El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-07-01
Woman--Ireland's New Hope
BY ]. A. STEWART.

cessity of organization and coopera-
tion Women" they say, were not
made to work alone any more than
men" Hence they not only concede
that mere man has his place in the
scheme of nature, but actually try to
help him in making the best of him
self and his resources. This is COM
radeship of the highest order
With the charm of poet and the
ardor of a true patriot, Mr.. Russell
describes the ideals of the new rural
society and the needs of rural dis
tricts In dealing with existing evils.
he does not mince words. He finds the
ireland Of today horribly melan choIy
and cynical country" Her energies,
he AYERS, ARE Slapped by cynic self
mistrust which is spread everywhere
through society" There have Deen
cries and groanings over bad govern
ment Every people, retorts Mr.. Rus
sci, get the government they deserve.
A nation can exhibit no greater po-
litical wisdom in the mass than it
generates in its units
Pregnant Idealism Gives Power.
cit is the pregnant idealism of the
multitude which gives power to the
makers of great nations-so 1 have
always preached self-help above all
other kinds of help, knowing that.
if we strove passionately after
this righteousness. all other kinds
of help would be at our
service" He complains that "our lit
erary meh and poets, who ought to
give US courage, have taken to writing
about the Irish, as people who went
forth to battle, but always fell senti-
mentalizing over incompetence instead
of invigorating us and liberating US
and directing our energies. In these
passages We have the essence of the
whole matter.
It is the ambition of the United Irish
women to invigorate, iberate and d.
rect They do this through three main
departments-agr and indus
tries, domestic economy, social and in
tel1ectual development. In the first de-
partment they aid the farmer by i'm
proved methods with his pigs and his
poultry his butter and cheese making,
his dairies and creameries. They also
mean to develop cottage gardening, bee
keeping and cider making, if Irish
boys, as Mrs. Pilkington remarks, can
be kept from stealing the apples. They
further aim at q revival of cottage
industries, such as basket making,
rush-plaiting mat and hat making,
lace embroidery, and so on.
they inculcate personal neatness, en-
courage thrift, regularity, good cook
ing and the general management of
home and children. They are giving
attention TO the great question of
trained nursing, and in time hope to
establish cooperative village laundries.
On the social and intellectual side, they
strive to check the exodus from coun-
try to town by providing girls with
suitable employment and amusement
at home. They mean to organize
classes of all sorts, give lectures and
concerts, get up plays and open Ii
braries for the distribution of whole
some and useful literature.
Women in Public Bodies.
Further, and this especially import
ant they will see that women are
properly represented in public bodies,
such as boards of guardians, district
and county councils. In short" writes
Mrs Pnkington, I'VE want to heneit
as much as men by the facilities Of
fered by our local government and 9TH
er public departments. Patriotism for
women is thing of deeds, not words"
Cherchez Ia femme-the old taunt,
cleansed of its cynicism. is endowed
with a new and noble meaning. with
new born hope" says sir Horace Plum
kett, Il now look to the United Irish
Women TO bring 1t abbut that Ireland
shall lead. the English speaking world
upon this new problem of rural life
There are signs that we will not
look in vain. For the energy and en-
thusiasm of women, properly disci-
pinned and directed are indeed capable
Of accomplishing wonders. With
statesmanlike sagacity the United
Irish Women have evolved a scheme
which certainly promises to confer
substantial and enduring benefits on
their much distressed native land.