WOMEN'S INFLUENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 30, 5 February 1935, Page 15

WOMEN'S INFLUENCE

GRADUAL DECLINE

AN AMERICAN REVIEW

(From "The Post's; flepresentHtiyc) NEW--YORK, January 17.

..-. A nation-wide review of women's public activities in the United States indicates that they continue to show the gradual decline- that started in 1929, the peak year for women's progress. In 1921, the first year women were eligible in every State for legislative service, 29 were' elected. The number increased each.year until 1929, when 140/ women' w-ere elected to the Legislatures of 38 States. For 1935 the number 'is 130,' in> 34: States. There are no women legislators in Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana',; Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and : Virginia. ■

Eleven women wili sit in State Senates, and IJ9 liuLower/Houses. Four, States—Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont,.' and Washington—have the largest number of women legislators. Connecticut—leads- •with"- seventeen. Five .will sit in Congress, a decline of one. ■. . ..

■ Women, however, made marked progress in other directions. .Last year saw the first.woman appointed to the Federal Bench—Mrs. Florence E. Allen. A woman was appointed for the first time also as Assistant Secretary of the United States Treasury —Mrs. Josephine Roche, who was a captain of industry in the West, where she controlled a- large mining concern in Colorado. Among others, Mrs. Bernice Pyke w»s apnointed Collector of Customs at Cleveland. Miss Alida Bowman, who was annotated last year, is the first woman Superintendent of Indian' Affairs. .'' NOTABLE CIVIC CONQUESTS. In civic elections, women made some notable conquests. The city of Grover. Colorado, has petticoat rule, from the Mayoress down. In ' Washington, Arkansas. Grandma Williams was elected Mayor at the, age-of 65 years. In Washington, the Federal capital, women demanded art investigation into the manufacture. and sale of armaments and munitions. Following the disclosures, a Royal Commission has been set un in England. American women started a movement to purge the motion pictures of indecency, and the movement spread over the world. Women in Knickerbocker Village. New York, went on strike till their kitchen floors were painted. In Racine County. Wisconsin, the women revolted because they objected to serving dinners for harvesters. They won their battle. :-." \ ■■--.•