Marion Ella Martin

Marion Ella Martin (April 8, 1900 – January 8, 1987) was an American politician and women's rights advocate known for her work within the Republican Party in the mid-20th century. She served as a Maine state legislator and later as Assistant Chairman of the Republican National Committee, where she founded the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW) to coordinate women's political efforts. Martin focused on integrating women into established political structures and encouraged their participation in mainstream party activities. Her initiatives contributed to expanding women's roles within the Republican Party during that era.

Early life and education Marion Ella Martin was born in Kingman, Maine on April 8, 1900, to William Henry Martin and Florence McLaughlin Martin. William Martin, who ran a wholesale potato business, and Florence Martin, was involved in civic activism.

The Martin family was prosperous and supportive, encouraging their daughter's ambitions of becoming a research chemist. In 1913, they sent her to Bradford Academy, a private secondary school for girls in Massachusetts. She graduated from the academy in 1917.

Political career in Maine Martin served two terms in both the Maine House of Representatives and the State Senate from 1931 to 1938. One of the few women in the state legislature at the time, she gained recognition for her political skills. In 1936, the Portland Evening Express noted her success in navigating the predominantly male political landscape, describing her as meeting "the tests of a man’s game."

While serving in the legislature, Martin developed an interest in legal matters and became the first non-lawyer to chair the Senate's Legal Affairs Committee. To enhance her legislative work, she attended law courses at Yale. During this period, she came to the attention of the Republican National Committee (RNC).. Martin's strategy focused on integration, encouraging women to work within the established party framework rather than independently. She emphasized party loyalty while discouraging extremist positions, aiming to align women's political efforts with the broader Republican agenda.

Later career From 1947 until her retirement in 1972, Martin was consecutively appointed by two Republican and two Democratic governors to serve as Commissioner of Labor and Industry in Maine, where she made significant contributions to the state’s labor policies.

Education Martin emphasized the importance of an educated citizenry, stating that “one percent of our people . . . think and the other 99 percent emote.” She expressed the view that leadership positions should be held by informed and hardworking individuals, while those unwilling to put in the effort should not expect political recognition.

Extremism and New Deal Martin was critical of the New Deal, describing it as leading to a "breakdown in American morale" due to fomenting "class hatreds." She believed the New Deal government was wasteful and corrupt and was skeptical that an activist federal government could resolve social issues.

Party Loyalty and Women’s Representation Martin thought that the Republican Party needed to acknowledge the contributions of women, not just through praise but through meaningful appointments. She criticized Republicans for choosing “dummies” to represent them and instead advocated for appointing qualified women who were genuinely capable of contributing to the party’s success.

Social Class and Strikes While Martin was generally opposed to strikes, she acknowledged that they could sometimes address “justifiable grievances.” However, she was cautious, recognizing that outright opposition to labor strikes could harm the Republican Party's image as it might reinforce the perception of the party being anti-labor.

Women’s Political Involvement While advocating for women's advancement in politics, Martin was cautious about framing this progress as a “women’s crusade.” She criticized the tendency of women to be swayed by emotional rhetoric, which she believed made them susceptible to extremist movements. Martin warned against "alarmist" groups, noting that women were often drawn to such causes, which she felt undermined their political effectiveness.

Women's employment rights Martin emphasized the need for women to prepare for post-World War II job competition with men. Drawing from the experiences following World War I, she warned that returning soldiers would likely resent the increased presence of women in the workforce. Martin urged women to take proactive steps to protect their employment rights, including utilizing their voting power in upcoming elections. She stressed that many women had become permanent breadwinners and that the nation must accept their role in industry. Additionally, Martin called for the elimination of discriminatory legislation, such as bans on employing both spouses in government jobs, and predicted that women would play a decisive role in the 1944 election, potentially electing a Republican president.

Death and legacy

Death Marion E. Martin died on January 8, 1987, in Hallowell, Maine at her home, at the age of 86.

She is survived by three nephews: William H. Martin of Bethesda, Maryland; Richard A. Martin of Potomac, Maryland; and Ralph E. Martin of Richmond, Virginia, as well as a niece, Mary Gillman of Winchester, Virginia. A funeral service was held on January 10 in Augusta, Maine.