WOMAN "SPEAKEE"

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 33, 9 February 1933, Page 15

WOMAN "SPEAKEE"

AN UNUSUAL OFFICE

A small-town banker's wife, inter- ; ested in music and flowers as well as i politics, became the first woman Speaker of the North Dakota' House of Bepresentatives recently (states the "New Tork Times"). Mrs. _ Minnie 'D. Craig, of Esmond', prominent in State V .Republican circles and a member of the Legislature for ten years, was* elected presiding officer as the lawmakers began thoir bien.trial session. Friends of Mrs. Craig, who received a unanimous ballot after; scattered votes for, a male Democratic rival, looked about to see whether they mjght claim for her .the- honour of being the first or only, one of her sex in .the nation to hold such ,an . office. Mrs. Craig' was Bepublicanl National Committeewomanfor the State in 1928-' 32, and in 1928 directed her party's campaign among North Dakota women. At Esmond, a community of 300' persons, her husband left his1 bank to come hero and -see her sworn into office. , They have lived at Esmond, since, their Wedding'twenty -five years ago. Mrs. Craig waa a school board member there for thirteen year?. A native of Maine,, she studied piano and voice in Boston before coming West. She has let her music go somewhat into the discard,* but enjoys concerts by others. -, At her home in Esmond she spends her summers developing a flower garden, which she likes-' 4'nearly as Well , as politics." But all phases of government and politics interest her. "There is no particular angle that I like better than the the either," she said. In nominating Mrs. Craig, Eoprcsontativo Herbert Swett said ho .bclieyed her election could bo "an encouragement to women all over the world to step out and achieve political honours." "Too often, we think of women as cooks and. helpmates, but under, the new order of things women are beginning tO'play a larger part in the world of politics," he added.