New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-08

Frau Gertrude Baeumer. the leading
writer on wOmens activities in Ger
many, states in her book. die Deutsche
Frau IN der Sozialen Kriegsfursorge."
that there are 9,500,000 women in Ger
many working for a living to-day.
Before the war and even after the
beginning Of the war German women
played no part in the life of the Ger
man nation. In Germany it was
mans world" and women were CON
sdercd only as the necessary means
of having families. But during the
war this has changed TO such a great
extent that people who never believed
that woman suffrage would be an issue
looked forward 10 the time when
women would vote as they do in Nor
way and Denmark and in many states
i'm the United States. From the En-
press 10 the poorest woman in the
country there is feeling that the war
cannot be successfully conducted un-
less the women as well as the men help
the Fathcrand. And because the
women have been asked 10 do so much
the feeling has grown that when peace
comes the women must have something
TO say i'm governmental affairs. Dur
ing the last two years the activities OF
women have reached every branch of
trade and many government depart
mcnts. Last fall a woman was made an
assistant in the newly organized
Kriegsamt. which was 20 have charge
Of the German civil service. On the
Kaiscrs birthday this year, when the
submarine war proposal was finally de-
cided upon. two women, the Empress
and Frau Won Hindenburg. were in
vited 10 Great Headquarters. 1t was
the first time militarism ever consulted
a woman.
Women Entered Red Cross
At the very beginning Of the war
women became active in the Red Cross.
And at every railroad station IN Ger
many along the main routes TO tire
front women organized relief stations,
where the soldiers obtained coffee ara
sandwiches. while they were making
their long journeys from the East TO
the West. and where the wounded re
ccivcd careful attention. In this Work
tine women made their debut IN pubic
affairs. To-day. when one travels N
..rv direction from Berlin one finds the
women at every railroad station sun,
scryirg hot substitute coffee, fruit and
Gicrs. often while travelling to the front
with troon trains have watched these
women work. and have noticed what
Great comfort and aid they were to
III. voarv soldiers. have heard Off =
.ors and soldiers remark that II would
have been impossible for Germany to
continue the war were it not for this
assistance.
Womqu's success in IN field caused
the army to call for her help IN other
colds Of usefulness. When food began
~ cot scarce. so scarce that even the
arnv could not be liberal to soldiers
while they were travelling. these women
we're called upon to organize food de
uots And then when the poor people
"a homc began to have food difficulties
tho government organized soup kltch,
oos and middle class restaurants ana
r,iacod the women i'm charge. In Der
I'm FOR instance, Frau FRANKIE. the WE
of a prcminent physician. Is IN charge
of The SCUM kitchen in the city market
baU where 10000 litres of stew are
Drepared daily for the poor. In Cologne
,rbero this system Of cooking and DIS
tributing food has been so successful
women do most of the work, and WIN
tbo execution of Street Commissioner
schmidt the people who direct the
food depots are women.
Women Collected Metals
Last wear. when the government de-,
cided to assemble all the copper and
brass which the people had and use II
for war materials, women were placed
in charge of this work. When the gov
eminent appealed to the people to turn
in their gold to the Reichs6ank women
we're placed in charge Of the bureaus.
Wien the food card distribution be-
came so extensive. up to last December,
for instance, when loO,OOO'OOO bread
cards had been issued in Berlin alone
women were brought into the offices,
NOT only to do the work, but to assist IN
directing the affairs.
So ali through the war women have
been called upon 10 do some OF the most
important things necessary to keep Ger
many i'm a position to fight. As the war
has demanded every available man IN