Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-14
Bait for other EnIistments.

Bait for other EnIistments.
The idea OF women warriors suggests a
way out of the difficulty. why not have
mixed corps2 Start each corps with a
nucleus Of a few pretty maidens and there
would be no lack of men offering them
selves for enlistment.
IN specializing upon the chances of
this projected army of Amazons coming
Into existence the mere man at once
jumps to the conclusion that much will
depend upon the question of uniform, just
as II the feminine mind can never under
any circumstances soar above such trifles
as appearances. But is 1t really possible
to keen a body OF women in a uniform?
Would not there be an irresistible ten
dency 60 put little embellishments here and
there until 1t became no longer a uniform?
Speaking seriously, however, the matter
of uniform is offering no obstacle to the
rapid growth of the First Aid Nursing
YeomanTy corps, already referred to in
Bee dispatches. All the members seem
perfectly content with a dress by no means
elaborate. They look very smart in short
dark blue skirts, high black boots. scarlet
tunics, white belts and peaked cloth caps,
all of which they have to provide them
selves for the body is purely voluntary.
Each applicant for admission to the
corps is told. Your work in war time will
be to follow the fighting line and catch the
men as they drop" This. prospect does
not discourage applicants, and a steady
stream OF smartly attired women. many of
them wives and daughters of army officers,
pours into the recruiting office to inter-
view Captain Baker. the commander of the
corps.
All members are expected to remain in
to attend riding school once a week. APP
p~licants must pass a corps doctor and
must acquire a knowledge of first aid.
Furnish Their own Mounts
Many OF the women who join are suffi-
GENTLY we'll to do to have horses of their
own. but for those who cannot afford the
expense Captain Baker is recruiting a
corps of nursing infantry. In each case
ne is ambitious, and states that he is aim
ing at a strength of 1000 yeomanry and
5000 infantry.
II has been stated that the women would
not be able to mount unaided when on
active service unless they rode astride. but
in reply to a question on this point Cap
tain Baker said:
There is no need for members Of the
corps 20 ride astride. They ride side sad
wv aho 4 INV AAaAN mat lhS9 Will hOuiil
entirely unassisted as smartly as any body
of men,"
h minimum. height for recruits In the
yeomanry is 5 feet 3 inches. as a woman
under that height has difficulty in mount.
ing without help. There is no intention
that these nurses when on active service
shall encroach upon the work Of the ambu.
lance corps. They will not remove the
wounded, but will render first aid. further
hospital work beins left to the organiza
lions within whose province it falls. X
the summer IT is proposed that the yeo
nanny corps shall go to camp. where the,
viii attend personally to their horses anC
perform many OF the duties which fal
\ upon a cavalryman under canvas.
The establishment OF this corps OF trained
nurses should do much to prevent a repeti
zion OF what happened during the Boo.
war. when a number Of high-bred and 70
mantle women. seeking notoriety NOR,
than anything else. went out to Soutl
Africa as nurses. Totally Incompetent, no
even capable Of nursing their own children
AT home. these women were not only In tn
way, but the cause OF much unneeesssr!
suffering on the part of the unfortunate
patients who fell into their hands.
, The first woman officer of the FRS
Aid Nursing Yeomanry corps to receiv,
her commission Is Lieutenant Lady Ernes
tine Hunt. eldest daughter OF the marqui
of Ailesbury. She viii lead one of tn
troops OF which the corps will be composed
She Is we'll qualified for the work she ha
undertaken. having received a thorough