The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-03-09
NATIONAL
GIRL SCOUTS
ORGANIZING
YOUNG LEADERS OF THE coUN.
TRY ARE PREPARING TO ASSIST
NATION IN CASE OF WAR.

men of the country for preparedness
in every state of the Union have had
the proffer Of their services in case
OF necessity accepted by the National
Red Cross and just how important
their work is lihely to be in a national
emergency is shown by statement is
sued from the national headquarters.
527 Fifth avenue, New York City, by
Mrs. Juliette Low, president and
founder Of the movement in the Unit.
ed States.
Asked what would be the work the
Girl Scouts would perform in the
event Of war with either Germany or
Mexico, Mrs Low said.
"The Girl Guides, the forerunner in
Great Britain of the Girl Scout move.
ment in this country, has answered
that question. Aside from the ad.
\ vantage to be derived from the physi-
cal preparedness Of young girls, their
special training in any one of hun
dred useful activities and the discip.
line of mind and body the Girl Scout
movement provides for those who en-
roll there are any number of specific
services the girls can perform in the
event OF war.
THE Red Cross seems the most i'm.
mediate and logical organization with
which they can cooperate and for this
reason our services were offered to
that organization as soon as diplomat
ic relations with Germany were bro
ken off. The fact thar our proffer
was Immediately accepted indicates
how valuable the Red Cross officials
believe We can be to them We should
be especially valuable in the event of
invasion of our territory from the
South and West.
"The general training they have re.
ceived gives them the intelligence and
discretion necessary in dispatch bear.
ers and in others who form the civil.
ian support on which an army has
largely to rely, especially the hospital
or Red Cross service. Many of the
older scouts are already equipped to
enter the Red Cross as full fledged
nurses The younger ones are rapidly
becoming trained to be equally as eff.
ficient
"But 1t is unlikely any great num-
ber of Girl Scouts will enlist in the
Red Cross as individuals for the rea.
son the organization we have per.
fected in many states and are rapidly
forming in others Is too valuable as
an entity. The members can perform
here important service as parts Of an
efficient whole than as aindividuals,
and the arrangements made with the
Red Cross officials contemplate the
use Of our entire organization in this
manner.
Specifically here are a few things
the Girl Scouts are now doing and are
ready to DO at any time
Prepare, label and pack hospital
supplies.
Knit socks for soldiers at the rate
OF a completed pair an hour.
Make garments including night
shirts, caps uniforms, hayersacks,
belts and other equipment and sup
plies.
Mend and mark linen, garments
and other hospital accessories.
Wash sheets, pilliw cases, towels.
etc.
supply flowers, collect books and
magazines taking these cheering artl.
cles to the hospitals daily or forward.
ing them to the field hospitals.
Serve literally as scouts, dispatch
bearers, etc.
Fill places In civil occupations and
civil life generally hitherto filled by
men, thus erleasing many men for war
service who otherwise would be com.
PEELED to remain at home
In addition to these things It has
been shown by the organization in
Great Britain aud-plsewhere the Girl
Guides, or Girl Scouts, have an actual
military value. aside from acting as
an efficient accessory to the military
machine proper and many OF the .
members have received special deco.
rations from the government for he. |
roic or particularly useful work.
AT the base hospitals at home the .
Girl Scouts have done fine work in
finding ways 10 entertain and encour.
age conyaleaccnts recovering from
wounds or illness contracted at the
front Many OF these soldiers are
taught by the g.rls to make various
articles that upon their discharge have .
saleable value end enable the sold. .
iers, many Of them maimed for life .
to earn a livelihood. The occupation
this work gives to the mind of the In.