The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-03
old IDEALS TO.
BESTRENGTHENED
BY new METHODS
Women Will Lose Nothing
By Entrance Into Vari-
ed Occupations

GU OCCupdGlO1lS
Miss Helen M. Bennett, Chicago,
spoke on Women in the Great World
War, Sunday evening before a large
audience at the Grand theater. She
sums up briefly the ultimate result,
as she sees ii, of the revolution
which the war is working in the lives
of both men and women, thus: THE
war is going to make itself strongly
-selt in industrial and business CEN
ters, and believe the problem is go
Ing to be worked out in part by
every girl being trained for an oc-
cupation, and following it until she
Is married" This statement refer
red particularly to the class Of girls
who before the war never thought Of
earning their own livelihoods. Among
sDther things which she believes will
happen as a result of the war are:
e'F'irst, when the war is over it will
mean the death of the fearful belief
and system of individualism. War
Is the result of individualism run
riot" she defined. when the war is
over we will have a general CO.
separation. Women will be more in
Aterested in that than in competition.
{ It is a curious anomaly, but We are
going to learn to value the physical
being and because of that, become a
smore spiritual people, with the ideal
combination OF a vigorous woman
lhood and q temperate manhood"
Incident to citing the rapidity with
which situations change, Miss Ben
nett said: 1.-THE two classes Of peo-
pie who adapt themselves most
readily to changes are western peo-
pie and women. Taking it out in
action is the principle of the west,
which is not an hystertcal country
as is the east. No group of people
have made a more hurried or more
complete reimbursement than woman
I'm the last few years" Here she
.eited the various roles women have
been playing in various countries at
war. In England and France, Tor
instance, women are working with
men in every capacity. Here in Am
erica we are not behindhand in send
ing women abroad with hospital
units. etc, and right here at home
women are serving in two ways:
,Directly-by means of the council of
national defense, the Red Cross, the
"Y". nurses, social workers, ETC.; in
following HooVers
mandates, and the name of the wom-
en- in this class is legion. 1t doesn't
matter where you get this idea OF
service. Every woman at home is
also getting a new angle on life.
First she thought in terms Of her
home, then in terms of the CONF
and now she must think in
terms of the world. 1t is big ad-
justment for women to make for the
boys overseas, and we are going to
learn three things. Thrift, thorough
ness and efficiency" All of these
points she illustrated most forcibly,
and in connection Herewith cited the
big contribution being made by the
women in entering indus
tries new to them. and the resulting
problems.
An important problem is that of
wages. Great care must be taken
that wages are not cut in this ad-
Iustment, as that is danger alike to
men and women. There should De
community movements tc prevent
this, as a matter Of economic neces-
yity." Miss Bennett took up in de-
tail what trained women are doing
In war service.
win Not Destroy Ideals.
she holds that the invasion of
many Industrial fields by women at
present does not mean the destruc-
lion OF all the old ideals Of women |
and their home life. THE character
Istics of women which we cherish are |
not things which can be destroyed |
bv an occupation. Clothes, customs, |
don't bring the dtner-
enee. 1t does mean that they are |
going TO bring a feminine influence
and by that / do not mean a silly, |
frippery influence-into business for |
all time to come. Every industry IN
the world has its masculine and |
feminine functions" Her proof of |
these points was very convincing |
and cleverly given. Miss Bennett /
gave the impression throughout her /
talk of being unusuallX. well inform
N on her subject. which was recetV-
"a with the closest interest. She Is /
i most pleasing speaker,
Miss Rice Talks.
Preceding his Introduction Of Miss
Bennett, Prof G. b. Waldron, OF the /
A. c., introduced Miss Anna B. Rice,
New York city, national Y, w. G. A.
worker. for q brief outline of "Y"
aims in the war work. Miss Rice
very clearly what is to be
done with the s4,000,000 the National
Y. w. G. A. is asking for Just now.
She said the government has called
ana other problems because the
lrganization has had fifty years
experience in working with young
women, and because it has a ma
.ional organization. She outlined
The work now facing the "Ys in
1rief, as follows:
First--Among younger girls IN
,antonment and nearby communities.
housing for girls
working in such places as munitions
plants. etc, many Of which provide
10 accommodations whatever as yet.
and which present highly complicat-
n moral conditions. Third-The inn
girl problem. These girls
ire pouring into certain communi-
les, expecting to find work near
heir men folks. and the ~" is set
ing up foreign service bureaus
here. Fourth-The colored problem,
which is a big one. Filthy" work
s badly needed among the nurses in
lie hospitals abroad. The ''Y' hopes
10 open q vacation house
n France, where nurses may re-
euperate from their terrific strain.
4 Is also hoped to send workers to
France and Russia TO help better the
girls' industrial conditions there.
Miss Rice, who is another very
speaker, touched upon
several occupations Of women later
'eferred to more fully BY Miss Benz
lett. Orchestra selections preceded
md interspersed the talks, which
we're Grand Free Lecture course at
ractions.