The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1946-06-20
ONCE OVER LIGHTLY
,Bv MILDRED SCHOEN



rent legislation. The Washington
County Council of the PIT. A., the
Association of American University
Women and the Business and Pro-
fessional Women's Club, among
others.
Another important development
in Hagerstown is strong movement
underway for sweeping improve
ments in the schools, brought to the
fore and forced as an issue by the
Woman-dominated PIT. A. True,
fathers and civic-minded males have
become interested, but it was the
Little Woman" tried beyond en-
durance, who really started the ball
rolling Left to their own devices
the men of the community would
have continued to complain about
the schools, without taking CON
structive action, for perhaps another
fifty years..
Women working together, could,
be, if they chose, incalucably instru-
mental in forcing a permanent
peace. If women would familiarize
themselves with pending legislation,
with an eye not only to its national
and local value, but to its interna-
tional repercuSSions, and then flood
their congressman with mail as zeal
ously as they did when they wanted
their men home, there is little that
they couldn't accomplish.
Think what women could bring
about if they threw themselves as
diligently into the imperative needs
for greater racial understanding! Or
if they decided to force the congress
to take adequate measures to end
the housing scandal; or if they would
act as pressure group to end all
pressure groups-Such as the NAM,
the building trades and veterans
lobbies, and certain union interests
that have our nation and our Con-
gress by the throat in this critical
period. Or suppose women would
wage, nationally, the same terrifical
battle that they have fought success
fully sectionally for slum clearance,
adequate recreational facilities for
children and young people, proper
medical care and improved educa-
tional opportunities for every child,
and all of the other things that go
toward making a better world for
us ALL
One way to make start is to stop
saying 81 don't know anything about
politics., and to start knowing some
thing not Just something either,
but as much as can possibly be alb
sorbed.
Take your own community and
your State Primary Election for a
start. Find out who's running for
what, and how, and where they will
represent you. Look into the past
performance of the party in power
Take time out to learn something
about the qualifications and the
background of civic interest of the
candidates, and little about their
general knowledge.
Don't let anyone fob you off with
vague statements about how much
Candidate so and so has done for the
community and the State. Pin your
informants-who are probably party
workers-down to a statement of
these achievements. Then check the
record to see if they are talking facts
or giving you the old run-around.
Don't let your husband persuade
you to vote for someone just because
he's a good joe" Our crying need
at present is for fewer good joes
and more first-rate intelligences in
the halls of government at all levels.
And don't take pride in not being
interested in politics. If women want
politics cleaned up and improved,
they can do the job, but not from
the outside. 1t means getting in and
working on the inside and its for
too vital for the future of our har-
ried n alton for any intelligent
woman to ignore.
See you at the polls Monday!
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