The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-06-28
HOW WOMEN
CAN FIGHT
By Gelett Burgess
of the Vigilantes

Men must wait to be drafted, but
any woman can volunteer in this war.
Every woman should. An army of
women is enlisting recruits. It's name
is the American Red Cross, and to care
for the wounded is it's mission.
Don t think, however, that means
that you can put on a becoming uni
form, and, after a few lessons, go to
France and nurse heroes in hospitals.
Would you, if you were i'll, want to be
cared for by an amateur? No, you
would want trained nurse who has
graduated from a hospital that would
guarantee her character and efficiency.
Don t you want your boy, if he is
wounded, to have the very best care
in the world?
Both in England and in France many
auxiliary hospitals were at first filed
with amateur nurses. Men were ne
elected, ill cared for. The bed sores
alone were terrible-all caused merely
by the lack of experience OF the nurses.
To avoid such horrors, the American
Red Cross has enlisted thousands of
graduate nurses, women efficient, ex-
perienced and conscientious and so
scientifically trained that the surgeon s
work is made effective. 1t has formed
and prepared thirty base hospital stats
with surgeons, nurses, orderlies, diet
icians, clerks and housekeepers and me-
chanics--enough adequately to provide
medical care for an army of million
men.
It is the work of the women of the
land to help keep these hospitals alive.
You must do your share that our sol
diers may be cared for. Join the Red
Cross today. Apply at the nearest
chapter or branch. They will tell you
what to do. Get nine other women and
form an auxiliary, and the Red Cross
will send you an instructor.
There are two things the Red Cross
wants, and wants quickly-money and
surgical dressings. Both are vitality
necessary to keep the hospitals going
Of an army in the field, it is estima-
ted that at least five per cent will, dur
ing the first part of the campaign, be
in the hospital. For our $4,000 Ill and
wounded, an immense number of surgi-
cal dressings will be needed. They
must be all ready. They must be ex-
actly alike. They must be scientifically
made.
Seno to the headquarters at Wash
ifgton for the Red Cross HCircular on
Surgical Dressings, then start work
shop and go to work. Let the nearest
chapter tell you all the details-don Il
bother headquarters with questions!
Or, join some branch already estab-
lished. There is enough work for ev-
cry woman in the United States.
If you can t do this, raise money for
| the Red Cross. Think of the sums re-
quired for hospital equipment - cots,
bedding, garments, kitchens, medicines.
To equip the six base hospitals already
sent to France cost $4,000, and for
the nurses equipment another $4,000.
Fairs, entertainments, collections -
there are as many ways to raise money
| as there are persons to do it.
But remember that, once you enlist,
| the Red Cross is sacred symbol, and
don It misuse it or treat it lightly. 1t
stands for the highest work women can
| do in this crisis. 1t stands for respen-
sible, organized, and scientifically train
ed and directed work foe the relief of
humanity. 1t is above distinctions of
race. Amid the worldwide cruelty and
horror of war, the Red Cross is the en-
blem of unselfshness and of the broth
erhood Of man.