The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-23
WOMEN IN WAR.
Earnestness of Their Patriotism
Proved by the Recent Crisis.

Earnestness of Their Patriotisn,
Proved by the Recent Crisis.
To The st. Paul Globe:
FROM The G. 0 b OF Feb 27 I clipped O
lttie paragraph which 1 have kept through
all these months because 1 wanted to see
how 1t would look in the light of subsequent
developments. It was this:
what VIII women do in case Of WARP
Ihelr awakened energies have found an outlet
III oluDs ana declarations, in social functions
ana Iad philanthropies-all good IN that they
nave given them mental nimbleness, even
though the efforts themselves have been
Lotlie' women have been like squirrels In
revolving cages; they have run and run and
WING they have not gotten anywhere they
nave nevertheless acquired great agility
Anu now IN case of war will they have a
chance TO run In earnest? VIII it be possible
lor theln 10 continue the monotony and bore
dom OF club qufbbling and federation fights
the lnslpidity of their teas and luncheons
Whlch prosperity and peace have hitherto
maze telerable) while their husbands and
brothers go to defend the honor of their coun-
try2"
Since that was written war has been de-
clared. battles fought and peace proclaimed,
out nave the women of St. Paul run in
earnest?"
Your columns have printed full reports of
the two Red Cross societies in this city and
the connected story is a rebuke to our previ-
Gus doubts. 1 have heard st. Paul women
called cIlquey," without public spirit and
seif-centered, and therefore I took peculiar
pleasure in leaning against the fence and
looking on when they were given an OPP
portunity to exhibit these alleged character
istics In no uncertain way. But I didn't see
what land many others-expected to see.
Inc ST. Paul women may be "chquey;" il
they are 1t must be in their purely social
relations. They certainly are not so in their
patriotic work. You will remember that when
you first called the attention of the women
to the needs of the Red Cross to avoid the
possible opposition Of the clique spirit you
suggested that work could be done through
the existing clubs. 1t was a matter of no
little surprise to many that objections came
from the most aristocratic quarters Of the
city on the ground that clubs were too mar
row; that they would bar out many who were
not club women, not only so, but that the
women wished to work with the help and adj
vice OF the men and preferred to effect
comprehensive organization. AS result we
soon had two Red Cross societies. made up
OF rich and poor, Protestant and Catholic,
Jew and gentle, Democrat and Republican,
and two rooms opened whence emanated COM
fort and cheer, not only to the soldiers
camped In st. Paul. but to those in the COM
FORTRESS camps Of the South. In these rooms
one could see women working all day long
who were supposed hitherto to have been de-
voted to the affairs Of their own cliques.
Here many an anxious parent got news Of
his soldier boy, and help went out to more
than one family whose supporting member
had gone off to the war. Thousands of
towels, bandages, pajama sets, yards Of medi-
Gated gauZe and mosquito netting were ship
ped to Minnesota boys. 1t makes ones head
reel to read through the list Of clothing
articles, to say nothing Of the boxes OF med1-
cine, soap, spoons, cups, cans of food, fruit
juice. bottles OF wine, filing nearly fifty
boxes from one organization alone.
Does any one think that some of these arti-
cles are foolish things to send to soldiers?
He would fall en- his knees in worship before
a bolt of mosquito netting had he been In
the place Of some Of the fever-str1cken pa
TENTS who were too weak to brush away
the swarms of flies that were almost masking
their faces.
The manner in which the local Red Cross
lifted the fever patients of the Fifteenth
over the red tape OF the war department into
the hospitals of the Twin Cities was indeed
refreshing. The fact that the societies did
not have to bear the expense for which they
made themselves responsible to the hospital
officials in order that the patients might not
have to wait until the government should
sanction the expenditure does not detract
from their spirit. The men were dangerously
Ill. and the Red Cross came to the rescue
One could go on Indefinitely, but your
readers know the story ana II tney Wish the
details refreshed in their minds they need
but to read again the resume Of the work of
one organization, In The o b Q OF Sept. 80.
I cannot but call attention to the depot work
done by the women when the boys were COM
ing back, many Of them hungry, feverish,
moneyless and homesick. The story Of the
quick quiet and effective help given there
is as gratifying to read as the description of
the grand climax at the auditorium when the
Fourteenth returned and were banqueted and
cheered by St. Paul women.
Now the war Is over and these same ladies
will doubtless return to their own circles
or 'cliques," if you please. But the last
six months have been an object lesson to us
all. The women dtd run in earnest and
''they got somewhere, tool W. D. A.
st. Paul, Oct "a.