NWSA SUBJECT FILE Equal Rights Amendment MINUTES OF MEETING OF WOMEN'S COMMITTEE OPPOSED TO THE SO-CALLED EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT Held at 532 - 17th Street N. W., May 7, 1926 A meeting of the sub-committee opposed to the Equal Rights Amendment was held on May 7th at 10 A.M. in the office of the Women's Trade Union League, with the chairman, Miss Ethel Smith, presiding. Present were, Mrs. Abrams, General Federation of Women's Clubs, Mrs. Swiggett, National Council of Women, Miss Atwater, American Home Economics Association, Miss Smith, National Women's Trade Union League, Miss Owen, National League of Women Voters, and Mrs. Costigan, National Consumers' League. Miss Smith presented a letter from Mrs. Maud Wood Park, stating the difficulties encountered in working on the Advisory Committee to the Women's Bureau, and requesting that she be authorized to withdraw from the Committee. Moved, by Mrs. Costigan, seconded by Miss Atwater, that the sub-committee accept Mrs. Park's recommendation that she be authorized to resign from the Advisory Committee to the Women's Bureau. Carried. Motion. In view of the facts that: 1. The conferences of the Advisory Committee, extending over a three-months' period, have demonstrated that no agreement is possible between the advocates of labor legislation for women and those who are opposing it. 2. The opponents of labor laws have broken faith by attempting to discredit, in advance, an investigation which they asked the Women's Bureau to make 3. The National Woman's Party representatives have attempted to coerce the Women's Bureau by means of political interference on their side of the controversy 4. To agree, in advance of scientific presentation of the facts and elements of a problem, to the holding of public hearings by the Women's Bureau on the question at issue, would defeat impartial, scientific investigation. Such hearings, while providing a forum for the National Women's Party at public expense, would make impossible the taking of testimony from working women who favor the legislation, because to testify in public would endanger their jobs. Moved to Mrs. Abrams: That this committee appoint no successor to Mrs. Park on the Advisory Committee unless the Woman's Part changes its tactics and modifies its demands. Seconded by Mrs. Swiggett. Carried. Mabel C. Costigan Secretary pro tem. WOMEN'S COMMITTEE OPPOSING THE SO-CALLED "EQUAL RIGHTS" AMENDMENT 532-17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C Release Monday May 10, 1926 Endorsing the position of Mrs. Maud Wood of Washington, D. C., in refusing further conference with the National Woman's Party, until they modify their demands, the Women's Committee Opposing the so-called "Equal Rights" constitutional amendment today authorized Mrs. Park's withdrawal as their representative on an Advisory Committee to the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor. Mrs. Park, who is legislative counselllor of the National League of Women Voters, has been serving on this Advisory Committee for the past three months, jointly with Mrs. Sara Conboy of New York, who is the representative of the American Federation of Labor, and Miss Mabel Leslie, also, of New York, who is the representative of the National Women's Trade Union League. These three constituted the "pro" side of a bi-partisan committee which was organized by the Women's Bureau in connection with an investigation into the effects of special legislation regulating the employment of women. Both the American Federation of Labor and the National Women's Trade Union League have withdrawn their representatives, Mrs. Conboy and Miss Leslie, from the committee, simultaneously with the withdrawal of Mrs. Park and for the same reasons, namely: 1. That the conferences of the Advisory Committee, extending over a three-months' period, have demonstrated that no agreement is possible between the advocates of labor legislation for women and those who are opposing it,- the latter being representatives of the National Woman's Party. 2. That the opponents of labor laws have broken faith by attempting to discredit, in advance, an investigation which they asked the Women's Bureau to make. 3. That the National Woman's Party representatives have attempted to coerce the Women's Bureau by means of political interference on their side of the controversy. 4. That to agree, in advance of scientific presentation of the facts and elements of a problem, to the holding of public hearings by the Women's Bureau on the question at issue, would defeat impartial, scientific investigation. Such hearings, while providing a forum for the National Woman's Party at public expense, would make impossible the taking of testimony from working women who favor the legislation, because to testify in public would endanger their jobs/ The Joint Committee which nominated Mrs. park for membership on the Advisory Committee of the Women's Bureau is a sub-committee of the Women's Joint Congressional Committee. It consists of legislative representatives of 11 national organizations of women, among them the National League of Women Voters, the General Federation of Women's Clubs, National Consumers' League, and other nation-wide groups. In addition to its action authorizing Mrs. Park's withdrawal, the Women's Committee voted to appoint no successor, unless. the Woman's Party changes its tactics and modifies its demands. Women's Committee- p.2. EXCERPTS FROM STATEMENT BY MRS. PARK The existing Advisory Committee is an unofficial body created in response to a request from the delegates to the Conference on Industrial Problems of Women which was held in Washington last January under the auspices of the Women's Bureau of the Department of Labor. While the request was in no way binding upon the Bureau, being merely the request of an unofficial body, the Director of the Bureau and various organizations interested in the subject of special legislation for women undertook in good faith to carry out the terms of the Resolution which conveyed the request- "that the Women's Bureau make a comprehensive investigation of all the special laws regulating the employment of women to determine their effects" and "that the director of the Bureau be requested to form an advisory committee with whom the director will take counsel concerning the scope of the investigation, and that the personnel of such committee include equal representation of both sides of the controversy over special legislation for women." The members of the Advisory Committee representing the American Federation of Labor, the National Women's trade Union League, and the other national organizations of women supporting special legislation for women have agreed upon and outline for the investigation which calls for expert study by the trained staff of the Woman's Bureau, in accordance with its customary methods of investigation. We have suggested that comparison be made of the working conditions and the employment opportunities of women in states where special laws exist for women and in states where they did not exist, in occupations where the laws apply and where they do not apply, and in territories where trade unions exist and where they do not exist. We have recommended that the study cover representative areas for laws regulating hours of women's labor, for the night work laws, and for the laws prohibiting employment of women in any particular occupation. We have suggested that attention be focused on the laws affecting the greatest numbers of women, i.e. the eight, nine, and ten hour laws, but that other types of laws be included. The National Woman's Party insists upon a counter plan which we consider inadequate. Their proposal calls for an investigation of night work laws. We have agreed that night work laws should be included among the other types of laws we desire to see covered by the investigation but we think the scope of the investigation should be much broader. The important difference between the two groups of the Committee has arisen over the method of the investigation, which was not within the scope of the duties of the Committee. We assumed that that Bureau would make the proposed investigation in the usual way through its staff of trained investigators. But the representatives of the Woman's Party have insisted that the investigation should be made not in this way, but by the holding of public hearings. This method we disapprove on the ground that it is unsuitable for the fact finding on a technical subject. For the development of opinion, public hearings may have their value after the basic facts and the conditions have been examined by trained investigators; but in advance of fact-finding we believe that public hearings can serve no purpose but that of publicity, destroying the possibility of impartial investigation. Convention Business. 39 Since the remaining four had been refused the rating of A.A.U., it was recommended that these institutions be dropped from our lists: James Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois Russell Sage College, Troy New York Transylvania College, Lexington, Kentucky Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan (2) Institutions approved for membership. -The following were approved for membership: Massachusetts State College, Amherst, Massachusetts, A.B. and B.S. (in the sciences) and B.S in H.Ec. Scripps College, Claremont Colleges, Claremont California, A.B. Utah State Agricultural College, Logan, Utah, B.S. in H.Ec., B.S. in Arts and Sc., B.S. in Ed., B.S. in Com. and Bus. Adm. University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, A.B., A.B. in Ed., A.B. in Journalism, B.S., B.S. in Ed. Capital University, Columbus, Ohio, A.B., B.S. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, A.B., B.S. Two institutions were approved for List II: University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, and Emory University, Georgia. (3) Teachers Colleges.- By cooperative arrangement, the American Association of Teachers Colleges has submitted the names of twelve institutions for study by the A.A.U.W. committee, the special purpose being to study the standards of the American Association of Teachers Colleges as exemplified in these institutions. The committee, which was authorized to decide if and when the rating of the A.A.T.C was satisfactory, recommended: That the A.A.T.C. rating be a preliminary to consideration of the applications of teachers colleges for approval by the American Association of University Women; that certain other basic standards of general education be used, together with the specific standards of the American Association of University Women. Of the twelve teachers colleges studied in connection with the A.A.T.C rating, four had not applied toA.A.U.W. for approval. Of the others, these were recommended by the committee as having satisfactorily met the above requirements: State Teachers College, Buffalo, New York, B.S. Northwest Missouri State Teachers College, Marville, Missouri, A.B., B.S. in Ed. North Texas State Teachers College, Denton, Texas, A.B., B.S. Ball State Teachers College, Muncie, Indiana, A.B. in Ed., B.S. in Ed. Northern Illinois State Teachers College, DeKalb, Illinois, B. of Ed. The Legislative Program, 1939-41 Convention discussion of the federal Legislative Program proposed for support by A.A.U.W. stressed the fact that the Association's policy is to adopt principle, not to endorse specific measures. Later, if a bill embodying the principle adopted is introduced in Congress, the Association supports that bill. Mrs. H.K. Painter, Director of the Northwest Central Section, reminded the delegates that the A.A.U.W. legislative program is selective, not mandatory, and that the program involves three steps- first, research or study; next, formation of public opinion at home; and lastly, activities in connection with a measure before Congress- and that no branch is supposed to take the third step until it has taken the first and second. The following items were adopted as the Legislative Program for 1939-41: EDUCATION 1.Coordination of federal educational activities 2. Adequate appropriations for the U.S. Office of Education Abolition of compulsory block-booking and blind selling in the leasing of motion picture films 4. Federal aid for free tax-supported public education, including libraries 40 Journal of the American Association of University Women Social Studies 5. Legislation in the interest of the consumer, including strengthening the Food and Drug Act and its administration; coordination of consumer activities in the Federal Government, under a join committee representing all the federal agencies working in the field; development of standards of quality and performance for consumer goods; opposition to laws authorizing price-fixing contracts between manufacturer and retailer affecting consumer goods; and the protection of the consumer against unfair trade practices 6. Adequate appropriations for the Children's Bureau and for the Women’s Bureau of the Department of Labor; and for the Bureau of Home Economics and for the Food and Drug Administration of the Department of Agri- culture 7. Adequate appropriations for the Division of Labor Standards of the Department of Labor to enable that Division to continue to serve the states and groups working within the states for the improvement of legislative and administrative standards 8. Appropriations for the Wage-Hour Division of the Department of Labor to insure fair and uniform enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act 9. The continued collection of necessary data on production and consumption as related to the American standard of living, wages, hours, and family income, and on population and migration trends, as carried on by the Na- tional Resources Committee, the Central Statistical Board, the Bureau of Labor Sta- tistics, the Bureau of the Census, as well as the agencies listed in Item 6 10. A coordinated social welfare program, and an extension of health services for maternal and child care 11. Extension and improvement of the merit system in government 12. Such measures as may be necessary to protect civil rights in the United States International Relations 13. The development of an immediate and long- range foreign policy for the United States based on international cooperation and directed toward: (column 2) a. Development of international cultural relations and intellectual cooperation b. Removal of restrictions on international trade — support of the present Reciprocal Trade Agreements program c. Cultivation of the good neighbor policy ia the Western Hemisphere — support of treaties, conventions, and declarations ot the inter-American conferences d. Support of machinery and measures, both national and international, to promote a world of law and order Economic and Legal Status or Women 14. Opposition to discrimination in government employment on the basis of sex or marital! status 15. The Association supports the principle of equality for women; but opposes the pro- posed Equal Rights Amendment to the Con- stitution as a method of obtaining equality By-Law Revisions Postponed By-Law amendments drafted by the Committee on Revision of the By-Laws were sent to the branches in February 1939, for consideration before the Con- vention. The committee, however, had been considerably handicapped by two serious illnesses in its membership, and had not been able to meet. The Board of Directors, at its meeting just before the Convention, concluded that it would be wise to give more consideration to some of the proposed changes; on recommenda- tion from the Board, the Convention voted to defer action on the report of the Committee for Revision of the By-Laws until the next Convention, with the understanding that a committee would study ic further and bring in a report. The Convention in committee-of-the- whole discussed the proposed changes, in order chat the Committee on Revision might have some expression of opinion. On the question of voting powers in the Board of Directors, the opinion was expressed that the elected members (offi- THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1938. D5 WOMEN'S GROUPS STUDY STRATEGY TO OVERCOME FIGHT ON EQUAL RIGHTS Controversy at Lima Widens Rift Among Feminist Ranks Five National Organizations Press for Adoption of Resolution That Will Safeguard All Existing Protective Legislation BY ANNE PETERSEN A week of uncertainty as to developments at the Lima conference on the question of women's rights has left the five national women's organizations favoring protective legislation studying new strategies as they prepare for the next session of Congress. The picture of conflicting forces manoeuvring at the Peruvian sessions has stirred both side to the controversy in this country to an unprecedented degree. As a result, whatever action is taken on the resolution on women's civil and legal rights, it foreshadows what should prove a historic struggle in the feminist movement- more significant to the women of the Northern Hemisphere that those in the South. partly because of the far greater proportion of women in industry here. Both points of view appear to be fully aroused as never before to the need of settling the issue with finality. When an Equal Rights Amendment is introduced at the next session, as its sponsors- the National Woman's Party- have done for the past fourteen years, the two factions, fresh from their Lima experiences, should be able to present their arguments with renewed vigor, and they hope, to a more informed public. The divergent attitudes of a large number of women in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres on the question of equal rights are also explained in the State laws already promulgated in the country for the special protection of women. Blanket legislation, such as a constitutional amendment, admittedly would cancel such State laws. Because of the differing Constitutions under which Latin American countries operate, the effects of blanket legislation would not be identical in both hemispheres. Messages Sent to Hull Organizations in this country opposing any equal rights treaty were quick to make their views articulate last week. Messages emphasizing their position were dispatched to Secretary of State Cordell Hull in anticipation of favorable action on a proposal which would, it was reported, omit any reference to equal rights for men and women. But by the end of the week, when it was learned that the proposal might omit a recommendation to preserve special protective benefits to women already existing, they were quick to realize the sentiment among the American delegates had swung away from the position originally reported. The second barrage of radiograms from executives all over the country was evidence of their present watchfulness in a situation that promises to give a fair test of their strength. Among the groups which have opposed an equal rights amendment in this country are the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women, the Women's Trade Union League, the National Council of Jewish Women and the Young Women's Christian Association. Their views are, in the main, summed up in the statement sent to the Secretary of State by Mrs. Jane Smith Cramer, State chairman of the committee on government and legal status of the League of Women Voters. Mrs. Cramer wrote: "We oppose an international treaty or Federal constitutional amendment or any blanket method of attempting to make man and woman equal in civil, political and economic fields. We recommend, instead, the passage of specific laws to remove existing specific inequalities where desirable. Effect in New York State "In New York State, where our laws provide protection for women in industry, widow's pensions and require a father to support his wife and children, we do not want a treaty or constitutional amendment which will make such essential legislation null and void and preclude the passage of similar progressive measures." The topic of the status of women has been debated at twelve inter- American conferences, beginning with the National Feminist Congress in Buenos Aires in 1910. At the fifth conference of American States held in Santiago in 1923, a resolution was adopted proposing that a topic covering the rights of women be included in all future similar congresses. The subject of a treaty on equal rights was first introduced at the sixth such congress at Havana in 1928, according to a summary re- [?]pons is still [?] who wield them, and the most impor[?] [????] the ideals that inspire and the patterns by which it organizes its loyalties and its manpower. "Perhaps no single task is more important than that we adhere to those measures already taken, and takes additional ones, to identify the masses of the American people with our economic order and to identify our economic order with the welfare of the masses of our people/ "Nothing will more strongly fortify democracy than a knowledge among the people that American democracy is their democracy and that this country is their country. "If we do that, we not need worry about whether they will want to defend it." G.O.P. Convention "Pulls a Boner" Probably the delegates to the Republican National Convention at Philadelphia did not know what they were doing when they wrote into their platform an indorsement of the so-called "equal rights" amendments to the Federal Constitution. For one thing, the proposed amendment would wipe out every law on the statute books of the nation and the states which seeks to protect the wages and working conditions of American working women. Nothing more atrocious than that has ever been put forward by any responsible political organization/ It was backed in Philadelphia by a large and very active lobby representing "The National Woman's Party." This is not a "party" at all, but an organization largely financed by a handful of rich women who never had to do a day's work in their lives. It has been very appropriately dubbed: "The Ladies' Auxiliary to the National Association of Manufacturers", and has frequently "fronted" for sweatshop bosses who wished to defeat or repeal laws in the interest of working women. The most charitable view that can be taken of the action of the Republican convention is that the delegates were "caught asleep at the switch." American working women can scarcely be expected to support a program which will strip them of all legal safeguards. number of women in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere on the question of equal rights are also explained in the State laws already promulgated in this country for the special protection of women. Blanket legislation, such as a constitutional amendment, admittedly would cancel such State laws. Because of the differing Constitutions under which the Latin-American countries operate, the effects of blanket legislation would not be identical in both hemispheres. Messages Sent to Hull Organizations in this country opposing any equal rights treaty were quick to make their views articulate last week. Messages emphasizing their position were dispatched to Secretary of State Cordell Hull in anticipation of favorable action on a proposal which would, it was reported, omit any reference to equal rights for men and women. But by the end of the week, when it was learned that the proposal might omit a recommendation to preserve special protective benefits to women already existing, they were quick to realize that sentiment among the American delegates had swung away from the position originally reported. The second barrage of radiograms from executives all over the country was evidence of their present watchfulness in a situation that promises to give a fair test of their strength. Among the groups which have opposed an equal rights amendment in this country are the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women, the Women's Trade Union League, the National Council of Jewish Women and the Young Women's Christian Association. Their views are, in the main, summed up in the statement sent to the Secretary of State by Mrs. Jane Smith Cramer, State chairman of the committee on government and legal status of the League of Women Voters. Mrs. Cramer wrote: "We oppose an international treaty or Federal constitutional amendment or any blanket method of attempting to make man and woman equal in civil, political and economic fields. We recommend, instead, the passage of specific laws to remove existing specific inequalities where desirable. Effect in New York State "In New York State, where our laws provide protection for women in industry, widow's pensions and require a father to support his wife and children, we do not want a treaty or constitutional amendment which will make such essential legislation null and void and preclude the passage of similar progressive social measures." The topic of the status of women has been debated at twelve inter- American conferences, beginning with the National Feminist Congress in Buenos Aires in 1910. At the fifth conference of American States held in Santiago in 1923, a resolution was adopted proposing that a topic covering the rights of women be included in all future similar congresses. The subject of a treaty on equal rights was first introduced at the sixth such congress at Havana in 1928, according to a summary recently compiled by the Women's Bureau of the United States Department of Labor. While it was not on the agenda, a report on the subject was received and discussed in plenary session, the summary states, "after continued lobbying and insistence on the part of members of the National Woman's Party." Inter-American Group Formed It was following this hearing that the conference created an Inter- American Commission of Woman, to prepare information for future conferences. Women from all the American republics comprise its membership. Miss Doris Stevens, National Woman's Party member, its first chairman, has directed its activities in the ten intervening years, although five years ago the conference at Montevideo expressed in a resolution its hope that the chairmanship would be rotated among the various countries represented. It was at this same conference that the United States delegation spoke against the continuation of the commission. That a similar move may be made by the United States delegation at Lima is thought possible from one report, which stated that a plan was under consideration to recommend the creation of an Inter-American Women's Committee. This would be a permanent body, serving in an advisory capacity to all future conferences on questions bearing on women's status; and it would submit its reports before the conferences, rather than during their sessions. Such a plan received the widespread endorsement of the women's organizations favoring special protective legislation for women, who so expressed themselves in their letters to Secretary Hull this week. G. O. P. Convention "Pulls a Boner" Probably the delegates to the Republican National Convention at Philadelphia did not know what they were doing when the wrote into their platform an indorsement of the so-called "equal rights" amendments to the Federal Constitution. For one thing, the proposed amendment would wipe out every law on the statute books of the nation and the states which seeks to protect the wages and working conditions of American working women. Nothing more atrocious than that has ever been put forward by any responsible political organization. It was backed in Philadelphia by a large and very active lobby representing "The National Woman's Party." This is not a "party" at all, but an organization largely financed by a handful of rich women who never had to do a day's work in their lives. It has been very appropriately dubbed: "The Ladies' Auxiliary to the National Association of Manufacturers," and has frequently "fronted" for sweatshop bosses who wished to defeat or repeal laws in the interest of working women. The most charitable view that can be taken of the action of the Republican convention is that the delegates were "caught asleep at the switch." American working women can scarcely be expected to support a program which will strip them of all legal safeguards. Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.