Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-01

men. While there must have been large
numbers of women vino would have
been very glad to take just that en-
fployment there was no way to know
of them. Had the census of women
been completed at that time IT would
have been simple matter 10 have
turned to the index and have given
the firm list OF the women best suit
ed for that particular line OF work
and ii would have helped the eInploye
! in securing a position which she may
have been badly in need of. Another
case came TO the attention OF the local
committee. A woman was asked 10
assist in the registration of women and
1 replied that she would very gladly give
her services if she had some one with
, whom she could leave her child for
/ few hours a day. Again there are
( probably numbers OF young women or
older ones, too. who would be glad of
! the opportunity to give a few hours
/ each day to the care of children while
/ the busy mother is otherwise occupied.
but the problem is to find that person
at the right time The ammunition fac
tories are employing women. the stores
need clerks, the United States is ad~
! yertising for stenographers to report
at once lines Of work never before
i opened to women are being taken up
by them and being filed with credit.
In some of the larger cities women are
registering for heavy manual labor,
are Offering to handle freight. express.
do trucking, etc In other sections OF
the land they are volunteering to do
farm work in an emergency, to help
out in a pinch in most every place
where a man was formerly employed.
OF course women volunteering for ser
vices must be physically fit to take up
these heavier burdens.
Effective, successful work in help
ling with the great war can only be &C
complished through the active cooper
, alton of the women. of her willingness
! to assist in every way possible to
, bring about the best and quickest TO
suits
The registration OF women is not q
woman's suffrage movement. 1t was
authorized by the national council o.
!, defense which the administration hat
+ asked congress to create over a yeal
ago in order TO be ready for an emery
, ency should war be declared.
: The registrars have been receiving
instructions in their work for som'
+ weeks and they are now ready to wal
. upon every woman in the country ant
{ to enlist her in the services or the gov
4 eminent.
:. It may be well to repeat that tn
!. registration of women does not NEAR
n that they are required to take up an,
! special line of service. The question
. Of actual service. following the regis
. tration, is one which lies wholly with
{, in the power Of the woman TO decide
: In case she has registered for som
special line of work. or volunteers
6 either and she is called by her countr
II TO perform that service. she may hee
o the call or she may not. suiting hersel
: as she sees best. The government
d will not compel her to take up an
Y line Of work that she does not want I
h enter, she will not be asked to leav
p her home, her present work, her cour
n try, unless she wills TO do so. The
Il ! are not placed under the same restriC
IS tions and requirements that the me
H. of the land are The draft compel
d men to answer the call of their cour
- try, the women may if they SO wisl
10 that is a matter that they must res
o son ont with their own consciences,