A Dozen Firsts

A year ago the National League of Women Voters held its annual convention in Baltimore. By its invitation a conference of Pan-American women also assembled there at that time. An inquiring South American delegate, Senorita Mandujano, of Chile, asked for a list of the twelve greatest women in the United States of whom she wished to write for the South American public. The League consented to supply the list.

But when the attempt was made such a flood of female greatness appeared, that the League was swamped and impotent to choose without offense and injustice. Finally a committee was appointed, and now, a year later, the committee reports a list of twelve " greatests." The women were chosen one for each profession or occupation. The list as now drawn up reads:

Jane Addams ............................................philanthropy

Cecelia Beaux ...........................................painting

Anna Jump Cannon .................................astronomy

Carrie Chapman Catt ...............................politics

Anna Botsford Comstock ........................natural history

Minnie Maddern Fiske ..............................stage

Louise Homer ...........................................music

Julia Lathrop ..............................................child welfare

Florence Eena Sabin ................................anatomy

M. Carey Thomas .....................................education

Martha Van Rensselaer ...........................home economics

Edith Wharton . . ........................................literature