a delightful sense of humol
she tells a story on herself of the
remote jibero, or hill woman, who
learning that the Leahys had only
one son and no daughter, offered te
give her the eldest daughter of hel
own family, to go with her wherever
she might wish to take her in this
life"