The Daily Missoulian

Washington, April 1. (Special.)—Miss Jeannette Rankin, first American congresswoman, tonight finally disposed of persistent reports that she would act with the Independents in congress. She said:

"I was elected on the Republican ticket and shall abide by the decision of the Republican caucus in my vote for speaker."

Tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock the National American Woman's Suffrage association will give Miss Rankin a breakfast at the Shoreham hotel which will be attended by over 100 members, among them Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, Mrs. Champ Clark, Mrs. A. A. Jones, wife of Senator Jones of New Mexico, and Mrs. Raker, wife of Congressman Raker of California.

This evening it was arranged that after the breakfast Miss Rankin would briefly address the public from a balcony at the suffrage headquarters before proceeding to the capitol.

In response to questions Miss Rankin revealed that she would like to be chairman of a house suffrage committee if one is created and that she stands for national prohibition and enlargement of the Children's Welfare bureau. Later, she said, she might talk about the war and other things.

Miss Rankin, who arrived today, is getting more attention than all the other members of congress combined, and is sharing with President Wilson the interest of congress and the public in the opening of the coming session.

Miss Rankin arrived this morning, accompanied by her brother, Wellington D. Rankin. They went to their apartment at the St. Nicholas, where Mrs. Rankin has been living for the past week, and where Miss Rankin will make her home.

Today Miss Rankin has been beset by reporters but has been as non-committal as the president's mentor Colonel House. The nearest she came to telling what she intended doing in congress was to say that she put in all her time at present learning the ropes.