New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-26
Women to Frame
Home Programme
Of Preparedness
To Protect Young Girls
from Injurious Labor
Is Objective
Bt ERNESTINE EVANS

Washington. April 25.-The appoint
ment of a committee Of women to Unite
and mobilize the strength Of the women
Of this country, belated as it is. indl-
cates that the government is preparing
20 face the realities of preparedness
programme.
II knows at last that not the finest
military machine in the world is eff
fective without a united and protected
country behind it. As long as the
women behind the lines report TO their
men that life is bearable, the army is
free to fight This business Of insur-
ing the endurance and intelligent or
ganization Of fatherless households IS
a matter that requires woman's leader
ship.
Presumably the National Council OF
Defence has selected its committee, not
for political reasons, not because It's
members are supposed to have a follow
ing. but because these women more
than any others in the country can
frame programme.
Women's Work Divided
Aside from Red Cross work and per-
sonal service to the wounded, the work
of women in war time divides itself IN
TO three general branches. There were
in peace time more than eight million
women in the ranks of industry.
Millions of new women workers must
be recruited to fill the places left va
cant by enlisted men and 20 fill the de-
mand untitled because the immigrant
tide from Europe no longer flows across
the water TO the American labor mar
ket If CONSUMPTION comes 10 pass,
thousands of women will need TO be-
come the wage earners for families.
If the new committee of the National
Council Of Defence means to follow
the example of the women OF Eurore
10 would endeavor TO protect these
women. and particularly the young
girls, from jeopardizing their chances
of healthful wifehood and motherhood
by i'll terms and poor conditions OF
labor. il must insist on equal pay
for equal work where the women MI
the places left vacant by men. IL
must facilitate and supervise lntelll-
gently the distribution Of these new
women workers. Where women are
thrown out Of trades and many luxury
Grades Will presently discover that
wartime provides scant market for
their products sit will be the business
of this committee TO maintain bureaus
20 place these unemployed women 1T
such trades where they can make some
use of the talents which they trained.
Miss Wetmore's organization has al
ready under way the business Of enlist
ing women workers for naval yari
labor.
Household Thrift Needed
The second body Of work that must
pc organized is provision for a thrifty
national consumption Of food. Market
gardens in the dooryard or The Bronx
window box may or may not be the
way But this committee will be eX-
pected to decide. 1t must initiate a
national standard OF household thrift
that is scientific, and yet one that does
not lead into a niggardly boarding.
And always, II will be their business
10 construct effective safeguards for
the child life OF the country, guard the
school laws, see TO u that no child SUI
fers physically or mentally because IT'S
mother is no longer at home and its
father no longer wage Garner.
Judging from the membership OF the
committee, constant work for woman
suffrage as a measure Of protection to
the women Of the country at large VIII
he A fourth activity.