Evening star., 1917-03-04
FEMINISM In EUROPE And THE WAR

is the perpetual panegyric Of fem.
mime mi e., wors. & W. Mitnou. i oous'
But the cause defends itself better
without words by the act. the beauty
of which is lessened II 1t 10 mane
reclame or advertisement. / know, pc
sides. that a feminism Of a high plane
that of spirits truly superior. 10 empar-
rassed and hides itself with ill-humor
full Of good sense before the incense OF
enthusiastic and clumsy disciples. W.,
moment to write the word Woman with
capitals! Let us beware. above all. 10
conclude: We do this: one owes us that.
What do we not owe to those VINO afe
killed. who are mutilated for US!
They owe us nothing at all and we 40
very little. Our work. even our deVo
ton. compared with the daily task, It
is our offering to the country-so httie.
We offer it with all our soul as the
1916 offers his youth: that IL all its
value, inestimable. Do they demand
a recompense? Can one pay for youth!
We, the most valiant, or the most
aged. We lower our eyes before
"Then. we say" adds Nine Gayraud.
never has women done 80 much, never
before US. in any other war Mme;
Gayraud does not insist women oio
ly Never either. did soldiers NOV down
with mitrailleuse so many OF the
enemy. The merit does not belong 70
them alone. The merit does not peiohe
entirely to the women. Tho condi.tonss
of life have changed. The regime or
the armed nation" has become inaugu-
rated. Later on our children them
selves. in plans prepared In advance.
will have a role. Our grandmothers
prepared lint. they employed tne
To-, ;x,;I
less remarked. They cared Tor the
wounded Women of the past lived IN q
penumbra where the noise OF their
benefactions was hushed.
Nine Gayraud is severe on the ae.
tivity OF feminism in the Red Cross.
Aside from the alb
Feminism and negation OF the
sisters of charity.
the LED Gross. appeal was made
to all who had the will to serve-en-
cient and non-eficient. Nine. Gayraud
criticises with real goodness. asks OF
them an examination of their con-
science and begs the palpably inem-
cient to return to their homes ana
leave the legion of the devoted to their
devoted labors for the good of the Red
Cross.
The only question which woman had
to solve at the commencement OF the
war was: What is our duty? The
duty of the man was more precise. Inc
hour of mobilization come. every one
consulted his military "livret he Ieat
on a certain day for his depot
whence he was sent to his sector. ut
is assumed that this simple system
will be. speedily adopted in the United
States) To resume. the soldier is al
ready an obedient machine thinking
machine, also-heroic, but delivered OF
the care Of choosing or deciding con-
cerning his duty. He cannot be other
than that which he is: the state has de-
cided the question of his duty. An iron
curtain separates him from his former
life. He Is a soldier. He belongs 70
the country, he does not belong TO
himself any more.
at the sudden catastrophe. and were
disabled: then followed an immense
will to aid. All the accumulated energy
Of late generations burst forth Wom-
an has no military livret, no guide.
The pious hands of the grandmothers
recalled the lint; the young girls were
'diplomees" of the Red Cross. knew
how to add up columns of figures or
herself spontaneously according to her
talents. Each was too patriotically
happy to remain egoist. Each too
proud not to make herself useful. Each
in the absence Of commandant wisned
to be commandant, and here In the
commencement was a serious trouble
The feminine action during the war
will remain symbolical OF the 1aults
of women in general. qualities and
faults. indeed. Of the women OF the
twentieth century Generosity. enthu-
siasm. pleasure of domination. vanity.
all that created. in the inception OF the
war. a work. multiple. necessarily med
ding and disorderly-it is Nine. Cay
The war has lasted thirty months:
Government, administrations civil ana
military have had hard experience. ana
the lessons of war have been wen
ernment nor man nor woman was
prepared.
The French feminists, Nine. Gayraud
recalls, refused to go to The Hague to
meet with German
p.fre.d m r., feminists. and thus
early proved their
to The hague. patriotism and their
wisdom. But Nine. Gayraud adds;
.r.at us not conclude that the day
woman will vote there will be no war.
Such conclusion VIII pe oeiuS'o"'
error childishness"
The war has taught that woman alone
cannot protect herself. She mas unaer-
more than the COLLECTIVELY of all house.
holds-is something that 10 possessed
in common and which requires TO De
defended in the interior as brothers ana
husbands without form. a barrier
bristItne with bayonets. In time or
war woman is excused from military
service. And this. it would seem,
should dissipate many equivocations