WOMEN AT WORK.

White Ribbon, Volume 33, Issue 403, 18 February 1929, Page 12

WOMEN AT WORK.

We who live in these lovely but lonely isles in the Pacific Ocean, are apt at times to miss the throb and vibration of the large world-wide movements. For many years women were fighting for the franchise, each In her own land. Rut now we welcome a wider international movement for the complete equality of the sexes. Tile Sixth American Congress in Havana, created by resolution an Inter-American Commission of women, composed of one woman from each country. They are to investigate the laws of each of the twentyone Republics, in order to determine just what is the legal status of women In each and every one of the American Republics. A report of its findings is to be made to the Seventh l*an-American Conference, when it meets in Montevideo in 1933. Miss Doris Stevens is Chairman of the

Commission rml Representative «fl the United States. I The Colombian Represen UitivJL Dona Elena Capina de Capina. alike for her beauty and her work social betterment, is a member d one of the most patrician families o| Colombia, her father having Ikvj President of the Republic just betori the present incumbent. Horn in th< lofty Andean Capital, more Spanisl than the cities of old Spain, sh* speaks English perfectly, bavin; been educated in this country and in Europe while her father was sen in. as Minister to Washington and to Rrussels. During her last visit to Washington, in 1922, she was ent**rtained at the White House by th* late President and Mrs Harding Olive-skinned, dark-haired and grace ful, with large dark eves, the Sra Capina is one of the most cliarmin: and talented women of South America.

Dr. Ernestina A l>o|»ez de Nelson, the Argentine member of tne Commission, is distinguished as author and educator, and has b<*en a professor in the University of La Plata She has serv<d, on several occasion.as delegate to International Conferences, either alone or with her equally-distinguished husband. She is also well-known for her interest In Social work, and was for a long time President of the important Club d« Madres of Buenos Aires, which, among other activities, conducts an annual children’s week with conspicuous success. As President of this latter organization, Dr. Lopez de Nelson is ex-officio a member of the Argentine Government Commission of Child Welfare An extremely modern young woman, vivid and brilliant, is Venezuela’s Representative, in the person of Dona Luciani de Perez Diaz, wdio, in spite of her youth, is in the forefront of the rumen intellectuals of her country. She Is editor of a magazine, author of ;i number of short stories and a novel, and re|>orted the proceedings of the Ijatin Press Congress, to which she was a delegate, in a series of stirring articles, which have been widely praised. The Srla. Clara Gonzales. LLP. Representative of Panama on the Commission, is slender and vivacious. w r ith a sparkling wit and great charm of manner. Although several vears

iihUt thirty, sli * lias already achieved distinction as f* niinist leader, w’hich icould do credit to a veteran. Miss lion /.a le« was the first woman to be admitted to the bar in Panama. She Hiecialized in education and law. has pursued graduate work in Columbia. ,ni is preparing: to take her Master of I/aws Degree at George Washington PDiversity. She was first President of the National Feminist Party of Panama, and has carried out several important Commissions for her Government. Some three years ago she organized the first school for adult women in Panama, and gathered about her a staff inspired vitli her own idealism, which volunteered its services to the women who came in flocks for instruction. The success of the school and its popularity. induced the Government to take it over and make it a permanent feature of the national educational system. Mrs Charles Ihibe, member for Haiti, has long been interested in feminist activities, in which she has played an imiwrtant part, not only in her own country, but also internationally. She was Haitian delegate to the Pan-American Conference of Women In 1922, and has been deeply interested in work for social betterment. She is a woman of fin: poise and judgment, thoroughly modern in training and interests The two ladies whose photos are at the head of this column, are also special workers.