The Washington herald., 1914-09-06
relief SUCCEEDS
SUFFRAGE WORK
Societies Cooperating in the
Women's Active Service
Corps Just Established.
5000 NAMES REGISTERED
Feminine Doctors. Agriculturists. Ae-
eountants. Even Grooms Are En-
rolled-History of Movement
NO. Xu.
n rUNnA HEUTrE Colby,

~ CLARA bE"ANA SOA1'
The international Women Suffrage ALI
ancs has undertaken relief work In the
interest OF foreign women who have been
stranded in London. 1t has arranged for
constant attendance at the eonsulates'
and will as far as possible provide hospi-
tally for women Of all nationslities.
The Suffrage societies are undertaking
various schemes Of relief in place Of, or
in addition to, their suffrage propaganda.
The National Union Of Women's Suffrage
Societies has established a women's active
service corps, which registers offers of
service. Almost all the great suffrage So
cietIes have promised their cooperation.
In addition to their own special method
of helping, with the women's emergency
corps, which registered within a few days
of organization more than 5000 women
offering service as agriculturists, account
ants, doctors, dispensers, cooks, caterers.
etc. More than a thousand women en-
rolled as interpreters, OF whom more than
900 knew a. many as four languages,
while others ranged from this number up
20 eleven. Many of the women who Gp-
ply can ride, groom horses, run motors
and make their own repairs.
Suffrage Paper Suspended.
Mrs. Despard, who is president Of the
Women's Freedom League, is a sister of
Gen. Sir John French. field marshal Of the
British forces. They have abandoned all
forms Of active militAncy during the war.
The Women's Social and Political Union
has suspended activities even to its paper,
the Suffragette. The Forward Cymric
Suffrage Union is devoting its funds to
the relief Of Welsh families made desti-
tUte by the war. The New Constitutional
Society for Women's Suffrage in addition
to helping the emergency corps has
opened a large establishment for the en-
ployment of seamstresses. whose places
OF business have closed. And this sug-
osts a most important development in
womsn's helpfulness. They are taking
every precaution not to displace by volun-
tary aid the work Of women dependent on
their labor, for whom they must now find
new avenues Of wage-earning.
The new British Dominion's Women
Suffrage Union has issued a call to its
members in the dominions overseas to
make and collect clothing for the children
of the London poor. So we might go
through the long list Of the organizations
and each would be found taking a part In
saving the life OF the nation.
One thing is certainly new under the
sun and that is that men shall conduct
their efforts for something not connected
with suffrage under the suffrage banner.
The Mems Society for Women's Rights
has organized a hospital camp in the VI
cinity of Harwich to care for the sick and
wounded Of any nationality who may be
sent to England during the war.
Amnesty Needs Approval.
The Daily Herald congratuIates the gov
eminent on having released its political
prisoners. People have not been slow to
turn TO the women for aid. and it says
this means two things: That the aid of
women is worth having, and that they
are thus seen to be q part of the nation
and entitled 10 citizenship. Never was
there such a volt face as has been made
by the English press. A few days ago
women were not to be given the franchise
because they were militant. Today they
are covered with glory because they are
seconding the militancy OF men.
To resume the narrative Of events: The
world was astounded with the message
that at a given hour on March S. 1872.
simultaneously and before the police could
even be called. the plate-glass windows of
the most elegant shopping district in the
world had been broken. At exactly the
same hour and minute women, many Of
them coming in taXis and with hammers
concealed under their nantes or furs,
walked into the shops and created con-
steTnatlon by breaking the WindoRs- AB
a coup d'etat II was most effectively Or
ganized. and the government would have
saved itself a lot of trouble II II had taken
the hint and enlisted all this executive
ability on its side. Women who could
manage a militant stratagem like this are
too valuable an asset to any nation to be
made into foes
What was the immediate cause for this
outbreak? II had become evident that the
government did not intend to allow time
for the consideration Of the suffrage ques-
ton. The coal miners were on strike a
million Of them had thrown down their
tools, and with violence and determine
ton had entered upon a war for an in
creased wage. Another million men were
desperate because their factories were
closed for want of coal. What was the
governments solution of the problem? As
quick as parliamentary tactics would per-
NIT bill was put through providing for
a minimum wage.
Force Won for Men.
Decades had been spent in the effort to
obtain this measure Of relief without
avail, but to the show Of force on the