The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1918-10-25
MAKING GREAT RECORDS

making every day in the actual bat
ties Of the WEI" declares Miss Joy
Montgomery Eiggens, a member of
the labor commission which went
abroad last spr1ng in response to an
invitation from the ministry of in
formation Of the British government,
While Miss Higgins was abroad
she visited the munitions plants in
France and Great Britain and saw the
battle fronts maintained by the Am
erican troops as well as those held
by the French and English Since
her return frc Ii Europe she has spo-
ken in many les of the west where
she has fouud. the most patriotic and
enthusiastic Spirit.
AT last, labor is coming into its
own, here as well as abroad" Miss
Higgins says. At last, labor is hon
OTed as It should be and the workers
have a chance to prove their heroism,
their loyalty, and their power to con,
tribute to the national welfare Here
on this side u the ocean we are but
Just beginning to face the facts Of
the war and the first great fact is
that women must do their part just
as courageously as the men are doing
theirs.
Il think cur American women have
realized that their time Of complete
service would come just as it came
to the men Of the nation, and they
have been preparing for it. They
know that it is here now Every
where I see them going to work
brayeIy and with the same will to
win that has ,nabled the women of
France and -.e8t Britain to support
the allies so successfully.
There is ID longer any soft, white
hands over tho.e, where there is nc
task too hard q too humble for wo,
men to attempt, or successfully TO
accomplish, i one may judge from
appearances. saw peeresses and
peasants working side by side in the
munitions factories and the canteens
The women stll scrub and cook, sew
and care for children. They follow
the age-old occupations Of women.
but, also they perform the labor Of
men. And Of course to them is as
signed the ta>F Of ministering to the
wounded. They are everywhere do
ing what they can to assuage the ag,
cnies that every battle inflicts They
have even ne,Led to dig the graves
on the British front line in Flanders.
at is not Surprising that women
should soon learn to run machines.
but it is surprising that they are en-
gagged successfully on heavy jobs
that require great physical strength.
1t is the Am ar- can ideal that woman
hood should be protected, and for
that reason ! lelieve in safeguarding
the health Of women in every possible
way. We, here in the United States,
can profit by the experience of France
and Great Britain, where it was dem,
onstrated that certain kinds of EN-.
ployment for women meant a terrible
wastage affecting future generations.
as well as our own And this brings
me to an acknowledgment OF the
whole great Debt we owe the allies,
who are bestowing upon US, who have
entered the war so recently. the
benefits Of their four years expert.
ence
They are teaching US how to avoid
the mistakes made in the FIST ex.
periments in warfare forced on them
by the horrible inventions of Ger
many We ar profting by what they
have learned III factories and shops,
in homes and schools. as we'll as IN
trenches and on battlefelds, n
camps and hospitals.
Il hope that We shall neglect none
OF the lessons offered by our allies.
that We shall be especially cautious
in the introduction Of women INTO
the new lines Of industry made uecas-
ary hy the Is aeneiez of wan 1t IS
COSTS Ia peoat ~ forethoueht