Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-02-03

~ONNeoAAA4O0.
had an interview with Capt. Adair-
Roberts, the woman drill officer.
We are following the regular army
rules throughout" she said. no COM
missions are granted except for merit
When women are adjudged Competent
to teach the drill the regular army
officers drop out in their favor
The reserve is strictly nonpartisan
and nonsectarian. No women of
wealth are permitted to buy commits
sions, although there have been many
attempts of this sort.
Il can show you titled woman and
one of her servants drilling here side
by side. This is not an isolated in
stance either, there are several such"
At first the fear was expressed that
If woman were taught the use of a
rifle, the Germans would charge snip
ing" and ferocious reprisals would be
the result, but now it is realized that
the organizing of the women will pre-
vent, instead of encourage, foolish in
dividual action, such as is certain to
take place in moments of great dan
ger among an unorganized populace.
The helpless rabble of Belgium, wom-
en- and children refugees fleeing they
knew not whittier, will not be repeat
ed in Great Britain.
No woman is permitted to enter the
reserve without a careful physical ex-
animation. Woman doctors from the
oif oil fn in
off. The women of the reserve must
be over eighteen and under forty
years of age.
Special attention has been paid to
signaling practice, as this is an i'm
portant branch Of warfare in which it
is unanimously agreed that the female
sex may be of service. There are
many professional woman telegraph
ers in the reserve. Instruction is
given in Morse and semaphore signal
ing by flags and also by sound.
Other branches of instruction in
clude open air cooking, dispatch rid
ing, carpentering, fencing an. Swed-
ish drills.
The movement is spreading all
over the islands, rapidly overcoming
the Indifference which it generally
met at first A vivid description of
the condition of women in the war dis
tricts of Belgium and France and an
explanation of how their sufferings
might have been mitigated by proper
preparation and organization is usual
Iv sufficient to convert every doubt
ing Thomas"
suffraeettes in 1t.
Branches are especially active in
centers where there is large popula-
ton of working girls. Of course,
there is a large portion of the militant
suffragettes. The latter have trans
ferred their energy in this direction.
The suffragettes believe they can, by
their conduct in case of an invasion
of Britain, present an unanswerable
argument for the ballot.
The sight of women drilling may be
seen at many big halls in London.
The majority of the women are
clothed in khaki. Their suits consist
of skirt, coat, brown shoes, spats, put
tees and hats. The cost of this uni
form is $3.50 Most of the women
buy their own suits. The reserve IS
so far entirely self-supporting.
The government has not as yet
given permission to the women 10
carry rifles. The women do not antlcl-
nate trouble in this direction, how
ever. They say they hope the neces-
sitv for their shouldering the musket
will never come. but If it does they
will be allowed to take their places on
the firing line just as wives ana
sweethearts of British colon1sts IN
MANY quarters OF the earth have
stood behind the stockade and fired
with their men folk against the at
tacks of savages.
AS a result of this movement Ger
man invasion will find ready at hand
an organization of women who viii
keen their heads and who will have
good health and calm nerves. THESE
women will have learned the value OF
organization, se1f-dependence, COM
radeship and self-control. They will
cooperate with tho military and civil
authorities. They will direct the
fight of women and children from the
scene of fighting and sc take this bur
den off the government.
It is hoped that after the war the
Women's Volunteer reserve viii be-
come a great recreation club With
This end in view a wealthy woman has
offered a large tract of land fer { per
manent camp and 1t is believed otner
gifts of this character will be made.