The story
“What a woman with conscience, medical training and the courage to expose grafting and criminal politicians may do to rid her city of boss rule, is vividly shown in The Woman in Politics, a Mutual Masterpicture produced by Thanhouser, for release through the Mutual Film Corporation January 8th [sic]. This thrilling, up-to-the-minute play in five acts was written especially for Miss Mignon Anderson, a star of first magnitude if of diminutive stature. It would be impossible to enumerate all the brilliant successes which mark Miss Anderson’s career at the Thanhouser studios. She is a favorite lead, however, in Masterpictures, and in The Woman in Politics is seen in a role which suits her admirably. It is an adventure up-to-date, showing the progressive, fascinating young woman of our times entering zealously into her public responsibilities as protector of society and the home against the unscrupulous greed of grafting office-holders. Beatrice Barlow, M.D., puts human life and happiness before money-making and the aggrandizement of wealth for those in high places. Of course she has many enemies, and powerful ones, too.
“Beatrice Barlow, the opening scene tells us, has recently been appointed to a place on the health commission of her city. She is advised by Joel Stevens, an old political warhorse drawing a salary as ‘health inspector,’ to loaf on the job and enjoy herself. But Beatrice takes her duties seriously. She turns in a report on a tenement house where the law has continually been violated, recommending drastic and expensive changes. Stevens gets a glimpse of the report and urges the girl to tear it up. ‘The owner of that block is Mayor Glynn,’ he warns her. ‘Do you want to get fired?’ Beatrice submits her statement, and is promptly discharged. The young doctor finds herself powerless to make the facts public, as the mayor owns the only newspaper of any consequence in town. Knowing that the governor may remove incompetent mayors, she sends her statement to him. A few days later, Dr. Barlow finds a case of smallpox in the same tenement. The head of the health department, fearing the wrath of the mayor, refuses to quarantine the building. Beatrice attempts to put up an official quarantine sign. The health officer interferes, and a strange young man appears and thrashes the officer. The tool of the boss hastens to the mayor. He finds that dignitary completely upset. He has just received word from the governor that charges have been filed against him by Beatrice Barlow, M.D., and that the hearing has been set for next month. ‘That girl has the goods on me,’ says the mayor. ‘We must get her in bad somehow.’
“That same night, driving about town in the mayor’s automobile, Glynn and his dupe plot how they will ruin Beatrice’s reputation. They choose to hold their consultation in the car because there will be less risk of being overheard. But they reckon without the husky young man, Beatrice’s champion, who rides with them, a stowaway in the tonneau. The young stranger forestalls the scheme before Dr. Barlow can be compromised. A few days later, the tenement belonging to Glynn catches fire. Beatrice, attending a sick woman on the third floor, is rescued with difficulty by the enterprising stranger. While he dashes back into the flaming building to save a child, hirelings of Glynn’s seize the fainting girl, bundle her into a limousine, and drive off. The only witness to the abduction is a small boy. All that night and next day the young man hunts for the girl. At last, stumbling upon little Patsy Burns, his worst fears are confirmed. By clever detective work he locates Beatrice’s prison, liberates the girl, and handcuffs her captors. The following day Glynn is convicted. The stranger, the head of the state admits, is his own private secretary. The grafting mayor and his accomplices go to the penitentiary.”
Summary from Reel Life · 1 January 1916
