The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1917-08-23
THE DEFENSE LEAGUE.
Mary Catherine Williams in Farmers
Mail and Breeze.

Mary Catherine Williams in Farmers
Mail and Breeze.
Women all thru American history
have played a noble part in defend
ing the nation in times of peril but
never until the present crisis bias an
attempt been made to organize all the
women of the country into one great
body for carrying on their par of the
war. This body is known as the
woman's committee of the council of
national defense and it plans to take
in every organized group of women
in the United States. The central
committee was appointed by the
council of national defense April FL,
1917. 1t is composed of the follow
ing women, all of whom are of ma
tion-wide prominence; DR.. Anna
Howard Shaw, chairman; Mrs. Phillip
N. Moore, of St. Louis; Mrs. Josiah
E. Cowles, of California; Miss Maude
Wetmore, of Rhode Island; Mrs.
Carrie Chapman Gait, of New York;
Mrs. Antoinette Funk, of Illinois |;
Mrs. Stanley Mccormick, of Boston
Mrs. Joseph E. Lamar, or Georgia
Miss Ida M. Tarbell, of New York,
and Miss Agnes Nestor, of Chicago.
Permanent headquarters for the
committee have been provided at the
Playhouse club and theatre, just OPP
posite the British embassy in Wash
ington, d. G.
The committee decided to work
with existing organizations, bringing
them together in friendly and eff
cient cooperation for patriotic SER
vice. The first step was to appoint
a temporary chairman for every one
of the forty-eight states and for the
District of Columbia, who was in
structed to call together the presi-
dents or representatives of all ..wo-
mems organizations of statewide
scope and state branches of women's
national organizations in her state
and individuals to represent UNI or
ganized women.
The state chairman of the women's
committee of the council of national
David w. Mulvane, of Topeka. The
first vice chairman is Mrs. w. E.
Ringle, of Pittsburg, and the second
vice chairman is Mrs. C. H. Brooks,
of Wichita. Other officers are:
Secretary, Mrs. C. W. Smith, of To-
peka; treasure, Mrs. E. G. Wick
wire, of Larned; auditor, Mrs. w. ].
Bailey, of Atchison, and honorary
chairman, Mrs. w. A. Johnston, of
Topeka Mrs. Mulvane has appoint
ed a temporary chairman in all the
105 counties of Kansas and sent her
instructions for organization. Re-
representatives. from all clubs, frater-
nal or religious orders as well as un-
organized women are to take part in
the county organization. The perma-
nent officers will form the executive
committee for the county. This COM
mittee will select a precinct captain
for every voting\precinct in the coun-
ty who will appoint as many lieuten-
ants as she needs;
Registration for service is one of
the first matters the woman's COM
mittee will take up. Every woman
will be asked to sign card telling
the work she considers. herself most
capable of doing and whether she
can serve best at home or is free to
go where she may be needed more.
Another matter of equal Importance
is helping Mr.. Hoover in his work of
food conservation by signing pledge
cards which the woman's committee
will distribute. Cards already have
been signed by Mrs. Woodrow Will
son and the wives of the cabinet
members.
Other work which belongs especial
ly to the woman's committee is the
maintenance of existing social
agencies such as day nurseries, pub
bic health might be neglected in the
stress of abnormal war conditions.
They must see that laws protecting
women workers are not repealed or
go uninforced when the cry is heard
on all sides to speed up industries,
and they must prevent the recurrence
of the evil of child labor. School
terms must not be shortened on ac-
count of the war as education is even
more vitality necessary now than ever
before. The families of soldiers and
sailors must be cared for. The wo-
mans committee also can do impor-
tant service in helping to provide
wholesome recreation for the soldiers
in their hours off duty and in keep
ing the moral atmosphere of the
TRAINING camps WloieSoiie anu oai Y.
The woman's committee wishes it
clearly understood that all organiza-
tions of women are desired in this
work and that none will lose its
identity. The committee has no in
tention of hampering or destroying
the good work any group of women
is doing. Instead, it seeks to stimu-
late and enlare the work. Farm wo-
mems clubs are as welcome in this
great patriotic service as are any
city organizations. If you do moi
know the name of your county chair
man, write to Mrs. Mulvane and she
will tell you. One woman working
alone has little power. By joining
herself with all the women of the ma
ton she becomes a mighty force fol
Righteousness.