The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-01-04

What part will t.,ey play in this session, which is destined to be one of the most Hateful in his- tory2 Are they effective? Are they eloquent? Industrious? Intelle- gent? Frivolous? Beautiful? In short, can they stand on their own feet as legislators, asking no favors in deference to their sex? Or are they merely 8 curtsey to the principle of equal rights?
 The quickest answer is that
 the ladies are more industrious
 than decorative. Their aver age age is 56 years and 4 months,
 and they are often too busy to
 go to the hairdresser.
 They cause no complications among their male colleagues. Two of the eight ladies are 65 (Mrs. Norton of New Jersey and Mrs. ODay of New York;; and the youngest of the group, Miss Sum- ner of Illinois, is 42. Miss Rankin of Montana was young thing in her thirtieS when she came to Washington in 1917. Then she was the first woman ever elected to Congress. No she is 60 years old.
 One day the legislatresses came together for a hen-party luncheon. The newest conner in the group was comedy Mrs. Frances F. Bol- ton of Ohio. Old Congressman Summers of Texas Stro.led in, looked the ladies over. and with a wink at Mrs. Bolton. drawled, "I knew we'd get good-lcOking woman in Congress if we kept on trying" Mrs. Bolton is 55.
 NO LADY, SHE
 Hardly a tactful remark. But the ladies tell it with laugh. They don't pretend to be beau ties. But they do pretend to be legislators.
 The classic story on this point concerns Tom Blanton of Texas and Mrs. Norton of New Jersey. Blanton was straining his vocal chords in opposition to bill that Mrs. Norton favored. In the course of his fulminations, he referred to her as "The Lady from New Jersey.
 Mrs. Norton leaped to her feet.
 twill the gentleman yield?" she
 said. Blanton yielded and Mrs.
 Norton declared, "I wish to in-
 form the Gentleman from Texas
 that am not 8 lady. I am
 Member of Congress!"
 For fifteen years, that phrase has described Mary Norton. She joins in the rough and tumble of debate, asking no favors as a woman, calling the men by their first names. and being called Mary" in return.
 She is the Dean of Women, hav- ing been elected and reelected 70 the House continuously since 1924. She is the first married wo- man and the first Democratic wo- man to head a legislative com mittee (she is chairman of the House Labor Committee).
 Only a few days behind Mrs. Norton in seniority is Mrs. Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts. Mrs. Rogers still has shapely ankles at 59, and she adorns her dress daily with an orchid. RooSe- welt in his Harvard days used to know Rep John Rogers, and to- day he calls John Rogers widow "Edith". But Edith resists such blandishments and remains a viz orous Republican foe of Roose- veit's spending and of HulPs trade agreements.
 ROOSEVELT'S CLOSE FRIEND
 Probably no one is more dis tressed with Roosevelt policies to- day than his and Mrs. Roosevelt's dear friend and fellow Democrat, Mrs. Caroline O'Day. She is a professional pacifist, vice president of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.
 Legislation for conscription and appropriations for defense have presented a heart-rending issue to this gentle, soft-voiced lady. In fact, some of her friends believe that her recent illness was the re- suit of this emotional strain. She is 65.
 The youngest woman in Con- olsaae. ,Hfira Ieasfe Summer of H.