Evening star., 1949-11-20

division of the Democratic Ma
election last year has encouraged
other women to have senatorial
ambitions. Mrs. Helen Gahagan
Douglas. Democratic Representa-
tive from California, has already
announced her intention Of run
ming, next year for the Senate seat
now held by another Democrat,
Senator Downey. She is rated as
having a good chance, too.
Democrats are talking also Of
putting Mrs. Clark, the United
States Treasurer, into the race for
the Senate in Kansas. She would
probably have to oppose Gov.
Frank Carlson. Republican, should
she be nominated. In Con-
necticut two more women are
under consideration for the Sem
ate. The first is Mrs. Clare Booth
Luce, Republican, former member
of the House, and the second, Mrs.
Chase Going Woodhouse, member
of the 81st Congress and a Demo-
crat. Gov. Chester Bowles may
appoint Mrs. Woodhouse to the
Senate to fill a vacancy which will
be created when Senator Baldwin,
Republican, resigns the end Of
this year.
Takes Practical View
Mrs. Edwards is particularly
firm about one thing. II a woman
is to be nominated on a national
ticket. either for President or Vice
President, she must be well quail
flied to fill the Office. She must
not be chosen just because she is
a woman, and because she might
attract votes of other women. In
deed, there is considerable ques-
ton in the mind of Mrs. Edwards
whether women would vote for a
woman for Office merely because
the candidate was a woman. It's
possible that some women would
be inclined to oppose another Of
their sex rather than support her.
OF course, any woman who was
nominated for Vice President and
who was elected, would be only
one breath away from the Presi-
dency. For that reason her quail
lfcations would have to be equal
to those required to fill "the most
job in the world today"
Seven of our 80 Presidents have
entered the White House by rea-
son of the death Of incumbent
Senator Brewster has voiced the
opinion that several women today
would be an improvement "over
what we have" Gas Chief Execu-
tive). While this statement has
a partisan sound, it nevertheless
puts the Maine Senator on record
as believing that a woman could
fill the Presidency or the Vice
Presidency.
Mrs. Edwards, who takes q
practical view of the situation,
does not believe the time has ar
rived when the major parties will
place women on their national
tickets. But she adds-it will.
Frankly, Mrs. Edwards
has no woman candidate-of her
own choice-to place on the DEM
ocratic ticket, for example. Any
who may aspire to such q
nomination in the future, she
says, must be good and solid. with
in politics and govern
ment and the qualifications for
an executive job. Mrs. Edwards
that the women in Con-
gress today would do" but added
hastily: But I am not putting q
in the field"
Skeptics suggest that a woman
as President-would be at a dis
if this country became
involved in a war. They ridicuie
the idea that woman might be
commander in chief of the armed
forces. History, however, shows
some queens at the head Of great
nations that were successful In
war during their reigns. Queen
was one, and Queen Vic
toria another. They had to rely
on man advisers and leaders to
conduct wars, just as woman
of the United States
would be so compelled.
Committees Revised
There seems no reason why a
woman, trained in politics and in
economics and history, should not
have a good grasp of the domestic
problems which constantly arise
in this country. The women who
have served in Congress have
shown themselves capable Of meet
ing such issues in legislation. Ono
State, Colorado, elected a woman
Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross,
now director of the United States
Mint, an Office to which Mrs. Ross
was appointed many years ago by
the late President Roosevelt.
Both Republicans and Demo-
Gratis make the most strenuous
efforts today to obtain support Of
voters. Considering there
are more potential voters among
the women today than among the
men. these are good tactics.
As the Importance Of the wom-
EMS vote and the Importance Of
the part that women were playing
n politics became impressed on
he party leaders, both the Repub.
icen and Democratic National
Committees gave recognition to
women. These committees, pre-
1iously composed entirely Of men,
their membership to
include an equal number Of men.
Like men, any women who may
oe selected in the future to run
Tor President or Vice President
must be 35 years of age or more.
That's q constitutional provision.
There viii be no secret, therefore,
about their ages, which undoubt-
IDLY would become q matter Of