Bonfire Girls

In 1928 bellicose, able Doris Stevens proposed, founded, organized a certain thing called the Inter-American Commission of Women (a sort of handmaid organization to the Pan American Union). Miss Stevens' job does not pay anything. The commission cannot actually do anything--except find an occasional fact, present it to higher authorities. But since 1933 many a scheme to oust her as chairwoman has been hatched.

For Miss Stevens, who was once sprung from the District of Columbia jail by Dudley Field Malone* after suffrage-picketing of the White House, holds that women are created free and equal with men, scorns all protective legislation for women. To the opposite female faction--who favor not equal rights but special rights for women--it was unthinkable that Miss Stevens should occupy so exalted a post. Eleanor Roosevelt, Frances Perkins, "Molly" Dewson, and many another New Dealer belong to the opposition. Yet for ten years Miss Stevens kept her seat in spite of all the bonfires they could build under her.

Last January the bonfire girls found a match: the U. S. Government had never officially appointed her to her post. Franklin Roosevelt quietly appointed a chum of Mesdames Perkins, Dewson and his wife --Mary Winslow of Washington--to the "vacancy." But Miss Stevens thwarted the bonfire girls. She refused to leave office.

Things dragged on. Latin American diplomats dodged the issue many a time until last week. Then Pan American Union's governing board performed a judgment of Solomon. Ignoring both camps, they chose as the new chairwoman lissome Senora Ana Rosa de Martinez Guerrero of Argentina, who has no commitments in either camp and speaks no English, is not expected to visit Washington often.

But Miss Stevens got a sop. Her chum, and coworker, Minerva Bernardino of the Dominican Republic, was put in as vice chairlady to run things as satrap for the lady from Argentina.

* Miss Stevens married Mr. Malone four years later, in 1921; divorced him in 1927; married Writer Jonathan Mitchell in 1935.

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