Evening star., 1947-04-12
Republican Women
Demund More Power
Group Cheers Mrs. Smiths Cry
for Greater Voice IN Party
By Doris Fleeso,s

/ Group Cheers Mrs. Smiths CrJ
for Greater Voice IN Party
By Doris Fiseson
| Militant, public resentment againsl
| the low estate of women in politics i,
the news Of Republican regional con.
ference of women here this week.
About 100 well-dressed. Easter-hatted
ladies hitched forward in their chairs
and cheered q revivalistic talk from
Representative Margaret Chase Smith
Of Maine In which she:
/. Told them to take tip from the
radio and develop loye-that-soap SELL
ing technique which will arouse women
to be aggressively active in politics again
as they were when they won suffrage.
2. Denounced the existing special
privileges and monopolies in public Of
flee that men now have"
8. Warned the Republican Party that
it is missing good bet If 1t doesn't
encourage women to make greater use
Of their voting power: losing good
bet If it doesn't select more women as
its standard bearers to show the wom-
en- Of America that the Republicans
intend to give them greater representa-
ton and voice than the Democratic adj
ministration."
December Events Recalled.
1.-THE men have clearly demonstrated
that they won't give us greater voice
voluntarily up to us, no one else"
she concluded succinctly.
She didn't mention names. But fresh
in the minds of her audience were the
events of last December when Republi-
can National Chairman Reece asked
Assistant Chairman Marion Martin to
resign after she had called for at least
200 influential women delegates to the
National conventions and not as orchid-
wearers only.
Miss Martins successor, Mrs Robert
Macauley. chic and pretty young
bride, lacks the force and experience
of Miss Martin who had been pa
tiently organizing women from both
sides of the tracks since 1895, but she.
too. took the Martin cue.
Women leaders, she said, must take
on the job Of advancing more and more
qualified women In public Office. I'VE
must see that women are adequately
represented at the national conven-
tion," she insisted.
The immediate reaction to Mrs.
Smiths stirring call to arms was all
that she could ask. Also encouragingly.
the women showed less interest In
routine we're wonderful" party speech
from Congresswoman st. George Of New
York. But what they will actually do
and how far they can get in q party
organization largely dominated by the
Old Guard is speculative. Rebellious
men-Harold Stassen, Senator Morse
aren't getting far.
Reece Might Dodge Clash.
Mrs. Macauley can hardly stand up
to Chairman Reece as Miss Martin did;
yet she has the great advantage that
he thoroughly disliked the publicity on
the Martin affair and might be hesi-
tant to risk an open breach on the
distaf side second time.
AS a, victim of the discrimination she
attacks, Mrs. Smith will probably con-
tinue to speak her piece. In the as
signment of committees last January
her seniority was rudely ignored by
Chairman Taber and his associated
hardshells on appropriations; they kept
her off and added five newcomers with
siess service.
In the House since 1910, she is q
successful and industrious representa-
tive whose friends hope she eventually
will attain the Senate. In herself and
in her career she strikes golden mean
she is a former businesswoman, a
widow, attractively middle-aged and al
ways with fresh flower in her lapel.
An applauded climax In her reason
ing before the conference was her ar
gument that women were ideally suited
to politics; as rulers of the home they
legislated, administered and interpreted
the laws of family life, keystone Of any
Nation.
The Democratic women are almost
as interested in the Republican touch
of civil war as their opposite numbers.
They are fighting for greater party rec
ognition. They, of course, had farther
to fall since they once knew Mrs Rooee-
welt in the White House and Miss Per-
kinS in the cabinet.