Voters and Party Workers

Two months ago Mrs. Roosevelt told her husband to be prepared for a convention of Democratic women who were coming to Washington. Part of a program of solid, tweedy, 66-year-old Mary Williams. ("Molly") Dewson, ex-director of the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee, was to whip up party spirit by inviting women workers to Washington to see how Government worked, pick up points for use during the campaign. One hundred were expected. The President suggested his Executive Office for an informal chat. Three weeks ago, Mrs. Roosevelt learned that the idea had met with such enthusiasm that 500 might attend, shifted the reception to the East Room of the White House.

Twenty years ago, when the Woman Suffrage Amendment was adopted, many of its supporters expected it to "purify" politics. Few of them expected it to produce such results as it did last week. Women Democrats began to pour into the capital by bus, train, car, plane. Their opening meeting, scheduled to be held at the Washington Hotel, was shifted to the Riverside Stadium. Estimated attendance: 5,000.

Most appalled were Representatives and Senators who had offered to take delegates from their States to breakfast. Game Senator Guffey bought ham & eggs for 400 Pennsylvanians at the South Interior Department Cafeteria. Senator Walsh entertained 60 Massachusetts ladies at his exclusive Metropolitan Club.

After two days of listening to speeches on practical politics, surveying Congress, plodding on sight-seeing tours, meeting Congressmen, romping over the District of Columbia, the delegates descended on the White House. Not in the East Room, but from the South Portico, President Roosevelt delivered his informal chat, while his audience filled the White House lawn. Said the President: "I am confident that your common sense, your enthusiasm and your deep understanding of the problems of the day will go far to keep the American people on the right road in this Year of Grace 1940. Now come in and visit."

The ladies dashed at Mrs. Roosevelt, in their enthusiasm tore a ribbon from her hat.

Said Molly Dewson: "And they didn't think my . . . program would work. Oh. gee!'

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