The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-12-14
The Women of France.

One of the most vivid and compre-
hensive pictures of the sacrifices. the
heroism, and the hopes of the women
of France which has come from war
stricken Europe in many months is
contained in communication to the
National Geographic society from
Mrs. Harriet Chalmers Adams, the
only American woman who has been
permitted to visit the frst-llne
trenches on the French front since
the great offensive of the entente al
lies began along the Somme last sum-
mer Mrs. Adams, who is an author
and lecturer of note, studied the
women of France with the apprecla-
ton and understanding of a trained
observer who has won distinction as
an explorer in the Andes, in Central
America. and in the heart of Asia.
She says:
Zone of the universal mistakes
which the American people make in
their estimate of the women OF
France is the assumption that this
war has created a new and nobler
spirit among the mothers, the wives,
the sisters and sweethearts of the
men who are fighting for the saliva
tion of a nation. Even the orlefest
of visits to Paris and to the hrlng
line would convince the most casual
observer that such spirit OF SELF
sacrifice and of complete devotion to
a cause could not have been created
or born in the women of a nation
in the space of two years. Inat
spirit has been inherent in the French
women far beyond the present-lt
goes back to Joan of Arc. Repeated
ly during the last few months have
been made aware that it has been
an active and vital force for years
because in many a base hospital |
met young women of gentle blood
who were experienced nurses, having
served a grueling novitiate with the
French forces in Algeria and Moroc-
co.
s'The splendid fortitude, indomit-
able will, and tireless energy OF the
French women have always existed;
this great calamity has not developed
new characteristics, but has only
served to make known to the world
those great virtues of heart, hand,
and mind which are saving peo-
pie and that peoples civilization.
Chiefly, perhaps, because of her
charming femininity, and her dainti-
ness in personal adornment, the
American public has underrated the
stamina of the French woman. Sup
posedly timid, this war has proved
her to be the very opposite. For ex-
ample. the 20-year-old daughter OF
noblewoman in whose chateau spent
several days has been nursing the
wounded for two years. When the
war began and the trainloads OF mu-
tilated soldiers began to pass through
the station near the chateau, this
young girl, then only IS, who had
never had a sight of human blood,
arose each morning at $50, met the
trains, and went through the cars
caring for the wounds of those who
had been placed hurriedly on board
to be taken to the base hospitals in
the rear. This girl labored, and is
still laboring, from 10 to IA hours a
day, ameliorating the sufferings OF
those who have given their all for
her beloved France And so are hun
dreds, thousand of other noble young
women serving the republic.
Some of the American war cor
respondents who have been premit-
ted to visit the munitions plants
where thousands upon thousands of
girls and women are laboring to keep
the French artillery supplied with
high explosive shells and shrapnel,
have deplored the fact that the ma
tion is allowing the potential moth
ers of the future to sacrifice their
strength and health in such tasks. 1
confess that 1 cannot share this re-
gret. To me it seems eminently fair
and appropriate that these daughters
of France who of necessity are pro-
hibited from giving their lives to the
cause on the battlefield itself should
enjoy the privilege of offering them
selves wholely and without reserve
to their sacred cause, in whatsoever
capacity ther bodies and their brains