The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-12-04

The difference between the National
League for Womans Service and the
woman's committee of the Defense
League was explained by Mrs. Hugh
Brown of Tonopah, in an interview
printed in the Times of that city. Mrs.
Brown said:
The national league is formed after
tn plan of similar organization now
operating in England, which was de-
veloped, not as ours has been, before
the need is felt, but because necessity
demanded it. After thousands of men
had been sent to the front, England
found that her women were utterly
incapable of undertaking the work
that had to be done by them. Natur-
ally, somebody had to start classes to
prepare them. After they were trained
they had to be placed in positions, and
so by force of circumstances an or
ganization was perfected which first
trained the woman for a specific job
and then acted as an employment
agent to place her where she was
needed. When it became fairly GER
tain that we would have to enter the
war. band of patriotic women met
in Washington and formed an organi-
zation which should be ready to do
just this work when the necessity
arose in our country.
THE league aims always to use the
material already at hand for such
classes-as, for instance, all business
colleges were asked to perfect courses
in stenography and bookkeeping which
could be completed in three months,
| to relieve the tremendous demand for
clerks in the war service. Successful
classes in telegraphy and wireless
telegraphy have been held under the
supervision of the New York School
of Telegraphers, etc, as the need was
presented. The main business of the
national league, therefore, is to find
the woman for the job and train her
4 she is not already trained; if she is
| trained, to register her for specific
work when her services are required.
"Of course, there are many other
| angles of the leagues work. In places
where soldiers are quartered the work
in the cantonments is unlimited. The
national league all over the country
is holding classes in French, maintain
! ing recreation rooms, giving properly
conducted dances, and such things.
The motor corps is another immensely
valuable and picturesque angle of the
work. A motor volunteer must be
able to drive and take care of her car,
and be at the service of anyone who
| is on government business bent. New
York has magnificent corps of thirty
odd women, uniformed and under the
| military direction of Captain Bastido
| There is no more inspiring sight on
| the streets of New York than these
| fine. active young women, all of whom
YOU know are on some errand of serv-
ice to the government. They will DC
anything for which a messenger Is
needed-free of charge-as their pat
riotic bit to their community. an
| proud to feel that in little way
am trying to do here what these girls
| are doing IN new 1oIh, anu al
hoping that other women who have
cars will volunteer for the same serg-
ice, here and in other parts of tht
State. Naturally, such volunteers
would stand in direct line to become
ambulance drivers in case of need.
"The woman's committee of the
/ Council for Defense is registering th'
woman strength of the country, an'
is distributing government informa
ton to local centers, and is engage'
in everything that may be termed
defense. They are the direct repre-
sentatives of the government. There
fore, Mrs. P. B. Ellis is my direct su
perior officer. National league repre-
sentatives are on all boards of man
ayers of the Council for Defense, ant
Miss Wetmore, the national chairmal
of the national league, is one of tn
national chairmen of the Council TO
Defense.
"You see the plan to coordinate tn
work of the two organizations, excep
that the national league undertake
the training of women specifically.
believe that the Council for Defense
also endeavoring to train women. /
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