European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 29, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A photo till the quit to loin husband s abortive presidential Campaign. Sen. John c. Danforth a Missouri Republican who employs five women on his professional legislative stall of eight said ten years ago in the Senate finance committee held a markup on two subjects in one Day Lor example one on welfare and another on taxation the Lisl session would be made up basically of women. Then we d take up the tax Issue and All the women would leave and a Hallwa Ful of men would come  that is no longer the Case. In his own office he said tax and Trade issues Are handled by women and he Calls Susan Schwab his legislative director the Best there is on Trade As a lobbyist Anne Wexler frequently works on legislative issues Wilh women who Are making major decisions. These Are the women whose Power can t be counted in dollars and cents she said. Look at Shetia Burke Bob Dole s chief of stall. And there is Consuela Washington who does All of John Dingell s banking and Security  in 1977 Nancy Reynolds was the first woman to head a corporate office in Washington and she was the Lisl woman to be invited to join the exclusive business government relations Council an All male preserve o Washington corporate chiefs of 100 of the Fortune 500 companies suddenly there was this great rash of women who became corporate Heads said Reynolds who was elected president in 1982. Today 25 Washington corporate offices and major Trade associations Are headed by women. Eight members of the Council Are women. Nurturing network for single pregnant career women by George Jahn associated pressm Marjore thought she had nowhere to go when she became pregnant a year ago her Boyfriend initially was t supportive. And while her family tried to understand Marjarie fell her being pregnant and single would Hurt the reputation of her lather a presbyterian minister in a big Minnesota City. She was iwo courses Short of her Bachelor s degree in German and English literature. Marjorie considered abortion Shoals thought about moving la Somo place where she would not be known. Then a Friend told her about Mary e. Cunningham and her concept a nurturing network or single College students or businesswomen who want to keep their babies As Well As their careers. Cunningham whose spectacular Rise and fall in the corporate world made headlines several years ago funded the nurturing network on nov. 1,19b6. It has expanded since to All 50 states. When i called Mary she had within one hour Sel me up Wilh classes with a Catholic College in Massachusetts she just called the president and organized the whole thing and i was registered right away said Marjorie 26. She also set me up Irving Wilh a family that was about a mite from  the network also was ready with medics referral services and emotional and financial help says Marjorie who agreed to a Telephone interview on the condition that her last name not be used. Al Hoogh she opted to keep her baby adoption counselling also would have been available. Marjorie is one of about 100 women helped so Lar by the network founded on the idea thai Middle class women who Are pregnant and single have been largely ignored by society. At 36, Cunningham s life today is much quieter than it was a few years ago when critics charged that her rapid promotion to vice president of strategic planning at Bendix corp was due to romantic links Wilh Bendi chairman William Agee. She denied rumours of an affair but was forced out by the Bendix Board of directors. Publicity was widespread. The two divorced their spouses and married each other in 1982, but the controversy continued Wilh Agee leaving Bendix in the Wake of a Messy takeover Bailie that ended with its absorption by Allied corp. Cunningham s response came in a Book she co wrote Fowe prey a Whf really happened at Bendix. Her Only links with the past now Are the contacts that have helped her raise Money Lor the nurturing network which has its Headquarters in Osterville mass., a tidy Cape cod vacation Village. Her spacious airy second floor office on main Street is done up in pastels and Light Woods. A Homey bedroom is available for Short term stays if temporary Homes Aren t immediately available. Cunningham vigorously denies suggestions that her organization is elitist asserting that two years of research revealed a Surprise. The truth of the matter is thai it s the working woman the College woman who has by Lar the vast majority of crisis unplanned  she says. But because people think teen pregnancies represent the bulk of the problem almost All the Money All the programs All the orientation to support and help has gone to that population  White there is also government Money and support Lor the woman on welfare the business or College woman does t Quay Lor Medaid or any other kind of assistance Cunningham says. The overwhelming Assumption is thai her family will Ulm photo Mary a Cunningham with William Agee in 1982 has expanded her nurturing " protect to All to attn somehow be there to provide Lor her. But that in fact is not always whal happens. There still is a dominant reaction on the part of Many families which goes please Don l come Home because this in t something i want the neighbors to know Aboul " word of Cunningham s organization has been spread largely by word of Mouth. Cunningham says Many Middle class women want to have their babies but get an abortion instead out of sheer desperation Over the tack of emotional and financial support and because they Don t want to Stop working and studying. What in effect we re saying to these women is that you do not have to make a Choice Between preserving the life of your child and preserving your own life she says. It s no Accident that when you look at the abortion blah stick the woman most Likely to have an abortion is 20 to 24 years of age White and Middle class. She goes to the crisis pregnancy Center somebody hands her a medicaid lot that tells her Aboul the Home for unwed mothers Cunningham says. Thai s nol going to compute Lor somebody from a Good College. She is going to say that s not the part of society that i m supposed to be a part  Cunningham says As of the women she has placed opted to give birth instead of terminating their pregnancies. She says Aboul 60 percent of the women had considered abortion. There has been no Lack of employer support for tier program with Bosses willingly giving leaves of absence. Cunningham says. Olheis offer temporary employment. Whal 1 present to them As a businesswoman is. Here is basically a source of employees who will be very motivated who will be unbelievably Loyal id you who Are not going to leave alter three weeks who Are temporary so you Don t have to put them on a full Benalil plan,1" she says. Probably they will be prepared to work Lor less. As i put it to an employer she s not there to make a killing she s Here to preserve her resume says Cunningham. Mora than 60 companies have pledged their support she says. Cunningham says participating doctors have also been cooperative Wilh some offering to deliver babies free of charge it necessary she and Agee who runs a venture capital firm have two children 3v4-year-old Mary Alana and 1 to year old will. She said the act her first pregnancy ended in miscarriage led to a decision to sell a vacation Home for Money to embark on helping pregnant women who want to Complete their pregnancies whether or not they keep the child. We spent a Tal of time in the aftermath saying. How can we convert our own sadness and our own sense of loss into something positive " she says. I june 29,1988 the stars and stripes Page 15