Rogers' Election

Last week, the Fifth Congressional District of Massachusetts held a byelection for U. S. Congressman. There were two candidates.

One was Eugene Noble Foss. He was Congressman in 1910. He served as Governor of Massachusetts for three one-year terms (1911-13 inclusive). He has been by turns Republican, Democrat and Prohibitionist. In the present election, he was a Democrat--a self-styled "Coolidge-Democrat."

The other candidate was Republican Edith Nourse Rogers, widow of John Jacob Rogers, Representative, who died last March after an operation. She served with the Red Cross in France during the War. Since then, she has been personal representative of the President to visit the hospitals of the wounded.

The vote was 23,000-odd for Mrs. Rogers, and 9,000-odd for Mr. Foss.

Thus New England sends a woman to Congress for the first time. She is the seventh woman to sit in the House of Representatives. Others: Miss Jeannette Rankin (Montana) ; Miss Alice Robertson (Oklahoma) ; Mrs. Winifred Mason Huck (Illinois) ; Mrs. Mae E. Nolan (California) ; Mrs. Julius Kahn-(California) ; Mrs. Mary T. Norton* (New Jersey). She follows the new "widow" precedent in politics (Mrs. Nolan and Mrs. Kahn and Governess Ross of Wyoming succeeded their husbands--Mrs. Huck, her father).

Said Mrs. Rogers: "I intend to continue my husband's work. I know I am equal to the detail of the office, for in fact I have been continuing the work ever since my husband died and have managed to keep two secretaries busy. I may not take a very active part in debate, but when the time comes I will be able to stand up and cast my vote when my name is called. I certainly will not be a 'pathetic figure' in Congress."

* Member of the 69th Congress, which will assemble in December.