The National tribune., 1883-03-22
not the first time that it has required a
moral earthquake to arouse the public from
its sfnrnr
The Grand Army's Allies.


The Grand Army's Allies.
In another column will be found Mrs.
SherwOod's second paper ON Woman's Aux
iliaries, in which she discusses and answers
the three principal questions that are likely
to be asked concerning them, viz: Who
shall be admitted to membership; what is
the work of a Woman's Auxiliary, and what
is the medium of communication between
the Auxiliary and the Post? AS President
of the Woman's Auxiliary of Forsyth Post,
Toledo, Ohio, which is one of the oldest and
strongest in the country, Mrs. Sherwood has
had abundant opportunity to ascertain what
the requisites of successful management are,
and her advice, founded as it is ON actual
experience and close observation, possesses
the highest practical value. In engaging
her services, THE TRIBUNE has been infu-
enced by the desire to facilitate the organ
ization of similar Auxiliaries i'll connection
with every Post in the country, and we
trust that the detailed information furnished
concerning the conduct of these societies and
the good work which it is possible for them
to accomplish, will create widespread in
terest in their organization. It may posi-
bly, occur to some of our readers, from time
to time, to ask for more specific instructions
than are contained in Mrs. Sherwood's arti-
cles, and we, therefore, take occasion to say
that any and all inquiries addressed either
to the editor of THE TRIBUNE, OF to Mrs.
Sherwood directly, will receive prompt at
tention, and, so far as possible, will be fully
answered in our columns.
1t will be seen by reference to the paper
printed in the present issue, that Mrs. Sher-
wood is strongly opposed to restricting men,
bership in Woman's Auxiliaries to the ac
tual relatives of soldiers, and she supports
her opinion with what seem to us, at least
convincing reasons. Woman's Auxiliaries,
as she says, should supplement as nearly as
possible the Soldiers Aid Societies and the
Sanitary Commission of the old war days,
when no one thought of asking the busy
workers who composed these organizations,
whether or not they were the immediate
relatives of soldiers, since they were
Enthusiastically their friends and ben
efactors. Had none been admitted to
these grand and noble organizations but
the wives and daughters of our veterans,
their achievements must have been far less
notable than they were, and the aid and
succor which they afforded comparatively
meagre. And it is even more important
now than it was then that the cooperation
of all loyal women should be invited, since
as years go by the burden of charity must
fall more and more heavily ON the families
become greater and greater Mrs. Sher-
woods statement that the great mass of our
soldiers are poor men, and their wives over
| burdened with home cares is but too true,
and it is, therefore, not only desirable but
essential that every loyal woman who may
be disposed to devote her means and labor
to the work should be admitted to member
ship in these Auxiliaries. We heartily
agree with Mrs. Sherwood, also, in what she
has to say concerning the Importance OF
securing the cooperation of the younger
portion of the community. 1t is not only
true that "their busy hands will be found
useful in many ways" but that they will
| constitute bond of love and affection be-
tween the past and the present, and per-
petuate the existence of these societies when
| those who founded them shall have at length
passed away. Mrs Sherwood's paper is, in
deed, full of wise suggestions from beginning
| to end, and we trust that it will receive
from every comrade the most thoughtful
consideration.