The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-14
From the Pal Mall Gazette.

From the Fall Mall Gazetto
 ~ UT the question is interesting in E1A itself-could women defend their " country as soldiers? As mat ter of fact, everyone knows that hum dreds of individuals have done so, and so many of them were identified by acci- dent after years of service, or even after death, that 1t may be suspected an equal number escaped notice in days when no one troubled much about the common soldier"
 Some of them were distinguished for bravery and martial qualities, but is there record of one who fiinched from her dutyY In fiction the girl dressed up. however bold in words, proves to be an arrant nt- tie coward on the terrain when she feels a sword or pistol in her hand ana sees another threatening her.
 Is 1t so in fact2 The case of those un- sexed beings we read of sometimes who fight for a lover is not to the point. But authentic history tells of good many duels between ladies of birth and the highest social standing. Very rarely did they show a want of courage when strung to the fighting pitch. On the other hand, such fre-eating danes would not repre- sent the average.
 But nobody worth attention has dis puted that women are as brave as men if duly aroused; some, indeed. have as- serted that they are braver. The ques- ton Is whether they could, If they would, serve as soldiers.
 Perhaps 1t is not merely academic. In a time which the elderly recollect with ease it might have been dismissed on the ground that such service is unfemi- nine-not only barred by nature, but for bidden by the laws of nature. We can not urge that objection with confidence now, so widely have the bounds of fem mine propriety been extended.
 From the nature of things woman sol7 diers can only be found. as a class, among barbarians-up to this time, at any rate The Dahomey amazons made poor show against the French, but Burton had been much impressed with them 40 years ear lier-and he was judge. The discipline was terribly severe in his time; he did not doubt they were very formidable troops. Relaxation of discipline ruined them.
 The mythical amazons claim a word, since Professor Bryce adduced such strik- ing evidence to suggest that they were the warrior priestesses of Hittite fnva- ders. Of the American amazons 1t may be recalled that Humboldt thought the legend not impossible, and he had studied the original records.
 Very few who have written on the sub 1ect are thus qualified probably. But AL fred Wallace has shown us lately that Spruce, the great botanist. looked into the evidence carefully and formed a strong opinion that it was trustworthy. But much more interesting are the shield maidens of the Vikings. Would that we knew moro about them personally.
 The historical sagas allude to them, but always, so far as remember, in a mat ter-of-fact way, as to male personages. One of the very grandest poetic sagas is that of the Shield-Maiden Hervor, but even this takes nearly everything we par ticularly want to know for granted. She dressed as a man and joined the Vikings. Presently she gained the command of her party-and the story opens, true in the main. probably.
 The circumstantial account of the battle of Bravoll between sigurd of Denmark and Herald Hildtoun of Norway men tions several shield-maidens who com mand d troops. One even bore Harald's standard All fought like heroes or de- mons, and I think that all died on the field. But 1t seems that they were only women who rose to command by daring and military geaius. Is there any author ity for the legend of Viking bands wholly femininef
 The old Irish Book of Lecan" says casually, flor men and women went alike to battle in those days"' and the record reckoned women among the fighting strength.
 Moreover the life Of Abbot Adamnan of Iona" tells how he, hearing of this dreadful practice, went to Ireland called an assembly of chiefs and bishops. and persuaded them to pass law, still cx- tant. entitled Lex innocentium." which forbade the summoning of women to ar. It seems likely, however, that they still turned out of their own free will-indeed, the practice is not yet extinct, by all accounts.
 At the present day in Europe the Mon- tenegrins and their hereditary foes of Albania include the women among their fighting forces, or did. at any rate, few years ago. before Prince Nicholas had organized his army. All departments of supply were left to the wives and daugh- ters, also the recovery and transport of the wounded. But when the fighting line