The original documents are located in Box 40, folder “Ford, Gerald - International Women's Year Commission” of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Some items in this folder were not digitized because it contains copyrighted materials. Please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library for access to these materials. Digitized from Box 40 of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library ---------------..¥Q"""'•---t·--·,;-A\_C•,.. ... ~......... ---------------- .,__ Possibilities for the Ruckelshaus Women's Year By Isabelle Shelton IN ANY CASE, those who seek the ad­ sion - which presently has 37 members, ing the Nixon years, except for Mrs. Wa1hln111111 Star Staff Writer ~ancement of women in ·this countrY. see• with one or two more nominees elipected Ruckelshaus. She-got in some g~ licks Women are excited about the possibil­ , .. ~the coqimisslon as potentially the most soon from the White House - should but the clout of a committed president ities they see in the International · important thing that has happened for break down into task forces on various would have meant more. Co.mmlssion on Women's Year nam.ed women si.Ace Lyndon Johnson, then vice subjects, as did the commission headed • Enforc;ement of anti-discrimination the other day by the White House, · pfe&jden~ - and Esther Peterson, then by Mrs. Roosevelt. laws now on the books. Many of the prob­ ll­ lems women still face especially in equal thou1h they are· \':llstre~se4 that it was assi.i&nt secretary of Labor, talked She does not want to discuss the areas named so late. · · .. ,. -.,~ Pl"esiden.t John Kennedy into creating a the commission will explore, preferring job opportunity, have been addressed by CQmmission on the Status of Women, and to wait for input from other commission Congress. The year will be more than one-fourth per!J.u&ided the late Eleanor Roosevelt to members but women's groups are not But enforcement is a joke, . with the gone before the new commission - head it. waiting for that. A large group of them, Equal Employment Opportunities which will be headed by former WhJte Many serious students of the burgeon­ extending from the Girl Scouts to some Commission suffering a two-year back­ House director of women's affairs Jill ing women's movement in this country for the liberal organizations, will present log for instance. There has been almost ltuckelshaus - holds its first meeting on trace the explosion of activity back to the the commission staff with a proposed no crackdown on firms holding' federal April 15. Until now, the United Nations­ report broucht in by that commission. agenda some day this week. .• contracts who discriminate, despite a spawned IWY has · been largely without It caused a turnaround on the Equal law banning such discrimination. focus in this country. _, Rights Amendment, which Congress had OBVIOUS AREAS for the commission And anti-discrimination in education The new commission is supposed tO treated as .a joke for 50 years. And to consider include: - the so-called "Title Nine ' Amend­ wind up its work by the end of December, through state commissions on the Status • Final passage of the Equal Rights ment passed in 1972 - is still awaiting when I.WV. ends, ,nd give a final repoJ:t ·.. ot-_Woinen it spawned aeross the land ii Amendment which still needs to be rati­ guidelines before its implementation. to President Ford by the end of January, • 1 •ot thousands ,of wome.n thinkin.g seri­ fied by four more states. Despite First Now a "backlash" from white male 1976. Some people are hoping . for. ;an·· .ously about ·.their role in life, snd the Lady Betty Ford's valiant efforts, sup­ teachers (who feel threatened by both extension, since the Commission is get.: inaqy inequities that needed changing. port from the White House has not been women and blacks), plus pressure from ting under way so 111,te. .. · . Mrs. Ruckelshaus thinks 'her commis- strong. It was almost non-existant dur- . See WOM_EN'S YEAR, F-4 .'.'!.. -- ·, • ec I t . "'!"~'> ~-\a< 'tf 3'7) f · (!.13 Ford·Picks Women's Year Panel By Isabelle Shelton Of President Ford's 33 the president of the United w~ scar Slaff wrtw nominees. 29 are women ,Federation of Teachers. The White House yes­ and 4 are men. Others are Rita John­ terday finally announced ston of Bethesda. vice­ THE WOMEN include .chairman of the Inter­ its nominees for the the nation's only woman National Commission on American Commission of governor, Democrat Ella Women of the Organiza­ the -Observance of Inter­ Grasso df Connecticut; national Women's Year. tion of American States; former Rep. Martha Grif· Dorothy Kissinger, co­ Jill Ruckelshaus. direc­ fiths, D-Mich.: former owner of an Arizona guest tor of organizational rela· White House Counselor ranch; New York Civil tions for the National Cen· Anne Armstrong; author­ Service Commissioner ·:·· ter for Voluntary Action playwright Clare Boothe Ersa Poston; Betty Smith. and former cjirector . of Luce; television's Barba· a member of the national women's affairs in the ra Walters; and Pat board of the YMCA; Annie Nixon White House, was Hutar. former vice-chair· Waunek. a member of the named to head the new man of. the Republican· Navajo Indian Tribal commission. National Committee and Council; Gerridee Wheel­ presently U. S. represen­ nm YEAR 1975 was er. president of the Na­ proclaimed International tative to the U. N. tional Association of Men· Women's Year by the Other women named tal Health, ano Sister Joel .United Nations in Decem­ are C(ty Councilwoman Read, president of Alver­ ber, 1972. President Nixon Ethel Allen of Philadel­ no College of Milwaukee. echoed the proclamation phia.: Margaret Long Ar­ Three of the women are .for the United States in nold of the National Re­ quite young. Paula Gib­ January, 1974. and Presi­ tired Teachers son, a freshman at Gonza­ dent Ford announced the Association: Attorney ga University in Spokane, creation of the Nationai EUzabeth Athnasakos; Wash .• a leader in Future Commission on January 9 University of Maryland Homemakers of America. of this year. economics professor is 18. Casey Eike, assist· But the year will be Barbara Bergmann: ant to the dean of women three-and-a-half months Patricia Carbine. editor· at the University of gone by the time the new In-chief of Ms. Magazine. Kansas, ls 24. Ellen Kirby, commission holds Its first and Judge Mary Stallings a P.pblic Health Service meeting. April 15. Coleman of the Michigan nurse In Grant County, The purpose of the cele­ Supreme Court. W.Va •• ls 27. bration of the year. as set Others are Helen Cop­ The four men named to forth by the United Na- ley. chairman and chief the commission are Wes­ . tions, is to ..promote executive officer of the ton <;hristopherson, presi· equality between men and Copley Newspapers; Au· dent of Jewel Companies. women," "ensure the full drey Colom. coordinator a Midwest food chain; Integration of women in of the D. C. Child Advoca­ Richard Cornuella, author the total economic and so­ cy Office; Gilda Gjurich, and former executive vice cial development of their president and senior part· president of the National country:• and "recognize ner in a California con­ Association of Manufac­ the Importance of struction firm: Hanna turers; .former Governor women's increasing . con­ Gray. provost of Yale Winfield Dunn of Tennes­ tribution to the develop­ University; Lenore Her· see and William Mer~er. ment of friendly relations shey. editor-in-chief of the president of the New Eng­ and cooperation among Ladies Home Journal, and land Telephone and Tele­ states and to the strength­ Velma Hill, assistant to graph Company, ening of world peace.'• ------~~--------~~ In additon to the 33 members named yester­ day by President Ford, Senate Majority Leader' Mike Mansfield has ,o,O I named Sens. Charles ~ercy, R-lll., · and Birch Bayh, D·Ind.. to the commission. House .. ' Speaker Carl Albert baa .. ... , .. named Reps. Bella Abzug~ D-N.Y.. and Margaret i '"tier. R-Mass. ·' ., THE WHITE HOUSE WASHil'iGTON June 9, 1975 Dear Dr, Westerhof: Sheila Weidenfeld sent along to me your letter concerning the Commission for International Women's Year and your vita, The Commission was named by the President in early April and is now in place. However, I will send your resume over to the staff of the Commission as there may be a possi­ bility of using your excellent contributions as a consultant. If this kind of possibility does occur, you will be hearing directly from them. Sincerely, , <3~~ Patricia S. Lindh Special Assistant to the President for Women .. Dr. Caroline Westerhof 144041 73rd Avenue Kew Gardens Hills, N. Y. 11367 • . Federal Commissions: News 20 NEWS Subtle Sex Discrimination Against Women's Year Commission? By Ann Wood (Condensed from N.Y. News) The National Commission on the Observance of Inter­ national Women's Year began work only last Tuesday -- 3 1/2 months after the start of International Women's Year -­ because President Ford didn't get around to appointing the members until April 2.