N. F. B. P. W. C.

N.F.B.P.W.C.

There are more than 8,500,000 women workers in the U. S. today. In the natural order of events, the commercial careers of most of them are bounded on the one side by a graduation exercise and on the other by a wedding ring, or possibly a baby carriage. But those women workers whose activities are concerned with higher things than chocolate-dipping, bargain counters and the touch system, refer to their careers rather than to their jobs and are deeply concerned over any " discrimination" shown against the woman worker on account of her sex.

Some 2,000 leaders among U. S. women workers gathered last week at Oakland, Calif. They were delegates to the annual convention of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, an organization with a membership of 60,000 and a surplus of $17,000. With Miss Lena Madesin Phillips presiding they discussed various topics of economic feminism :

Legislation. After brisk debate, the convention indorsed the Child Labor Amendment to the U. S. Constitution--an amendment which thus far has been ratified by only five states of the 36 necessary for the amendment to become a law. The topic of "protective legislation" (restriction of women workers to an eight-hour day) provoked argument between those who felt that women could not reach executive positions with a time-limit handicap on their labor and those who felt that women were likely to be exploited by unscrupulous male employers. The matter was finally left to the individual action of women in the various states.

Bachelors. A discussion of income taxes on unmarried persons led to the expression of various opinions concerning bachelors. Said Miss Martha L. Connole of St. Louis: "Bachelors are selfish or they wouldn't be bachelors. They're afraid of assuming the obligations, financial and spiritual, of marriage. Women have a deeper sense of moral responsibility than men." Said Miss Mary Zapp of Pocatello, Idaho: "The modern girl seldom finds a man who meets with her approval as a companion and who still earns as much as she does." Mrs. Elva Wilcox of New Jersey said: "All men and women would marry if they could. It is all a question of romance, which some never find and others do."

Laurels. The convention named Edna Browning Ruby of Lafayette, Ind., as the "most outstanding business woman" and Judge Florence E. Allen of Columbus, Ohio, as the "most outstanding professional woman" of the nation. Miss Ruby is the only U. S. woman engaged in the business of ecclesiastical art. She designs, builds and installs art-glass church windows and also attends to the interior decoration of churches. Judge Allen has been on the bench of the Supreme Court of Ohio since 1923, was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U. S. Senate in 1926.

Publicity. Miss Helen Havener, of Portland, Me., National Publicity Chairman, reported that 776 local clubs had secured, during the year, no less than 2,990 columns of publicity. This was the equivalent of some 373 newspaper (8 column) pages.

Remarks. Notable observations on various topics:

"Women have been too long dependent on men." -- President Phillips.

"Women are underpaid." -- Miss Lela Lackey of Little Rock, Ark.