Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-09-11
The New Industrial World.

A New York correspondent writes:
"Spurred on by the Red Cross call for
thirty thousand knitted soldier sets OF
sweaters, socks, wristlets and
mut7ers, the women Of this city are
now knitting as they stand, sit, ride
and walk in almost every one of their
waking hours. Between courses. the
restaurants rattle with the click OF
their needles. while few Of the fair sex
take their seats n street cars or auto
mobiles without knitting kit in &C
ton. If war work were to be pursued
by the men of this town as constant
~ and vigorously as the ladies push
it. no one need worry about home
backing for the boys in France"
In this connection it is interesting
to note that many thousands OF wo-
men are filling the places in New
York Of men called to military service;
and that in England before the war
practically 5000 women were en-
ployed where now the number is four
millions.
We may delay suffrage by hypoc-
risy, crooked dealing and laziness. but
woman is coming into her own at a
tremendous rate of progress. The fol-
lowing editorial from an exchange is
significant:
Police Commissioner Woods could
rot do a better piece Of war work than
to appoint women police officers TO pa
as urged by the Mayors Committee OF
Women on National defence.
Such a measure is not unprecedent-
ed. Eighteen months ago England
officially appointed camp policewomen,
after women volunteers had success
fully demonstrated that their services
were invaluable. That immoral con-
ditions will prevail in army camps has
long been an axiom Of war. but Eng
land. first by cordially recognizing
the volunteer policewomen and :hen
by appointing them as officers. has
raised the standard Of her army life
an appreciate degree.
There is no question that women
officers can do this special protective
and preventive work better than the
average policeman. aside from any
sentimental generalizations about wo-
wan as a natural protector of the race,
and apart from super feministic
claims for her superiority over man in
every capacity. experience has shown
that in this kind OF work women are
more successful than men. Camp
mothers have unlimited opportunity
for good: camp fathers would not get
very far, one fears"
Although women may not have OBJ
tanned their full political rights they
rave firmly established themselves in
the new industrial world, particularly
since the beginning Of the war They
are to be found doing mems work in
hundreds of industries and they are
doing it we'll, so well, in fact, that
they will never be replaced by men
In Europe, the women are the chief
part of the armies Of industry that
supply the armies in the field. while
in Russia they are even on the firing
line in the famous Battalion OF
Death. They are making munitions
running tram-cars, driving taxis and
ambulances and are holding thousands
Of other positions formerly held by
men. The men who held these posi-
tons have been called to the colors.
In this country, the womin have be-
gun to branch out in all directions. A,
the docks Of the Bush Terminal Co. in
Brooklyn, n. Y, they are acting as
stevedores and handling small electric
trolleys that carry the freight to and
fro. In the railroad yards OF the Erie
r. r. Co. they are cleaning cars and
doing other work hitherto done by
men and several other railroads are
using them for similar work. In New
York City, they are running elevators
one instance being the Martha Wash.
ington Hotel where they have entire
" replaced the men, and are being
Al Nan.