The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-12
'ySs S O CHE T Y
By EMMA REID RYALL

Only woman can do this we'll The
 faster a man gets well the sooner he is
 back on the firing line Convalescent homes, the entertaining of sick men, car
 ing for the wounded, etc., is work pecu- iarly fitted to women.
 'The third great service women can render their country lies with their work in the Red Cross. Here they can learn to make equipment for doctors and hospitals.
 The whole business has been standard ized. A regular list may be obtained from Red Cross headquarters, and every thing the women make is that much ac- tually saved the government. Just now
 women could start making gas masks. It is not impossible that the Mexicans may
 use gas. Feminine preparedness might be ready for the emergency, at any rate.
 The French women and their forethought saved the lives of thousands of their men. Right now the women could start get ting patterns of masks ready in case of sudden need.
 Tn regular army tactics women have their definite work. They are especially good at the telegraph instruments. Their delicate touch makes the much more
 adaptable to this phase of army life than
 the men. They are also wonderfully ef- ficient in the work of the signal corps. And as spys or scouts in carrying news, women have no equal All these things could be made a part of feminine pre- paredness. They are definite things that any army officer will tell you really help. The day for theories and mere bandage
 rolling for the women has long since past"
 Then to make it still more clear what | services for the women would be most acceptable, the major briefly outlined what the men at the front most need. If a few women or a group of women l and keep track of them, sending them q few items every month, the effect would be magical on the men," Major Ahern said q know what the waiting means for the boys at the front. It's much harder than fighting. Newspapers and magazines, pounds of candy and tobacco, stamps, pencils and scratch paper don
 seem like much when you are in civiliza- ton, but they count for everything when
 you're at the front Don't forget the
 jam, either. The men eat so much salt meat they crave sweets.
 Above all, keep track of the regiments of companies you undertake to help.
 Don't forget the men after they have been away for few months. Write them letters. Nothing counts so much as the
 mailbag when you're on the edge of No | Mans Land.'
 1 Major Ahern declared that every wom-
 an should learn what the army rations of | one soldier for one day demanded.
 "Women should know how to make coffee for 60 men at an hours notice,'' he said. 'They should know how to feed a 1 column of hungry men. From the gov ernment cook book they can learn what feeds one man for a day, how much bread, tea, etc. Multiply that by any number and the problem is solved. How , do the women know but that a squad of men might be suddenly landed in their city any day and they be asked to pre- pare to feed them on short notice with no
 unnecessary waste in buying materials
 You can get this sort of information
 from the office of the adiutant general of
 your state He will tell you where the
 troops are located that you wish to fol-
 low. Keep track of the families of your
 National Guardsmen and let the men at
 the front know that you are doing it.
 The news will make life bearable to
 them.'
 !. Through the camps for women which
 will soon be started under the auspices
 of the National Service school in the 12