The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1915-02-05
Amazons Are Carefully Drilled
and Trained in Use of
the Rifle.
TO HELP REGULAR MILITARY
In Case Of German Invasion the Re-
serve viii Direct Flight of Women
and Children From Scene Of
Fighting and If Necessary
Shoulder Rifles.
BY PHILLIP EVERETT.

international News Serv1ce)
London.-We read in dispatches
that at least fifty German women.
lighting in the trenches in mems cloth
ing, have been taken captive by the
Russians near Warsaw. If the Ger
mans ever invade Great Britain and
the situation becomes desperate they
will be faced by an army OF English
Amazons, carefully drilled and
trained to the use of the rifle COM
pared to which these Teutonic women
warriors are mere bagatelle.
When I first heard of the Women's
Volunteer reserve, I thought 1t was a
joke or rather a new ebullition of the
suffragette class, but after visit to
Old Bedford college and a view of
the determined women perspiring
through their military drills, I must
confess that my feelings have
changed.
1T is not to be concluded that the
women will rush to the coast and fight
the moment the Germans make a
landing. They will take up the rifle
only when Great Britain is in desper-
ate straits. Till such an unhappy
time the reserve will simply act as a
disciplined body of women, skilled in
first aid, cooking, dispatch riding on
motorcycles, signaling and the care
Of horses.
"At the same time the riff is not
being neglected." said Viscountess
Castlereagh, the colonel In chief of
the women's emergency corps. "All
the women are spending time in the
private rifle ranges and there are some
astonishingly good shots among them.
There is no reason in the world why
a woman cannot be as good marks
man as a man."
It was also pointed out to me by one
of the officers of the women's reserve
that women bear certain forms of
hardship better than men. It is well
known physiological fact that women
are less suspectible to cold and wet
than the stronger sex. Their bodies
are better protected by fatty tissue.
This Is seen on the bathing beach
WuCIc WoulCu al dDlO " CuJOy ShSAi-
selves on chilly days when most OF
the men seek the clubhouse. The
same condition should be true In wet
damp trenches. 1t Is also accepted
that a woman, once her nervousness
is over, and her determination Is in.
spired, can stand more physical pain
than man.
"In fact" said my woman informer
''the only way the women would be
inferior to man soldiers would be in
the long marches"
At Old Bedford college, which is the
headquarters of the Women's emer
gency corps, I found Col. Viscountess
Castlereagh and Hon. Eveline Haver
field. honorary colonel, hard at work
with their recruits. Mrs. Haverfield
Is remembered for her carefully or
ganized remount camp. which she
built up at the time of the Boer var.
Go Through infantry Drill.
Nearly hundred women were go
ing through the regular army infan
try drill. They were not women Of
leisure either. Most Of them had put
through a days toll already in an Of
fee or along ;ome professional line.
Several regular army officer, in uni
form were present to assist in the
work. The war officers at first took 9
contemptuous attitude towards this
movement but they have come to SET
the value Of It just as the usefulness