Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-03

keepers, Albion is breeding a race OF
heroes.
The singular metamOrphosis that
transmutes a quiet. meek little Lon
don tailor or clerk to a brawny. ele-
ment.hardened husky, who meets the
steel of Spartan.trained armies IN the
supreme test-ard conquers-i' enc
of the inexplicable developments of
this war.
While Flanders sucks the life blood
Of the noblest armies Of them all,
London listens-and hears the thun-
der of British guns "Out there"
Those deep-throated mammoths
are the Gods of Attrition" and the
first line OF England's defense,
The second line of defense rides
the waters of the world No ensign
flies so high nor so far as the Union
Jack"
There is another line.
The women of the United Kingdom
man FORCES and foundries of Brit
ain from kirkwall to Dover. They
insure the delivery of the sinews of
war to the heroic descendants of that
thin red line" who fight as Eng
lishmen have always fought with
honor and glory-ron the sands of the
Sahara. the crests of the Alps or the
Tibetian plateaus.
The women have also entered the
military.
The Womens Volunteer Reserve,
organized by Viscountess Castleraagh
tnow Warehouses OF Londonderry,
whose object is to defend the shores
OF the nation against the possible
invasion OF the Germans is about to
acquire the honor of becoming an in
tegral part of the British army sys-
tenn
To the marvellous organizing ability
of the Marchioness of Londonderry is
due this unique women's organization
With her second in command, the
Hon. Evelina Haverfield, the March
ioness has developed the W V. R.
until they are much more efficient
than the so-called "Territorials" were
when the great war struck. They
are efficient in the regular army
drill MI
attained their positions solely on
merit
They have had the aid Of regular
army officers, but these gradually
withdraw as the women developed
officers of their own
A tremendous impetus was given
the youthful organization when.
through the death OF her father.in.
law, Lady Castlereagh became Mar.
choness OF Londonderry Society
f1ocked to her colors only to find that
commissions could not be bought
and then, euriously enough they set
out to work for them. There Is many
prominent society woman serving
in the ranks with servants of her
own establishment.
The Warehouses received the Of
fetal attention of Lord Kitchener,
when he recommended her as The
colonel-in-chief for the very good and
sufficient reason that he desired the
command to go to a leader willing to
accept the guidance of the Govern.
ment Mrs. Pankhurst Is said to have
been more or less disappointed at
This turn, but she lost no time in
grieving-instead she Loyalty sup.
ported the legion of Amazons.
The age limit for the organization
was fixed at IS to 40 The big drill
hall of knightsbridge was loaned and
drilling in the military arts has con
tinued ever since.
1t might he mentioned that all the
officers Of the W. V. r. have passed
successfully the Royal Army exami.
nations for their ranks.
The purpose in applying an of'iclal
status to the w, V. r, would be for
the effect in case of an actual in
vasion any time in this or future
wars-for 1t to be a permanent or
ganization If they were no official
body an enemy would he justified in
dealing with them as franc.tireurs or
shippers, an official standing merely
allows to them treatment under the
war codes for official armed enemy
forces.
While there seems to be not the
remotest fear of invasion, either now
or in the years to come, It is felt
that in case Of any internal disrup.
ton occurring through malignant in
ternal forces or enemy air raids, a
body OF healthy, straight thinking,
well Differed and trained women
would be of inestimable aid.
The colonel-in.chief Of the W. V. r.
never identified herself with the mill.
tant suffragettes. but her chief aid,
Mrs Haverheld, was leader among
them, driving her dog.cart through
the London streets bearing flaming
placards, Votes for Women!" and
having with evident enjoyment
numerous fights with the police and
the rabble