Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-01-22
BarraCk Training Is Advocated in
Germany.
Adoption of Female CONSUMPTION
School Urged as Remedy for De-
cay of the Empire-WiII Meet
Social Need in Empire.

Berlin, Germany.-Conscrip for
women-or rather for girls-is the
latest of the great reforms which Ger
many promises the world.
A heated debate has been raging on
the subject. Scores of distinguished
Germans like FfeId-M Marshal Won der
Goltz, ex-Minister of Education Won
Moeller, Prof o. Witze1, the woman
novelist; DR.. Martha Gauthe, all IA
vor the project, while it is opposed
by a great many others, including the
whole social democratic party.
The problem is we'll within the
range Of practical politics, and were
it not for the unceasing financial
need of Germany it would probably
be carried out withinFa few years.
What form exactly CONSUMPTION for
women will take is still under dispute.
A few zealous-mostly sCffragettes-
seriously propose that women be
trained to fight in war. A much larg-
er class-among them Won der GOltZ
want women organized into compa-
lies and battalions, and drilled and
disciplined on military principles, but
confined, as far as duties go, to army
tailoring, army cooking and sick nur-
sing.
The women's army would be an adj
junct to the men army, and all the
males of the nation would be free to
fight their country's battles.
Neither of these schemes is likely
to win. The proposal most seriously
backed is that women shall be drilled
and disciplined on military lines for
the sake of physique and character
formation, but that they shall learn
nothing except purely domestic du-
ties.
Just as men are trained to serve
in time of war, women would be
trained to serve in time of peace,
trained to make better wives, better
mothers, better housekeepers, citizens
ind social workers. They would be
taken at the age OF eighteen or TWEEN
ty, drafted into barracks, and for a
year or perhaps two taught by the
state on scientific lines all the func
tons of womankind
Women's CONSUMPTION would thus
meet a social need. The need is
proven by the decline in the birth
rate, which has fallen in thirty-fve
years from AZ per 1000 to only 80.
That" says Won der Goltz, lis
proof of the decay of Germany"
The female Consumption school ar
que that In Germany the state always
thinks its function is to fight nation
al evils; therefore, the state must not
shrink from attacking the evil of the
dewomanizing of womanhood."
If the natural woman is dying out,
the state must replace her with the
state made woman. THE woman con-
script is the ideal. of modern Ger
many"
So far the most detailed scheme Of
female CONSUMPTION has been worked
out by DR.. Kurt Lomann, an ex-oflcial
and privy councillor. Lomann is
competent authority on organization.
He stands strongly for the barracks
system.
Every girl of eighteen. if not an &C
tual invalid, is to enter the barracks
for a year. Good character should be
the only qualification, because the
idea should be circulated that train
ing by the state is an honor. not a
punishment
The barracks would cost S22,000.-
600. This would house the 100000
oirls Who would reach conscript are
every year. Probably $50 barracks,
each housing 1000, would be the best
distribution. CONSUMPTION barracks
would be under the charge of ma
irons: no men would be employed.
Also there would be no servants. All
work. including gardening and the dis
Dosal of rubbish, as well as the secre-
-ariaI and accountancy work, would
De performed by the girls themselves.