A Woman's Place in the Struggle for Freedom, American Bar Association--Women's Division, Chicago, August 17, 1954

. l A WOMAN'S PLACE IN THE STRUGG E FOR FREEDOM AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION - WOMEN'S DIVIS! N CHICAGO, AUGUST 17, 1954 -- 2 -NEW TASKS AND FAR MORE IMPORTANT DECJSIONS THAN EVER BEFORE. LAWS ARE FORMULATED BY SOCIETY TO INSURE THAT COMMUNITIES, BE THEY LOCAL, NATIONAL OR WORLD-WIDE, ARE RUN IN AN ORDERLY, PRODUCTIVE, AND MORAL FASHION. I THINK WE ARE ALL FULLY AWARE THAT THERE 1S A FORCE LO IN TODAY'S WORLD WHICH IGNORES THESE RULES. IN THEIK COUNCILS OF THE UNITED NATIONS THEY IGNORE THESE RULES. IN THE OPPRESSIVE ABUSE OF THEffi PEOPLES THEY ABOLJSH THESE RULES. IN THEffi RELENTLESS ATTEMPTS TO ENSLAVE OTHERS THEY DJSCARD THESE RULES. YOU WOMEN, , BETTER UNDERSTAND, CAN WELL UNDERSTAND, PERHAPS THE NATURE OF THIS STRUGGLE -- 3 -BETWZEN FREEDOM AND ENSLAVEMENT. . , . . , ; ; ; ,·~- · ~ , s. . · •. ,~ . ., ... ..... •' . ,.Jt,•:,_~ . .. • ·... PERMIT ME TO READ TO YOU SOME OF THE OBJECTS OF THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION, PRINTED REGULARLY IN THE ASSOCMTION'S JOURNAL. "THE OBJECTS OF THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION, A VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION OF LAWYERS OF THE UNITED STATES ARE TO UPHOLD AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND MAINTAIN REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.; , .. TO ADVANCE THE SCIENCE OF JURISPRUDENCE ;) TO PROMDI'E THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE AND THE UNIFORMITY OF LEGISLATION AND OF JUDICIAL DECJSIONS THROUGHOUT THE NATION; TO UPHOLD THE HONOR OF THE PROFESSION OF LAW; TO APPLY ITS KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD OF LAW TO THE PROMOTION OF THE PUBLIC GOOD; -- 4 -TO ENCOflRAGE CORDIAL INTERCOURSE AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN BAR.. ; . Jt WITH INTEREST THE PRECEDING POINT WHICH STATES AS ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION THE PROMOTION OF LEGISLATION "FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD." PHRASE PERHAPS THAT IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IN THE LIST OF OBJECTIVES I READ. ESSENTIALLY , THAT IS THE STORY OF REPRESENTA TIVE GOVERNMENT: LAWS CONCEIVED B{ OUR REPRESENTA TIVE LEGISLATIVE 1 BRANCH, THE sop I / j INTERPRETAT ION OF THOSE LAWS FROM OUR JUDICIAL BRANCH, AND THE PROMPT AND -- 5 -- f EXECUTIVE BRANCH. 411B :~i1i'}.;;,~ MAGNIFICENT STRUCTURFf' HAS BEEN THE STORY OF OUR GROWTH, OF OUR PROSPERITY, OF OUR NEVER-ENDING JOURNEY TOWARDS LIMITLESS HORIZONS, THE CEASELESS QUEST FOR THE UNATTAINABLE PERFECTION THAT HAS CHARACTERIZED THE HISTORY OF AMERICA. ALL ARE EMBODIED IN THE WORDS OF THIS CODE "FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD, " AND THE WORDS OF THE PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION "FOR THE GENERAL . ' T THE UNSWERVING AIM OF THJS ADMINJSTRATION IS TO FULFILL ITS Fl)NDAMENTAL DUTIES TO THE PEOPLE -- --6-TO PROVIDE FOR THE PUBLIC WELFARE THROUGH THE EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT OF GOVERNMENT UNDER THE INSPffiED AND BRILLIANT LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT EISENHOWER. YOU KNOW, BALANCING THE FEDERAL BUDGET IS NOT VERY RADICALLY DIFFERENT FROM BALANCING THAT HOUSEHOLD BUDGET WITH WHICH WE ARE CONFRONTED EVERY DAY OF OUR LIVES. OF COURSE, IT IS ON A FAR BROADER AND CONSIDERABLY MORE COMPLICATE D SCALE. YET, IT IS A MATTER OF ALLOCATING FUNDS IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO INSURE THAT YOU DON'T SPEND ANY MORE THAN YOU TAKE IN. THERE ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS THAT DIFFERENTIA TE THE TWO -- FOR ONE THING, IN THE MANAGEMENT OF A HOUSEHOLD BUDGET IT WOULD BE A PERFECTLY HEALTHY AND VERY HAPPY SITUATION IF EARNINGS INCREASED AND -- 7 -THEREBY MADE THE JOB OF THE HOUSEWIFE THAT MUCH EASIER AND MORE JOYFUL. FEDERAL BUDGET, HOWEVER, IN MANAGING THE EVERY INCREASE IN EARIHNGS CONSTITUTES AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN FOR THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER. SO THE POLICY OF THJS ADMINJSTRATION HAS BEEN TO GRADUALLY LIGHTEN THIS BURDEN AND AT THE SAME TIME MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS. WE WOMEN HAVE HAD MUCH PRACTICE WITH THJS VEXING BUDGET PROBLEM, AND THERE ARE FIELDS IN WHICH WE ARE BEGINNING TO USE MUCH OF THE EXPERIENCE WE HAVE GAINED AT HOME. '" -- 8 -- " IN PLAIN FACT, WE AS WOMBN HAVE DEVELOPED TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE NO LONGER RESTRICTED TO THOSE POSITIONS AND CAREERS WHICH MEN DEEMED PROPER FOR US WE ARE STILL OPERATING THE SEWING MACHINES AND TAKING DICTATION, BUT COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF US ARE NOW LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPERVISING THE FACTORY -~ OR MANSI.ING THE OFFICE. IN FACT, WE FREQUENTLY OWN THE FACTORY OR OFFICE, SINCE WOMEN, TO ACCORDING THE FIGURES OF THE INSTITUTE OF LIFE INSURANCE, OWN 70% OF THE NATION'S PRIVATE WEALTH. MORE IMPORTANT TO ME AT THIS MOMENT, IS OUR DEVELOPMENT T ARD POLITICAL MATURITY. TODAY AN ENDLESS NUMBER OF WOMEN ARE FULL PARTMERS TO MEN IN THE SCIENCE OF POLITICS, WHICH PERPETUATES OUR INSTITUTIONS AND GENERATES THE DYNAMIC FORCE -- 9 -THAT HMIII[ MADE AMERICA GREAT. fd,'--L ,,v~ ·HAVE HAD THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR 34 YEARS, AND WE ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS RIGHT. SHORT, IN WE ARE BEGINNING TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE RIGH'IB AND THE RESPONSIBILITY. WE ARE TAKING AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN THE POLITICAL LIFE OF OUR SOCIETY, BE IT T UGH WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS, THE PTA AND SAFETY CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS, TO THE CHARITABLE AND THE PROFESSIONAL CLUffi, THROUGH POLill'ICAL ORGANIZATIONS, HOLDING PUBLIC OFFICE. THAT FROM INDEED, WOMEN PLAYED IN THE LAST BE IT BE IT THROUGH THE IMPORTANT ROLE PRESIDENTIA L ELECTION SHOWS WE ARE NO LONGER CONTENT TO MERELY -- 10 -BROADENING, AND -- MOST IMPORTANT -- HELPING TO PRESERVE THOSE RIGHTS WHICH MAKE THAT CLIMATE POSSIBLE. AS A RESULT, MANY WOMEN ARE NOW HOLDING HIGH OFFICE IN ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, MEMBER, MRS. THERE JS A WOMAN CABINET OVEKA CULP HOBBY OF TEXAS, WHO TOOK THE REMNANTS OF THE FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY AND WROUGHT A NEW DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND WELFARE. THROUGH THIS DEPARTMENT, EDUCATION, THE DOOR HAS BEEN OPENED FOR FEDERAL AID TO THE YOUTH OF THE COUNTRY, THE SICK, AND THE MAIMED. ALREADY, THE DEPARTMENT HAS SPONSORED LEGISLATION WHICH HAS RESTORED THE POWER OF THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION INSPECTORS TO CHECK SANITARY CONDITIONS IN FACTORIES AND WARE HOUSES. • THE PUBLIC -- 11 -HEALTH SERVICE OF THE DEPARTMENT HAS JUST FINANCED 1, 442 MEDICAL RESEARCH PROJECTS TO THROW LIGHT ON SUCH DISEASES AS CANCER, SCLEROSIS. MRS. AND MULTIPLE HOBBY IN TURN APPOINTED TWO WOMEN AS HER ASSISTANTS. CONNECrICUT'S MRS. CLARE BOOTH LUCE ARRIVED IN ROME, THE FffiST WOMAN TO HEAD AN EMBASSY IN A MAJOR EUROPEAN ~ION, AND PROMPTLY WON THE PLAUDITS OF THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE SINCERE AFFECTION OF THE r ITALIAN PEOPLE. THEIR FOREIGN MINISTER, HONORABLE ATTILIO PICCIONI~ECLARED MRS. THE LUCE JS NOT ONLY "PERSONA GRATA" BUT PERSONA "GRATISSIMA" TO THE ITALIAN o GOVERNMENn MISS FRANCES WILLIS OF CALIFORNIA ROSE THROUGH THE RANKS OF CAREER SERVICE TO THE POSITION OF UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO •SWITZERLAND. -- 12 -OE-l:i~~r"R'ml~ffr-1S OU DEPUTY ADMINJSTRA-TOR -=FOR F-EDERXL CNru DEFENSE ADMINISTRATION, AND HAS A~TENDED TERNA'EIONAL._ CONFERENCES ON -CIVIL DEFENSE FOR N'Aq:10 OF NEW JERSEY, COUNTRIES. MRS. ROBERT W. LEEDS A PATENT ATTORNEY OF LONG EXPERIENCE, IS THE FIRST WOMAN ASSETANT COMMJSSIONER OF PATENTS. MJIS. DOROTHY LEE, PORTLAND, OREGON, THE FORMER FIERY MAYOR OF WHO HAS FOUGHT AN EFFECTIVE BATTLE AGAINST RACKETEERING AND GANBLING, IS A MEMBER OF THE PAROLE BOARD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. MISS CATHERINE BURTON KELLY OF WASHINGTON, D. C., IS AN ASSJSTANT U. S. ATTORNEY. IN MY OWN DEPARTMENT WE HAVE TWO SUPERINTENDENTS OF UNITED STATES MINTS: MRS. ALMA K. SCHNEIDER AT DENVER, AND MRS. RAE V. BEISTER WI AT PHILADELPHIA. • THE ASSISTANT DffiECTOR OF THE FOREIGN OPERATIONS -- 13 -ADMINISTRATION FOR THE OFFICE FOR REFUGEES, A ND VOLUNTARY ASSJSTANCE, OF IOWA, MRS. MIGRATION, DOROTHY HOUGHTON THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUM, HUMANITARIAN HAS WAGED AN ALL-OUT BATTLE ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE TO GIVE AID AND COMFORT TO MILLIONS OF HOMELESS REFUGEES AND TO THOSE WHO HA"Ei' ESCAPED FROM THE COMMUNIST TYRANNY. THREE OF OUR UNITED NATIONS REPRESENTATIVES FRANCES P. BOLTON OF OHIO IS, ADDITION TO HER OTHER DUTIES, THE UNITED STATES ARE WOMEN. DELEGATE TO REP. IN THE EIGHTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY. HER ALTERNATE, AND THE US. REPRESENTATIVE ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF THE U. N. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL IS MRS. PILLSBURY LORD OF NEW YORK, MARY WHO HAS ALWAYS BEEN -- 14 -A MOST ENERGETIC WORKER IN WOMEN'S CLUBS AND CHARITABLE AND HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS. MRS. LORENA B. HAHN OF NEBRASKA JS THE U. S. REPRESENTATIVE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN COMMISSION. THIS JS A NATURAL SELECTION. THESE WOMEN HAVE ALL BEEN APPOINTED TO THEm POSITIONS BECAUSE ABILITY, OF THEm AND EACH IS PROVING HER MERIT EVERY DAY : THERE ARE IN THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH JIii OF OUR GOVERNMENT 12 ELECTED OFFICIALS. ONE OF THEM JS A U. S. SENATOR: MARGARET CHASE SMITH OF MAINE, WHOSE NEW SENATE COMMITTEES ARE APPBOPRIATIONS AND ARMED SERVICES. MRS. EDITH NORSE ROGERS OF MASSACHUSETTS, WHO HAS SERVED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SINCR 192~ IS THE DEAN OF THE WOMEN IN THE HOUSE. SHE JS AGAIN THE CHAffiMAN OF THE HOUSE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, -- 15 -WHICH SHE CHAffiED ALSO IN THE 80TH CONGRESS. REPRESENTATIVE BOLTON IS THE OTHER RANKING WOMAN IN THE HOUSE -- THE 9 OTHERS ARE COMPARATIVE NEWCOMERS, WHICH SIDWS WHAT GAINS HAVE RECENTLY BEEN MADE FOR WOMEN -- AND NOW, IN HER TWELFTH YEAR, REP. BOLTON IS THE THIRD RANKING MEMBER ON THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAms COMMITTEE. IN THE STATE LEGISLATURES THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 283 WOMEN SERVING IN UPPER AND LOWER HOUSES, / AND, f;;. 'It'~ • /. ' IN VERMONT, CONSUELO NORTHROP t·· BAILEY IS THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, AND IS SEEKING THE NOMINATION AT.THIS TIME FOR LIEUTENAN'I!GOVERNOR. IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCHES OF STATE GOVERNMENTir THERE ARE 31 WOMEN in 21 STATES WHO HOLD HIGH ELECTIVE OFFICE, RANGING FROM SECRETARY OF -- 16 -STATE TO LAW LIBRARIAN, AN ELECTIV E POST IN INDIANA? AND THERE ARE AT LEAST 200 WOMEN IN THE JUDICIAL BRANCHES OF THE FEDERA L, STATE, AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS. MOST OF THEM ARE ON THE BENCH. ON THE COUNTY LEVEL WOMEN HAVE GAINED MORE JOffi THAN AT ANY OTHER LEVEL. NOW 12,000 WOMEN HOLD POSITIONS IN OUR 3, 072 COUNTIES. THERE ARE JllallK ABOUT 20 WOMEN MAYORS. THE WORK OF WOMEN'S CLUM CANNOT BE MEASURED STATISTICALLYo HOWEVER, WE KNOW THAT THEffi INFLUEN CE ON LEGISLATION IS GREAT. THERE JS ONE COMMON AIM OF THESE CLUM -- THAT JS, ADVANCE THE STATUS OF WOMEN, :Jlll-~ TO lii--lllll~ illllP- -- 17-ECONOMIC AND THEREBY TO ADVANCE THE SOCIAL STATUS OF THE COUNTRY. WOMEN ARE SHOWING GREATER INTEREST IN WOMEN'S WORKING CONDITIONS, WOMEN, IN EQUAL SALARIES FOR IN TAX ALLOWANCES FOR WORKING MOTHERS (WHICH HAS JtST BEEN OBTAINED), IN PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT FOR WOMEN. YOUR OWN MlSS AGAR, ACTIVE IN SO MANY ORGANIZA'IIIXllNS =-- every ON~,IT WOULD SEEM, TO WHICH A WOMAN LAWYER IS ELIGIBLE FOR ADMJSSION -- - CERTAINL Y HAS AN INTEREST IN THESE MATTERS. WOMEN ARE SHOWING MORE INTEREST IN THE ACTIVITIES OF 'DfNKX STATE LEGISLATURESo MORE AND MORE WOMEN ARE APPEARIN G BEFORE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES TO REPRESEN T THE ATTITUDES OF THE GROUPS THEY REPRESEN T ON PENDING LEGJSLATIONO THESE WOMEN ARE NOT NECESSARILY ACTIVE ALONG PARTJSAN LINES -- -- 18 -- ALONE CONCERNING THE GREAT NUMBER OF WOMEN TODAY IN PUBLIC OFFICE ARE EVIDENCE THAT WOMEN'S CLUM HERE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN POLITICAL ACTIVITY. THE BROADENIRG OF WOMAN'S SPHERE -WHICH JS POTENTIA LLY LIMITLESS -- THE BROADENING TO INCLUDE POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT JS A HEALTHY SIGN. AS MOTHERS WE EXERT A MAJOR INFLUENC E ON THE -- 19 -YOUNG PEOPLE OF TH1S COUNTRY--AND THROUGH OU INTEREST IN THE AFFAIRS OF GOVERNMENT, WE CANNOT HELP BUT MAKE OUR YOUTH MORE ALERT TO THEffi INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES AS CITIZENS. PRESIDENT E1SENHOWER HAS RESURRECTED AN ANCIENT AND 1111[ JIii PROVEN AMERICAN HERITAGE -- ABIDING FAITH IN THE STRENGTH OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND A FffiM CONVICTION THAT IN THIS STRENGTH LIES A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR ALL AMERICANS. HE HAS SAID: "ALL POLITICAL WISDOM DOES NOT RESIDE IN THE WHITE HOUS& NOR IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANC}J;11_,.IK NOR IN WASHINGTON ITSELF. COMES :.Ill[ IT FROM THE MINDS AND HEARTS OF SINCERE AND DEVOTED MEN, WHATEVER THEffi FIELIII OF ACTION -- WHETHER IN FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CR IN PRIVATE LIFE.'' WE ARE LIVING IN DANGEROUS TIMES. WE -- 20 -ARE CONFRONTED WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED MENACE WHICH HAS ALREADY CONTAMINATED AND ENGULFED ONE-HALF THE WORLD. HIBTORY HAS RECORDED THAT SOCIAL PROGRESS HAS DEVELOPED AND HUMANITY HAS BEEN PROPELLED FORWARD MOST RAPIDLY IN A CLIMATE OF FREEDOM. WOMEN ALIKE, IT RESTS WITH EACH OF US, MEN AND TO DffiECT OUR ENERGIES TO THE TASK OF PRESERVING AND EXPANDING THAT CLJMATE. -::.illlil-- -SAID ,,..-----.!]~~im~~~~:01~~~~¥;> . LET US AS WOMEN, AND MORE SIGNIFICANTLY AS CITIZENS OF A FREE SOCIETY, SEEK -- 21 -- EVERY OP9ORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE OUR FULL SHARE TO THE MAKING OF A BETTER AMERICA AND A PEACEFUL WORLD.