Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-23
RY M. G. LARKIN.

LOS. ANGELES, Cal, May 2O.-Under
the tutelage of Lieutenant Neal c. John
son, of the California national guard, i
company of women is being organized
here, the aim of which is to prepare for
whatever exigencies may arise in case
this country becomes involved in war
1t will have a twofold purpose-to he
part of a last line of defense and to be
of assistance in first aid work
The women will be given instruction
in the manual of arms and tactical
drills, in addition to thorough course
in the hospital work of the army, which
will prepare them for red cross nurses
The idea of a women's military auxil-
iary was conceived by Lccretia Del
Vale, of this city, daughter of former
State Senator r. F. Del Vale
The Los Angeles organization is only
one example of the whole-souled APP
proval which the women of the west
are giving to actual preparedness Tor
Tacoma. Portland. San Francisco, San
Diego and the minor cities the same en-
thusiastic spirit is manifested.
WANT TO LEARN DUTIES.
1--WE want to learn the duties of war.
said Mss Del Vale, 80 that we may
understand something of what our
brothers would have to undergo in case
our country is ever called upon 10 re-
pulse an invasion.
I'm my opinion it is as much worn
ans duty to learn to shoulder a musket
as II is a mans. Then, if the necessity
ever arises, she is thoroughly quallned
to do her share.
"Our preparedness is not cohpI g. =
unless the women are schooled in the
Sriro knowledge of war and are familiar
with all the tools necessary to its pur-
suance There has scarcely ever oeeu
a war in which the women have not
participated as actual fighters; one IN
stance being the Boer war, wheh tne
Dutch women of South Africa 1ough'
side nv. side with their men against the
British. The present war has deVeIoP-
ed MANY women soldiers, who nave peeH
lauded for their bravery. -.
Miss Del Vale hopes to estapnsn lle
nucleus of a regiment of California
,,on,sr volunteers in the company she is
organizing here. Mrs. A. S. C. FORBES
who has been designated by the Navy
league TO organize auxiliaries, is lend
inc her hearty cooperation and is great
Nv in svupathy with the work. At the
training camp for women, which Is 10
be held at the San Francisco preslulo'
the organizing of a regiment of temln-
inc volunteers will be given serious con-
sideration, since, in case Of war; II
would make a most efficient corps or
nurses and hospital workers,
Colonel w. G. Schneider. Seventh reg
iment, N. G. c., proved his interest IN
a women soldiery by assigning Lleuteh-
ant Johnson as drill master and allow
ing the squad to have rifles and ma
chine gun and the services of a hos
pital surgeon.
COULD USE IN LAST LINE.
"a woman soldiery could be of serv-
ice as a last line of defense, said Col
onel Schneider. "Wemen have proved
themselves Of great value in defensive
warfare when fighting in trenches ana
from behind breastworks. Their great
est worth, however, would probably lie
in the help they could render to the
hospital corps If a regiment were
thoroughly organized it could facilitate
field hospital work. to great extent.
But the knowledge of gunfire will never
ccme amiss ito women.
The first squad of this new auxiliary
will assemble once a week and Will
be put through maneuvers by Lieuten-
ant Johnson at the national guard ar
mory here.
AS an adjunct to the movement,
wealthy women of Pasadena and the
surrounding country have volunteered
the use of their automobiles for the
hospital corps to convey supplies In
case enough enthusiasm is shown to
organize a regiment.
"In their first drill said Lieutenant
Johnson, 1.-The women were no more
awkward than many men l have seen
who never before handled a rifle. Of
course, they proved more efficient in
the hospital drill than in the manual
of arms because they were more ia
miliar with the work