Evening star., 1951-05-26
Woman S Party Asks
New Agency in Fight
On Women S Bureau
By Frances Lide
Wofnan's Club Editor.

~~--N~N
The National Woman's Party ha,
declared war on the Women.
Bureau of the Labor Department
Resolutions protesting obstruc.
tive activity against the proposed
= equal rights amendment and call.
ing for establishment of an in.
dependent agency to supersede
the bureau we're adopted in prin-
. ciple, as the party opened its
biennial convention yesterday in
the Hotel Statler.
Delegates voted to have the
resolutions polished by the Reso-
lutions Committee, headed by DR.
Florence A. Armstrong, and pre-
sented in final form at the con-
cluding business session tomor-
row.
Appeal to Truman.
In one of the resolutions, Presi-
dent Truman was asked to create
an independent agency, super
ceding the Women's Bureau, which
would help women of the United
States secure equality of rights
under the law" -
THE expense and effort of es-
sential research and necessary or
ganizational activity to secure
equality of rights under the law
lie beyond the resources of the
National Woman's Party and like
minded organizations, it was
stated.
In presenting the proposal, DR.
Armstrong said it is hoped such
an agency would be one that all
Women's organizations could sup
port, whether or not they sup
port the proposed equal rights
amendment.
In the other resolution, the
Women's Bureau was accused of
illegal and unfair propaganda, "
as well as obstructive activity
against the equal rights amend
ment. Charging that the bureau
campaigns vigorously against pas
sage of the amendment, the
resolution declared this was con-
trary to the interests of the wom-
en- of this country, who are
struggling to obtain their basic
legal rights and who. at the same
time, support this bureau by their
taxes"
1t was further stated that the
bureau campaigns continuously
for restrictive labor laws apply
ing to women workers and mot
to their male competitors.
The Women's Bureau tradition
ally has opposed the equal rights
amendment on the grounds it
would destroy all protective labor
laws for women.
That the amendment unfortu-
nately is also opposed by a num-
ber of women's organizations was
pointed out by its chief sponsor
in the House, Representative
Katharine st. George, Republi-
can, of New York in an address
yesterday afternoon. Mrs. St.
George added, however, that "the
business and professional women
have been tower of strength" in
the campaign for its adoption.
Predicting that the amendment
will be brought to the floor of
the House either in this session
OF Congress or the next, Mrs. st.
George hailed its recent assign
ment to House Judiciary Com
mittee subcommittee headed by
Representative Byrne, Democrat,
of New York. It's no secret, how
ever, that Judiciary Committee
Chairman Celler opposes the
measure, she declared.
Mrs. st. George also pointed
out that the amendment, whicn
was placed on the Senate CAL
endar this week, also has been
incorporated in the platforms of
both major political parties.
Today's convention program
was to include balloting for new
officers, with Mrs. Ethel Ernest
Murrell of Miami, Fla, lawyer
and writer, the Nominating Com
mittee's choice to succeed DR..
Agnes E. Wells as national chair
man. Mrs. Murrell was chairman
Of the committee of the Florida
State Bar Association that wrote
the Married Woman's Emancipa-
tion Act adopted in 1913.
Mrs. Perle Mesta, American
Minister to Luxembourg, will be
the principal speaker at a con-
venticn dinner tonight.