The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-01
Marie COrelli Writes of Bril-
tain's erich Young Cousin"
WOMEN To THE HELM NOW
They Can Help Out by Making
Loans to Government.
Many Think Nation Is Trying to
Rob Them of Pittances.
BY MARIE CORELLL
Copyright, 1871

| copyright, 1911
| London, March I've are at the
point of triumph; the nation is
aroused and alert: fred anew to en-
| thusiasm by the support of our 'trus-
ty and well beloved cousin across the
sea-Young America
Young America glitters with gold
| from head to foot-she is the nugget
OF nations and she will not grudge any
of her wealth in the swift suppression
OF the most intolerant and inhuman
foe that ever disgraced civilization.
But stroni5 pull, and pull all to-
Eefher! SO gather your forces brave
women. and help handle the ropes,
Women are out to win the war as
Well as the men. Women have proved
themselves as brave. as efficient as
patriotic and servicea BILE to the ma
ton as men. In their way of women's
work and in cheerfully accommodate
ing themselves to the harder ways of
mems work. they have proved their
mettIe.
They have the same spirit of grit
ana grip AS our heroes on the battle
field. They arc not going to fail now
Ihey mean to do their best in sun
porting the war loan end if thew have
not already done it.
GENERALLY speaking, women have
iiioOi less money 10 spare than men,
except their chance to be inheritors
OF fortunes, like Lady Maxwell who
mas placed $4,000 in the loan free
OF interest. Many women have dir
icufty IN earning a pittance and are
handicapped by physical disabilities.
activity. Us
But many others. again. would ex-
perience no hardship in giving five
ten' twenty or even fifty pounds to
the war loan which they would other
wise spend without any hesitation on
smart attire
Many Don't Understand,
me chancellor of the exchequer is
not asking more than that every wo-
man would place what she can hon
orably spare, without defraudinr her
creditors or Sinking her responsible
tles, IN a thoroly sound investment for
the immediate benefit of the state.
But unfortunately, much misunder-
standing prevails among many women
of the middle and poorer classes con-
corning the advantages of the loan.
They imagine they will not get their
money back till thirty years have
elapsed. And I can't spare any money
for such life time. said one woman
to me. II shall be dead by then. and
meantime 1 have children to feed and
to clothe." This sort of misapprehen-
sion arises from the involved and
obscure language in which official
dom elects to explain things
A letter, very typical of this confu-
sion, was published in the Times from
a mistress who relates how, after
persuading her servant to buy a fiji
teen shilling war certificate, the. wo-
man returned to say she had been told
that if she died the government would
take all her savings and that it was
not possible for her to get her fifteen
shillings back even if she was starv-
ing. So, she would have nothing to
do with the war certificate.
Another case is that of a practical
woman farmer who said, All very
well to ask me to invest in the war
loan. but I'm told also to produce
food and I have not enough money
! to pay for labor even if 1 could get
it,"
Now, wrong or right, there's an I'M
easy and growing feeling among GER
government is trying to rob" the
workers of their hard savings and
venture to think this should be nipped
| in the bud.
Truth Should Be Known.
Women can help and have helped,
SO much to win the war; and there
is doubt they will go on helping
But as keepers of the home fires
burning, they should not be allowed to
imagine that the government wishes to
lay forcible hands on their life earn
ings and pauperize them and their be-
longings. Many of them. do think
this; and it is difficult to convince
them of their error. They know how
hard it is to live already and they fear
that after the war it will be harder.
All these notions, natural enough to
women who are the managers of
homes and families need to be COM
bated in concise, helpful and encour-
aging terms.
1t is a mistake to threaten the wom-
en- of England; leave it to the Ger
mans. Women have amply proved
their capacity and readiness to serve
the state; they will not hang back
from the war loan any more than
they have hung back from the firing
line. But it should not be presented
to them as a sort of bugbear. Simply
stated, it is the most attractive in
vestment on the market, where each
investor must gain and must not lose
Therefore, let every woman invest
what she feels she can wisely and
periodically, without fear. No amount
is too small or TOO large. The five
pounds spared with some self-sa crifice
makes the woman who spares it as
much a participation in the coming
great victory as the $4,000 spared
with less personal difficulty.
Motion pictures in Singapore have seats
ON both sides of the screen in front at