Evening star., 1917-10-28
Womem of ARMY Nurse Corps to See Service i'm France

E1o read the want ad columns of
metropolitan newspaper one
might wonder what had become
q of all the young women who
had been in the habit of making their
living in business offices. There Is "a
shortage of trained women, particular
ly for clerical work. The tnpour OF
girls into Washington from Montana
and Texas, California and Maine. sus-
Gest that other dailies are crying out
for young ladies TO come to the aid of
the banker, broker and general busi-
ness man. Uncle Sam and his gener-
osity in an emergency has magnetized.
them, one and all. trained and amateur.
But il these girls and women. after
two or three years of hard training,
get only $50 n month salary upon COM
ing to Washington. would they come?
Yet. one Of the most important branches
of Uncle Sans war service for women
offers no more than this. and. after
nine years. pays $S5 monthly.
This work Is almost like having
mission. however. No woman enters
the Army Nurse Corps without serious
thought and a great deal else besides
All applicants must be at least twenty
fve years Of age and not beyond thirty
hve. Dignity is Indispensable. and
counts much when the surgeon general
of the Army makes the final accept
ance. Executive capacity is quality
much desired and one Of those basing
appointment. later, to the place of chief
nurse. No applicant is appointed who
does not state in writing that she
agrees to serve three years. Being
physically fit is just as necessary in the
requirement of a member of the Army
Nurse Corps as il is in a wearer of the
khaki at the front.
For is il not this white bed. eff
cient. comprehensive young person who
is to hold herself in readiness and
strength to care for the khaki-wearers? /?
Unlike members of the Navy Nurse
Corps. who. paradoxically perhaps. re-
main on shore. the nurse attached TO
the Army often goes on the transports.
During the period of military occupa-
ton of the Philippines, when insurrec-
tion was rife, the hospital AT Manila
received many transports of soldiers
from the various points OF battle. Never
did nurse seem so welcome to an
American lad who was ill or wounded
and 10000 miles from home.
The United States Hospital in Manila
has usually twenty-four nurses detail
cd for duty there from among the per
sonnel of the Army Nurse Corps. This
seems like a mere handful now. when.
on this side of the world suddenly and
without more preparation than the
demand In national emergency, 1000
nurses are registered as members of
this patriotic organization of women.
With the mobilization of troops in
midsummer. 1916. there was seen the
need of increase In the membership y
when a number Of nurses were sent to
various base and camp hospitals and
hospital trains for war duty on the
border.
These trains gathered up soldiers
from the smaller hospitals in that
Nurses were scattered along the Mexican
as far west Nogales. Ariz. Most of
from among the most experienced Of the
war Of 's8.
The Army Nurse Corps originated soon
after the close of this war, with its nu-
had made a contract with the government
of Congress instituted and gave organiza- :
z. 1901. One hundred had the distinction
there haG been added to that number only
surgeon general of the Army. After the
lengDa had 10 BE- expanded In leaps and