U.S. Women Outnumber Men

Grey River Argus, 9 August 1948, Page 2

U.S. Women Outnumber Men

For the second time in American history more women than men will be eligible this November to vote for a President. Up to 1940 the men were more numerous. In 1944 the population figures switched the advantage to the distalff side. There were some guesses that it might be the war, with the men away, but that guess now appears incorrect.

Women in both, parties are determined to put more women into political office for two reasons: (1) They like to see women in office, but also (2) they hope that the party which is most generous to. women officeseekers will also get the largest part of the women’s vote. Women’s first loyalty, appears to be to the party and then to their sex.

Women office holders reached a peak in State Legislatures in 1945-46 when there were 234 women in office. They have slipped now. There are 23 less.

Do They Know Own Minds? What do American women want? In Illinois the Democrats have already nominated Mrs Olive Goldman to rim for the House of Representatives." She has made a big point of women’s need to get into politics to keep the peace. Other Democratic women will

hammer at the rise in the cost of living. The very vocal Helen Gahagan Douglas, of California, has already hauled market baskets and shopping lists on to the House of Representatives floor to teach her male colleagues what costs are > doing to housewives. At Republican headquarters the

women’s division believes their feminine campaigners will stress the need to curb Communists, to curb public spending, and to cut taxes. Frances Perkins still stands alone in the political history of American women. She has been the sole woman Cabinet member, as Secretary of Labour to President Roosevelt.

I Cabinet posts are appointive jobs, land none of the present would-be | Presidential ' candidates is close ■ enough to the goal even to whisper ' about them. The women can only hope that some women, no matter who becomes President will follow i Miss Ferkins into an American Cab'inet.—(A.P.)