The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-03-31

women OF America it would not do them
justice for their conduct during the war:
This statement of Lincolns was quoted
BY Mr.. Taft while he still was President
In approving the project OF the New
York Commandery Of the Loyal Legion
to build q national monument In the city
OF Washington to the memory OF the Ia
nous women of the civil war who served
In their homes, on the battlefelds, and
IN the hospitals.
It was about a year and half ago
that the commandery pledged It's sup
port to this object, the intention being
at that time to erect monument In
honor OF the women. Later 1t was de-
cided to give the money toward build
ing which should be a memorial OF the
women Of the past and should house the
Red Cross, in which women are working
today. When the scope of the project
was thus enlarged Congress was petit
toned to contribute to the fund, ana
bill was introduced in the last session
appropriating 100000 on the condition
that the New York Commandery Of the
Loyal Legion should give 100000. Al
though this amount has not yet been
wholly pledged, Capt. James A. Scrym-
ser, chairman of the committee, has
guaranteed the entire amount. This is
gratifying to Miss Mabel T. Boardman,
manager of the Red Cross.
Plans for Memorial Building.
Plans have been, drawn for an impos-
ing building, one that shall be in keeping
with other public buildings Of recent
construction in Washington. by a firm
of New York architects. A series OF COL
umns and pilasters will form the portico
and the entire front of the structure
Storerooms and janitor's rooms are pro-
vided for on the first floor, rooms for
officials on the second, and directors
rooms on the third. There will also be
Loyal Legion museum and Red Cross
museum, as well as an assembly room
two stories in height.
Mr.. Taft wrote TO Capt. Scrymser: i
most heartily approve OF the project OF
the State of New York branch OF the
Military Order OF the Loyal Legion to
build a national monument to the MEM
Dry of the loyal women of the civil war
which shall become in perpetuity the
headquarters of the American Red Cross.
Memorials TO the men OF the civil war
are prominent throughout the country,
and shall our people be less grateful to
the women who labored at home. on the
battlefelds, and in the hospitals with a
patriotic devotion unexcelled, and who, In
giving those they loved, made even
greater sacrifice?
What better monument could we build
TO those noble women than building at
the national capital to perpetuate their
heroic efforts to relieve the human suffer-
ing which inevitably follows war or any
other great calamity and which found its
first expression in the great Sanitary
Commission Of our civil war? For II was
on women's initiative that this Sanitary
Commission was inaugurated, and its
success was largely due to their tireless
efforts Upon the American Red cross
has fallen the mantle OF the Sanitary
Commission. The loyal and patriotic
spirit OF the women to whom this me-
mortal is built will be forever perpetuated
In the humane work, Of the Red Cross.
Commission Great Force.
The main body of the women whose
hearts were filled with love for their
country and who earnestly longed to do
something for the cause remained at
home, seizing every opportunity that
came their way to give comfort and re-
lief to the men who were at the front
and succor to the families they had left
at home. Mrs. Mary A. Lvermore and
other women of brains, energy, and
patriotism made the Sanitary Commits
sion a great force for relief. They not
only looked after conditions on the
battlefelds and in the camps, but they
raised vast sums of money by means
OF great fairs. The receipts OF the one
held in Philadelphia were s1S5o, 339
This city. being so near the scene of ac-
tion, from the first offered opportunities
for helping the soldiers OF which the
women were quick to take advantage.
They opened their houses and fed the
soldiers as they passed to and from the
seat Of war. This was the beginning OF
the famous cooper shop which was opened
by the Volunteer Relief Corps in May,
1861, to feed the soidlers provide them
with Mushrooms and with writing ma
terials and to give them fresh water for
their canteens. AS many as 4.o00 were
fed In one day. The Pennsylvania Wom-
ans Relief Association, of Philadelphia,
organized a year later. aided the SAM
tary Commission in the field work. Be-
tween the years 1864 and 1865 there were
$1,000 men fed in the cooper shop and
613l3l by the Womans Volunteer Asso-
citation.
In New York Mrs. Marcuand, Mrs.
Astor. Mrs Hamilton Fish, Mrs. Schuy-
Ter, Mrs. Aspinwall, and many others or
eenized relief work for the troops. Mrs.
Bayles, the wife of a prominent mer-
chant, gave up the luxuries of her home
TO care for suffering soldiers. At the
Sanitary Fair held in the old Twenty
second Regiment Armory in New York
The sum of $1.1S3,5O6 was raised for the
Union soldiers. A similar entertainment
in Brooklyn yielded s4o2 1888; one in Bos-
ton, $4,000, and one in San Francisco,
$2S5, 4o6.
The equipping Of hospital ships, where
the invalids could be tended on deck in
the sea air. was accomplished by women
and proved Of the greatest value
Romances of the Field.
Not only were people eager to give of
their money, but those who had no
money. or very little. turned their time
and talents to account. Sewing bees and
individual work kept minds and fingers
busy. A Mrs. Frazer. of Duxbury. Mass,
who had knitted stockings for the SOL
diers Of the Revolutionary War, took up
her knitting needle in the cause of this
new war. A blind woman in Indiana
dozen pairs of socks, and the girls of the
pairs, afflxing to the package the words,
them mingles with our desire to serve
our country"
Sometimes there were romantic Incl
dents in the commonplace of knitting and
sewing and baking for the soldiers. Girls
would append such notes as the follow
ing: This was made by Mary Smith,
aged nineteen, light hair and blue eyes.
Who are you and where do you live? II
this comes to a married man will he
please exchange with one who has no
wife?"
Instead of the women trying to hold
the men back from doing their duty they
urged them to enlist. Some girls In an
xl.>~ NJ In