Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-18
Woman Behind the Gun
constanee prerel in the palinnator. !.

n NE step more and the women will be marching
~ off to the with the men look about any
Of the great capitals-Psris, London
Beriin-wOuld lead you think that they doing
everything except shouldering the gun In his plans
for an ideal republic the great Greek philosopher
Plato decreed that women should OFF 20 fight like
men. Il II comine7
In France more than in any other country when
war was declared the mobilization seIsed every avail
able man. Imagine the sltuatonl Every man between
20 and g. with few exceptions off 70 the war; Poor.
dear Francel IL proud Of It's complete, rapid
mobilization, not realizing that workers would be
needed az home. what use the soldier, without the
necessary organization behind him furnish amrnuVi
tion and keep the machinery OF the nation runnns'
With all the men preclpitateIy Withdrawn, small
wonder that offices factories shops closed down and
all things were at sudden stsndstll Everywhere In
Paris the ubiquitous small shops suffered tight
'Ferme par de mobilization or Sous les dfa-
peaux' CUnder the Colors'D stared in the face
And many more would have been closed but for the
happy habit OF French couples OF working together
and living together in their shops. In ali the little
creemerles and cleaning shops Madame presided
proudly over the cash box while Monsieur deftly
waited customers. When Monsieur went off 10 war
Madame did both; and IL, day. you found her in
black you knew she would continue to do both
But II In the large stores, offices and banks
that the worst confusion regned until could he
found and trained 60 take the places OF absent
The crisis far Gripping than Il would be
IN this country, for In France the business woman.
less In partnership with her husband IL something -
an Innovation. For while the street and sub
way services were paralySed. And then the women
jumped In. One day turning the corner OF Paris
boulevard, came upon street car at a stahdstin.
The trolley was OFF the WIRE and a woman, frAn
little French woman in a conductors cap and with
the oashbox strapped to her waist, trying to right
H. orasping the cord IN both hands. she down in
the street her delicate little body almost to the
pavement as she strove TO swing the rod into place
Somehow that figure symbocal OF the ability
and pluck women have shown in taking the places OF
their men.
Germany was more fully organised than any other
country 10 handle the emergency which arose Indus.
riay ms well as mllitarily all had been planned out
beforehand Nevertheless the role Of women has
been pre-emlnenty important and the hausfrau has
shown unsupported capabilities. and arisen 10 heights
unforeseen. In Berlin running street cars
and elevators and In the Frankfurer bank in Frank
Tort one of the largest in Germany, clerks ami
bookkeepers' stools occupied by girls instead OF men
The great Krupp gun works al Essen now officially
report 5000 women among their employees an increase
OF s,671 in five months
All German became painstakinEly saving
When the government needed brass and tin and gold
the women were appealed to. | homes disnan-
tied OF chandeliers wearing iron wedding
rings and iron pins in place Of gold gladly given
TO the common cause. When the word forth that
Germany must depend upon own harvest for next
winters food, the women titled the fields with
newed ardor, and every inch OF ground was cult
waited. Women hitherto isolated in their homes-the
women OF kinder. Kuche and Kirche" fame-have
lief work.
Woman can you do the work OF man ana re-
lease him for duty at the front Get busy quick so
some man can get fit quick London is ablaze with |
these flaring posters. And legions women are re-
spondng in highly practical fashion
In my London hotel the lifts were run by uniformed
girls. and there no clerks at the desk In |
froat OF smart Bond street shops the porters are
AmaEons. impressive in riding boots long dust coats
and derby hats. Delivery run by women: |
and the London bobby il a woman controlling traffic
and guiding pedestrians In Pcadily or on the Strand
II is no strange sight to women in khaki They |
belong TO the women's Defense corps ready 10 |
shoulder rifle In case of invason
The war in Europe has proved what women can do |
Are we glad or are sorry2 We may be both; glad |
because the few doubling ones, not excluding our |
brothers. will be convinced the neces-
silly which drives women to mems work Producing |
the race and producing the work IL a bit too much
to expect OF even woman And when war is the grim |
taskmaster, the fate Of the behind the gun |
marvel though we at her ability is tragic indeed