The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1913-01-17
BarraCk Training Is Advocated in
Germany.
Adoption of Female CONSUMPTION
School Urged as Remedy for De-
cay of the Empire-WiIl Meet
Social Need in Empire.

Berlin, Germany.-Conscription 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 Field-Marshal Won der
Goltz, ex-Minister of Education Won
Moeller, Prof. o. Witzel, the woman
novelist; DR.. Martha Gauthe, all IA
vor the project, while it is opposed
by great many others, including the
whole social democratic party.
The problem is well within the
range of practical politics, and were
it not for the unceasing financial
need of Germany it would probably
be carried out within a few years.
What form exactly CONSUMPTION for
women will take is still under dispute.
A few zealous-mostly srffragettes-
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-
HES 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 ad-
junct 70 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
and social workers. They would be
taken at the age of eighteen or TWEEN
ty, drafted into barracks, and for
year or perhaps two taught by the
state on scientific lines all the func
lions 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-fiVe
years from AZ per 1000 to only 80.
That" says Won der Goltz, sis
proof of the decay of Germany"
The female conscription school ar
que that in Germany the state always
thinks it's function is to fight nation
al evils; therefore, the state must not
shrink from attacking the evil of "the
Gewomanizing 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-official
and privy councillor, Lomann is a
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 year. Good character should be
the only qualification, because the
idea should be circulated that train
ing by the state is an honor. not
punishment.
The barracks would cost 922.000,-
600. This would house the 100000
girls 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
posal of rubbish, as we'll as the secre-
tarial and accountancy work, would
be performed by the girls themselves.