Independent Record (Newspaper) - May 20, 1973, Helena, Montana First congresswoman dies at 92 Miss Rankin's conscience was her weakness Calif AP Jeannetle Han kin a Montanan a pioneer suffragette and the nation's first woman in Congress is dead at 92 after a long political career sparked by an unswerving aversion fo war and outspoken advocacy of the rights of women Miss Rankin was the only member of Congress to against American ment in the nation's two world wars Death came to the former social worker and Republican congresswoman Friday night at her retirement apartment in mcl Calif Friends said the si Hiss had been in failing health for the past few The congresswoman from M i s s o u 1 a Mont was one of the 58 members of the Congress who voted against U.S entry into World War I In 1941 she stood alone in op- posing America's getting into World War II She was born on a ranch near Missoula before Montana became a slale Social worker Miss Rankin was a social worker in the early after graduating from Uni versity of Montana At 38 and as a man legislator she told her congressional I want to sland by my try I cannot vote for war Her cal career was after one con- gressional term She tried unsuccessfully lo run for the GOP senatorial lost to late Sen Thomas J Walsh In 1940 she was successful in getting back to Congress Her campaign slogan to he limit for defense keep our men out of Europe In her first House term Miss Kankin helped push through the Amendment to the Constitution giving the vole lo en for lime She had previously been a leader in similar legislation in her native Her nc vole in 1941 entering the war Japan brought boos from her fellow congressman The nation was at the lime charged with because of Die Japanese sneak aflack on Pearl Harbor Her brother Wingale Kankin a Montana lawyer said of his sister at the Her conscience is her weakness Miss Rankin said she believed a woman's slate in war was greater than hat of a man It's a woman's job to lake care of the she said She generally opposed all wars for any reason fought anywhere She To me il isn't his war or lhal war It's the war system We've never settled any dispute by fighting She said can't have war without pre para I ion for it Miss believed Hie military system created enemies for the nation and became stronger with each pass- ing war As evidence for licr belief she di- ed the fact she anil 55 other members of Congress entry inlo World War I while she stood alone in opposing in- in World War 11 John F Kennedy once called Miss Hankin one of the truly courageous women in American history She worked for 20 years between terms in House lo improve conditions for women and children and also was in antiwar movements Montana House Elected lo Hie Montana House of in 1911 the male members of that brdy were assessed 50 cents each lo buy flowers lo decorate the chambers for momentous occasion of a woman Two years later he 1913 ture by two thirds vole referred the Amendment lo the people and he Montana electorate approved it in HIM In Congress she introduced first lo give women citizenship through rather have them become zens on the strength of marriage to an American Tile introduced in 1517 did nut become law for several years Sen Lee Melcalf called Miss Hankin one of the truly great ladies of the world Metcalf in a statement from his Washington office said Miss Hankin spoke or disarmament the consumer economic maladjustment racial equality direct tion of the president suffrage to women and oilier pioneering social issues Our world is a belter place because she has passed Metcalf said Divided lime Miss had divided her time be- tween Montana Georgia and California in the later years She said she maintained a u Georgia because il was close lo Washington 11.0 and wanner than tuna One of her last public appearances in her native came in March of 1972 when stie addressed he Montana Constitutional Convention The fiery Miss kin peppered the delegates wilh her ideas tor a direct election She said the present system of electing he Continued on nuge 2 Nixon defends Indochina policy NORFOLK Va AP President Nixon told an Armed Forces Day audience Saturday thai il would be a crime against Americans who died in Indochina lo lei Paris peace agreement be destroyed by cease-fire violations That is why we are uing lo lake he necessary measures to insist lhal all ties lo the agreements keep their word and live up lo their he declared Nixon repeated allegations lhal the North Vietnamese have refused to withdraw thousands of troops in Laos and bodia A peace agreement thai is only a piece of paper is no he said in a ceremony at he Norfolk naval complex Later he traveled to his Camp David Mrt for the weekend Nixon indicated lhal failure lo force adherence to Paris agreement could lead to a role for United Stales hopes for lie said rest In America's hands whole world is Continued on page Jeannette Rankin FROM MONTANA'S CAPITAL CITY Weather Helena Montana Sunday Morning May 20 1973 Showers and cooler today Monday High today 70 low tonight 40 high Monday CO Rain 30 per cent 40 per cent Monday GAO says Kalmbach did pay WASHINGTON AP auditors said that President Nixon's personal lawyer Herbert W Kalmbach told them he paid at least 000 through intermediaries to the Watergate defendants or their attorneys One of the de- fendants has said such money was used in an to buy silence Most of the money came from two officials of the Nixon re-election campaign Maurice Slans and Frederick C LaRue the General Accounting Office said At least came from a third source Thomas V Jones chairman of Northrop Corp Stans admitted The GAO said Stans admitted giving to Kalmbach but contended that it wasn't money he was unaware the money was in- tended for the Watergate de- fendants Jones said he gave to Kalmbach but thought it was a regular campaign contribution and that it would be reported LaRue declined to talk to GAO investigators Watergate conspirator James W McCord has testified that he and other defendants received cash payments after the ging crew was arrested last June 17 and that they were pressured to keep silent about others involved in the political espionage scheme Legal fees Specifically McCord swore that he received in salary and for legal fees last year from the deceased Mrs E Howard Hunt wife of another of the seven men convicted in the con- McCord said Mrs Hunt told him the money came from the Nixon campaign through certain lawyers The GAO was the first official report that Kal- Slans or Jones was im- plicated In such payments LaRue has been identified in news reports as a source of money Kalmbach received the menl from Slans on June 29 less than two weeks after the bugging crew was arrested in- side Democratic headquarters and while campaign officials were denying involvement in the wiretapping The GAO said Kalmbach told investigators money was solicited and received for distribution through inter- to the Watergate de- fendants or their and that Mr Kalmbach ther advised us that he paid out all of these but his only record of the transactions was a slip of paper which he de- Violation The GAO an investigative agency of Congress said Kal- transactions appeared lo violate the federal campaign spending law that took effect April 7 1872 U forwarded its report lo the Justice ment for consideration The committee for the Re- election of the President day denied lhal it had done anything illegal but didn't con- test statement about payments lo the gale In general the de- scribed GAO's conclusions as incomplete un- balanced sensational pre- mature unsupported hastily drafted and arbitrary Bui il also confirmed some of tual statements in the report White House spokesman aid Zicgler declined to com- ment Briefcase Also reported were what the GAO said were other violations II said a containing in campaign cash was secretly given lo 111 Continued on 2 12 die as party boat sinks NARRAGANSETT AP At least 12 persons died when a erry had been converted into a charter boat sank seven miles south of Point Judith the Guard said Eleven others survived Hie sinking officials said and four persons were unaccounted for First lady upstaged PAYETTE Idaho Ponies pulling a stagecoach containing the wife of Idaho Gov Cecil Andras and several children ran wild in a parade here Saturday and the coach tipped over observers reported But the occupants escaped injury Andrus the parade marshal was reported among horseback riders who lo halt the loam of four ponies during sprint which apparently started when were spooked the observers said The incident occurred in the annual Boomerang Days parade An estimated persons had lined the to watch the parade Mrs Andrus and five dren were taken to Holy ry Hospital in Ontario Ore which is just across the Snake River from A man in hospital's cy room said all were being re- leased and that they suffered only bruises and abrasions Observers for Radio Station KYET which was broadcasting the parade when the incident occurred said it appeared something broke on the stagecoach rig and this spooked the ponies They then ran for about two city blocks before the coach tipped over on its side The cause of he sinking was nol immediately but Guard quoted one survivor as saying boat broke up about 45 minutes after leaving Point Judith Day of fishing The Cornel originally from Portland Maine was passengers from North Kingstown and Point Judith for a day of fishing al Block Island Guard said The fied as William Jackson of Cumberland Slale Police Sgl Robert E Kenahan said Jackson was among dead He said all the dead wore from Rhode Island The officer said most of victims were friends or tives Ifn said survivors and the dead apparently were in water four to six hours before being picked up Conflicting stories He said survivors gave con- stories of the cause of the disaster Some say il was failure of he said and others too many nn nne tide George a South County Hospital official said various from vors indicated the boat cap- sized Apparently there were loo many people on one side and boat started lo list and lake on water The captain people lo move away from that side and everyone ran lo the other side causing the boat lo capsize il apparently began sinking slern first The Coast Guard said II were taken lo South County Hospital in Warwick Three were admitted and others were treated and re- leased Radio message The Coast Guard said il un- Comet sank about X hut it was not known until p.m when bel a radio message hat she had picked up 10 survivors Coast Guard and Navy sent surface rescue craft and helicopters to the scene Survivors and the dead were hoisted into the hovering pers CATCHING SOME SUN If these ers could talk they would be thankful for the warm sunshine that helped them bloom atop Mt Helena this past week and perhaps just as thankful for the rain that moved Into the area last night Staff Photo by Warren
