Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-05-10
OF WOMEN
IN SOUTH AFRICA
Dr. Treyes' Declaration Stlrs Up
a Hornets Nest in London
HE REVIEWS HIS CRITICISM.
hid Not Refer TO Actual Nurses D"' ~
the "Smart society Ser' Whieh
Makes Life BURDEN

London. May i0.-Couespondence OF
the Associated Press.-The storm when
the eminent surgeon. Mr. Treves, raised
boy publicly declaring that "the plague
of Women" at the cape. was worse
than "the plague OF files shows no
signs Of abatlng. Interviewed ME-
Trcyes has made the following reply
20 hts critics.
How any reasoning person can pos
slbly have construed my remarks INTO
a sweeping condemnation OF all women
workers az the front, j cannot under
stand. Cor. Of course, nothing half 80
foolish or unjust was conveyed IN what
/ said at the Reform club dinner. PROD
ably mo- one living has a deeper sense
than have Of the splendid work when
many large hearted. unselhsh women
professional ana amateur alike, are 40
ing in South Africa today
You may remember. that l was the
only consulting surgeon that TOOK out
stan of nurses. 1 did SO because 1
know that women are indispensable 70
For the other Women-the amateurs, II
you care 60 call them s0-who have
given up home, money and comfort TO
help in the work OF alleyiatng suiier-
ing. have only the deepest admiration.
That any one In an the world should
have attached any other meaning 10 my
remarks. / am. as / said before, simply
astonshed
"But," ana Mr.. Treves brought the
Cleuchod right hand into the palm OF
his left. but when / explain the con
dition of affairs 40 Capetown where the
other sort OF woman is gathered, you
win be able TO- judge for yourself
whether ] was justified In entering a
strong protest against what / described
as the plague OF women
"CapetoWn was at the time Of which
] spoke packed with women idlers, the
majority OF them society or smart
people. who. yearning for new excite
meuts had come out TO South Africa TO
make holiday. ! say, and say II very
earnestly. that the condition OF at-
fairs, as brought about by the pres
tnce of these ladies, was an absolute
disgrace 20 the country
"The hotels az Capetown q viii say
nothing OF Durham We're crammed with
these people Ia the enjoyment OF what
was 90 them a picnic on a large scale.
The Mt Nelson hotel was packed With
them. and 90 a sick or wounded officer
came down from the front In search Of
accommodation be had not the slightest
chance of getting into a decent hotel.
These ladies had not the faintest pre-
text for being In South Africa beyond
their own desire 90 make the campaign
a means of Obtaining new pleasures
and excitement
THAT. however, was not the worst
side OF their presence. When dinner
parties and other junketings grew
wear.s0me they would make up par
ties 20 visit the hospitals What shall
we do today" Oh, let's 90 and see
the wounded would be the prepara-
ton for an Invasion OF the base hosp-
tails and iucalculable amount OF inter
ference with the work OF the medical
stan. officers In charge OF wounded
would, in the course of their duties. be
interrupted by ladies' bearing permits
signed by personages whose requests
the officers dared not or did not care
20 refuse
you know. perhaps what influence
means in the matter OF promotion. and
so the women would DE taken round the
wards and shown the wounded 20 the
utter DISCRIMINATION OF discipline and
duty mere were cases in which the
wounded men. aroused half a dozen
times in succession by these medde-
some intruders. turned from them at
last saying. Good heavens, shall /
ever get any rcst|
Tn another instance, a certain medi-
cal officer complained that IL was al
ready late IN the day. and he had not
seen one Of his patients professionally.
owing 20 the horde OF busy body women
who had made his hospital the show
place for the day
These are the women TO whom Al
fred Miner referred, and Of whom /
have spoken as a plague-Women who
are making the scene OF war and suffer
ing a place IN which 20 satisfy morbid
curiosity and find new onjoyments
For the women who are giving
everything 10 the cause OF tenderness
and compassion / have a profound ad.
mirltion, for the other sort ] have only
disgust
Mr. Treves' speech called forth
number Of indignant letters from wo-
men either personally connected with
or deeply interested in the work ~
women az the front His remarks were
generally considered 20 Doe an aspersion
upon AN women nurses and others. Not
q few believed that a. was due 20 hold
ing the same opinions as Mr.. Troyes
that the Maine hospital ship commit.
tee had decided not 10 send back their
women nurses