The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-11-10
Prominent KeoI<uk Woman VIII Have
Charge Of Campaign to Help
Women In This
War.
LETTER IS ADDRESSED
Patriotism Of Local Wonren 10 Called
to tho Fore In Appeal
Which President Is
Making.

Mrs. C. M. Rich has been appoint
ed as city chairman for the war
work council and is busy today plan
ming the work which will occupy
much of the attention Of the women
Of this city for the next two weeks
It has been the policy of the U. ..
I governmen emit to lay the obligation OF
| the service for the war on that or
ganization best, organized ana
equipped to do that special work.
The Y. w. G. A. was chosen to do
the work for women employed about
environments and munition factories
because the society has trained sec
retaires who have already the ability
to do this work in the best way.
All women are asked to make 1t
possible for these trained secretaries
to do the bidding of the govern
ment. Therefore Mrs. Rich in or
ganizing this city for this phase OF
war service, will do as the woman's
council of national defense did In Its
food pledge work and as the Liberty
loan committee did, ask the aid and
cooperation of all patriotic women.
The Keokuk women have never fail
co to answer the bugle call and they
will respond to this whole heatredly
and periodically. Mrs. Rich has adj
dressed the following letter to Keo-
kuk women:
| This is direct appeal sent by
| the war work council OF the
| Young Women's Christian asso-
| citation of America to the moth
ers and other forward looking
women Of the nation. Read 1t.
You will be interested.
The war has produced now
social and Industrial conditions.
not only among the men. but
among women. The Y. M. G. A
is struggling to maintain the
morale Of the enlisted men, but
the need Of the enlisted girl"
the girl who remains at home
| to take the place Of her brother
in the Industrial field; the girl
upon whom rests the RESPONSE
bility of the social and moral
structure of the present and
future of our national life, is
vital and necessary part Of the
war work Of the Y. w. c. A.
Inc ROVeTu1uSuL UPON 1uNSSu.
cation found that there was but
one organization ready with
equipment and workers to meet
the war time need of women
the Young Women's Christian
association. Therefore the gov
eminent commandeered the
whole organization for war work.
Do you know what we must do
to respond to the governm ent's
appeal? First, we must direct
into normal channels the social
spirit of the young. Out Of the
war has grown new moral stu
alton which involves, not alone
the girl who comes within the
laws disapproval, but thousands
of needless girls, never before
needless, whose normal balance
has been upset by the romance
of the war and the lure Of the
uniform.
We must send trained investi-
gators to learn the needs of
women and girls in the localities
adjoining the military and naval
training camps and evolve plans
to meet their needs. This means
emergency housing clubs, cafe
terias, and cafeteria managers.
girls work secretary and direc-
tors, club leaders and physical
directors-all the agencies to
help girls to normal living.
One of the many problems at
the present time lis the safe
guarding Of young people. The
war council is helping to meet
~ 6x, - ;eLf -
houses in thirty cantonment CEN
tiers. This type of. work was
pioneered on the border last year
and so great was It's success that
the government is demanding
similar work wherever there are
large groups Of soldiers. Under
the trained leadership and chap
eronaee Of the Y. w. G. A. work
ers. the men in service and the
girls Of the community may
meet for wholesome recreation.
In these hostess houses, also,
women guests at the army camp
may have a suitable place to
meet their friends, wives Of sol
diers who may bring their babies
to see the soldier father will find
a nursery where their children
may be cared for and place to
eat and rest and visit when the
general war work program Is in
full effect.
A great foreign work has de-
veloped in response to the ap-
peals made to the organization
from Russia, France, and Eng
land for specially appointed Sec
retaries. They have been called
to act as advisors in the plans
which are now necessary in the
reconstruction work for women
In the suffering countries.
There is also the problem of