Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-12-19
WHAT THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN
ARE DOING TO WIN WAR.

WHAT The AUSTRALIAN VVMLN
ARE DOING TO WIN WAR.
The officers and chairmen of COM
mittees Of the Women's Committee or
the Council of Defense and officers OF
the Red Cross chapter were invited to
dinner with Mrs. r. Hugh knyvett on
last Friday evening, and following
the dinner Mrs. Knyvett gave an IN
teresting account of what the Aus
tralian women are doing in the prose-
cution of the war.
Mrs. Knyvett spoke informally but
very charmingly and sincerely or the
war work of the women of Australia.
There the women register for service,
stating the number Of hours a week
they will give aside from their home
duties. Some can give only two or
three hours perhaps, while others
give half and many all their time to
the First Aid Volunteers.
The F. A. VS.. as they are Called
take First Aid training, wear a UNI
form, consisting of plain white Dress
big white apron with the regulation
Red Cross on the front, small white
Dutch cap, and white shoes ana
stockings. They stand ready to serve
whenever and wherever they are call
ed. whether it be to scrub 1loor'
tend sick child or nurse wounded
soldier. The F. A. VS.. are called
when the hospital ships come, bring
ing the wounded home. BY the way
the arrival of these ships is never an
nounced more than two days before
docking, for the German submarine IS
haunting Australian waters too, ana
quite as willing as sink hospltal
ship as any other. The F. A. VS.. go
down to the docks to meet these SHIPS
aid in removing the soldiers and go
with them to the hospital or hospital
homes. staying with them until they
are comfortably settled. The hospital
homes are some of the most beautl1ul
homes in the city that have been open
ed and converted into semi-hospltals
for the convalescent soldier, who mas
no home or is not yet able to go on
to his own home,
When the newspapers announce the
coming of the ship they also publish
a list of red cross auto numbers. The
machines bearing these numbers are
expected to be ready to serve that
day. Nearly every auto in Sidney is
registered for Red Cross. This is
indicated by a number in red and white
carried under the regular license num-
Der. Mrs. Knyvett says that many
more than the published number ap-
pear at the time of arrival OF the
ship. Each owner hoping there will
be some mission for him, too.
When drive is to be made the
whole city is turned into a fair and all
Kinds of bazaars and booths are es-
tablished on the streets and in the
parks. The whole city turns out and
they have never failed yet Of going
over the top.
Aside from the regular Red Cross
fund they have what they call their
War Chest. This money is used
Wherever war need arises out side of
the Red Cross channels, but always in
perfect harmony with its aims.
Among other means Of supplying the
war Chest with funds Mrs. Knyvett
told Of flower shop in the heart of
the city, supported by individuals and
always sold out by $3.50 every after
noon An art shop where exquisite
embroidery and hand made articles
are sold Is also conducted solely for
the war chest fund. At fair times
the F. A. VS.. go about with very large
stockings stretched open at the top ov-
or a whoop on long handle, collect
Ing coppers for the chest, plan that
adds no small amount to its horde.
The Australians are quite as fond
Of afternoon tea as the English. So
the women who are nept at home by
duties there make sandwiches and tea
cakes which are collected every after
noon usually by the boy scouts, and
delivered to the convalescing soldiers
who gladly pay four pence each for
this luxury. This money also finds its
way into the war chest
It is quite impossible to persuade
anyone to 60 out pleasuring on Sum
day afternoon for that is the time set
APART for writing to the soldiers and
one 1tould find themselves far from
popular If they neglected that duty
or allow an outgoing mail steamer
to 20 without it's full quota OF letters
and parcels for the front.
In closing Mrs. Knyvett said: About
our knitting, why everyone knlts Ill
the time and everywhere"
The impression left by Mrs. kny-
vett was that all the burden OF this
war work was not left to the faith
full few, but gladly shared by all and
in the spirit of heartiest cooperation.
MANCHESTER JOINS CEDAR VAL