Evening star., 1948-11-17

health since suffering the first of
several heart attacks in 1912.
Long noted for her, wit and polit-
ical discernment, she possessed a
great intellect which remained un-
dimnled almost until her death. She
had wide acquaintanceship among
political leaders of both parties.
Many of these made frequent visits
to her home.
Battled for FBI Funds.
She was the first woman member
of the House Military Affairs Com
mittee and the first woman member
of the Appropriations Committee
]. Edgar Hoover called her the
mother of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation because of her con-
slant battles for more funds for
the G-men.
Records of bills introduced and
what happens to them showed long
lists of things she did for people in
her district Except on issues in
which she was tremendously inter-
ested, she seldom raised her voice
on national affairs. She was a
bitter foe of prohibition.
She was due a great deal of the
credit for the legislation making
possible the building of the San
Francisco Bay Bridge. She also
worked for and won, among other
things. San Francisco's Federal
Building. new mint and improve
ments for the Post Office.
She also worked for the develop
ment of the Presidio Army port and
harbor; creation of Hamilton Field.
and she helped win selection of
Sunnyvale as a naval air station
and Alameda as a naval air base.
Was Popular Dinner Guest.
A favorite quip during her years
as a Congresswoman ran: You al
ways know how Florence Kahn is
going TO vote, but only God has the
slshtsss 81 as2 inklins of wlnas She's sl going
Her disposition to say and do the
unexpected, and her occasionally
impressive talent for getting action
on legislation made her an out
standing figure here. She was one
of the most popular dinner guests
in Washington.
Her complete disinterest in clothes
made her the despair Of her fastid-
ious friends.
She married Julius Kahn in 1899,
the year he was sent to Congress.
She served without pay in his Office.
Her most dramatic years as his
helper came in World War I days,
when he was ranking Republican
member of the House Military AT
fairs Committee.
Woodrow Wilson, finding his
Democratic committee chairman in
clined to sWerve from the course
marked out by the administration
turned to the Californian to put
over important war legislation. Out
standing legislation which the
Kahns had to steer through the
House was the Selective Draft Act
which put more than 100000
Americans under arms.
Native Of Salt Lake City.
In odd moments, Mrs. Kahn or
ganized and directed the Kahn
volunteers" young workers of the
Capital who. like her, had time they
wished to put into war service.
Julius Kahn died in December,
1924. Elected to his seat two months
later, his. widow continued to hold
it through succeeding elections, al
most without opposition.
Mrs. Kahn was born in Salt Lake
City, the daughter of Conrad and
Mary Goldsmith Prag. Her father
took part in the '49 gold rush, and
her mother was pioneer California
teacher. The family returned to
California before the daughter was
a year old.
Florence Prag was graduated
from the University of California
in 1887 and became a San Francisco
school teacher.
Children were born and grew up
while the Kahns were in Congress.
They had two sons, Julius, jr,, Of
San Mateo, and Conrad, of Beverly
Hills.