09-25 TABLE of CONTENTS: Women's Rights Statue kept in Congressional crypt National Medal winner Fraternities are dangerous DATES, ANNIVERSARIES, and EVENTS QUOTES by Carolyn G. Heilbrun. Women's Rights Statue If anyone wanted to see the only statue devoted to women in the U.S. Capitol Building between 1921 and 1997 they would have to go into the basement, way around into the area called the crypt - an area that was absolutely closed to the public until 1963.       Part of the crypt next to the elevators was developed as a souvenir sales area in 1976, but even when buying souvenirs of what men have done in Washington, you'd still needed directions to find the 7-ton statue created by Adelaide Johnson.       The massive piece features portraits of Lucrettia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony, renowned pioneers in the women's rights movement. There is also a rough unfinished portion behind them that artist Johnson said represents the future generations of women who will continue the unfinished struggle for women's rights.       When the statue was completed in the early days of the 20th century, the men in Congress dreamt up dozens of reasons not to accept it. But Alva Belmont, that strong-willed and fabulously wealthy woman who headed the Women's Party, got tired of listening to excuses. Under her tutelage, the Women's Party had it loaded up on a wagon and delivered to the Capitol on January 15, 1921 when Congress was not in session. It was the birth date anniversary of Susan B. Anthony. The Women's Party women then held a reception in the rotunda for themselves.       After the women left the statue in the rotunda, infuriated male Congressional leadership (there were no women in Congress at that time) had the statue buried by moving it to the far reaches of the Capitol building basement.       And there it languished - no statue of a woman has ever resided in the rotunda, nothing in the Capitol marks the largest civil rights movement in the history of the world: the fight for women's suffrage and equal human rights.       No way were the men leaders of Congress going to recognize that women were citizens of the United States with equal rights - voting rights gained in 1920 be damned!       The statute languished in the dark reaches of the basement for 75 years. Several campaigns were waged by women to move the statue back into the rotunda but all have failed until 1995 when a group of women raised the $75,000 necessary to have it moved. Then conservative Republican House speaker Newt Gingrich refused to schedule any legislation to permit the statue to be moved to the rotunda.       From 1995 to 1997 House Speaker Newt Gingrich who was at the time voted the man most hated in the U.S. blocked the move of the women's statue upstairs. All other statues of men in the Capitol are moved by federal dollars, by the way.       Finally, enough pressure was brought to force him to allow the move and the statue was moved by WOMEN movers (there was only a four-inch leeway through the doors).       And so it was temporarily in the Rotunda in the fall of 1997 when the author of WOA made her pilgrimage. I was shocked to find there was not one single placard or sign indicating what it was. Just a statue among dozens - all the others nicely tagged as to artist, subject, times, place, etc.       The statue was wonderful to see - but its treatment by the Republican lead Congress insulting.       The various commercial guides who take group visitors each make up their own stories about the statue and by the time I left the Rotunda, I was LIVID.       My letters of complaint to the speaker went unanswered.       A big hurrah to The Woman Suffrage Statue Campaign, 303 W. Glendale women Ave., Alexandria, Va., 22301.       By the way, there is a picture of me with tears in my eyes standing in front of the statue in the WiiN Exhibit Hall.       Those women were so brave!       Why are the men of the Congress so petty?