Evening star., 1954-12-28
Democfotic Women Workers

Isabelle SheltOn'S recent story on the
Democratic National Committee and
Katie Lougheim and India Edwards
was very interesting. 1t caused several
people to telephone me and ask about
the origin of the women's work in the
committee, since was active with
Emily Newell Blair during 1929
nationally and later in California.
Emily Newell Blair succeeded the
first woman vice chairman, Mrs. Bass.
Not one scrap of paper was available
concerning all the fine work Mrs. Bass
had accomplished Funds were low,
space curtailed and all files destroyed.
Mrs. Blair wrote to 5000 county COM
mitteemen asking them to give her the
names of the women on their COM
mittees. Few replied; seven wrote 1--WE
have none and do not intend to have;
several answered None, thank God"
Cordell Hull was chairman of the
committee until 1924 and he told Mrs.
Blair very frankly that while he was
she reminded him often enough that
she had right to be there, he would
do what he could. Glenn Shaver, who
succeeded Mr.. Hull, was very sympa-
thetic to the cause OF women in politics.
He gave tremendous impetus to the
activity of the women. But the work
was hard. An allowance of $4,000. a
year for the work made the women
feel they were very fortunate to have
so bountiful budget! This money was
raised by men and women directly for
the women's work on the committee
Under the inspiration of Mrs. Blair.
Mrs. Laura B. Brown of Missouri
undertook the organization of the
Women's National Democratic Clubs,
and Minnie Fisher Cunningham of
Texas came here to take care of the
them new Women's National Demo-
cratic Club. Jesse Jones contributed
the money upon the request of Mrs.
Blair for the salary of Minnie Fisher
Cunningham. Mrs. Edward B. Meigs
loaned the club $4,000 to buy the
present club house, all Of which has
been repaid. It was also about this
time that Mrs. j. Borden Hartman
conceived brilliant plan. At her ex-
pense for many years she gave a
Sunday night supper to which she
invited the leaders of the Democratic
Party in the Senate and the House.
and at her table women guests had an
opportunity to talk about the current
problems before the Democratic Party
and the country. Mrs. Halsey Wilson,
under the direction of Mrs. Blair, or
ganized the Schools for Democracy.
and "a of them were held the first year:
and National School of Democracy
in New York brought 600 women from
all parts of the Nation. Mrs. Halsey
Wilson also prepared correspondence
course which was widely used. A fort
nightly survey Of national problems was
published by the women and sent
throughout the Nation, and then Mrs.
Blair and Mrs. Blair Bannister organ
lied the magazine which is today the
Democratic Digest, which / persuaded
John j. RaSkob to take over from the
Women's National Democratic Club
into the activities Of the Democratic
National Committee.
These were all achievements which
have not been excelled, but the most
important contribution made by Mrs.
Blair was the rule providing for q
$3.50 representation on the committee.
The women active in those days did
not consider the Democratic National
Committee and the party merely
political party, but party of humani-
tartan concepts. interested in those
things sponsored and indorsed by
women for all the people of the Nation.
Gretchen Dau Cunningham.