The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-06-29

/ . .-
should an opportunity come your way
later to learn wireless telegraphy-a
work which is peculiarly adapted to
the sensitive woman.
! The government has already opened
the motor transport service to women.
tlf this appeals to you. begin to fit your
self for 1t now.
Ihere are great many varieties Of
motor transport service, but even il
none OF the more dramatic opportuni-
tles come to you, there Is an impor-
tant service ahead of women in driv-
ing tractors.
IL woman has any gift for It at all,
mechanical = craftsmanship is very
much worth while. Government con-
struction plants employ many drafts
men, and you would be surprised to
ma how much of this you can learn
from your local architect or from any
manufacturing plant near your town.
Long before technical schools were
established men learned all they
needed to know by apprenticeship, and
the plan | propose to you Is simply to
revert to the earlier, simple method.
apprentice yourself to your chosen
trade in the person of the most skilled
workman You know. If you do not
Know how to choose, make a census of
the skills of your town. Find out the
most valuable skill and save that for
your country.
Can Learn at Home.
Women are the natural conservers of
civilization. 1t is our duty to gather
up and hold fast every bit of gain.
Women are only just learning what 1t
costs men to be proficient, and even Il
there is no definite objective in view.
we could not go far wrong In attempt
ing to save something of the proficient
mans purchase. have spoken of these
particular occupations as being direct
~ connected with the government ma
chine, realizing something of the hum
ger OF women to be identified with it
as men are. There is sense In which
any work which releases a man for
the front Is government service; but /
nave particularly wished to point out
how women may fit themselves for ma
'tlonal service In their own homes.
Ihere are other things than these, new
openings every week, things which can
be mastered on the farm or in the
smallest village. You do not, for ex-
ample, have to go out of your own
town to learn how to be postal clerk
There is in every town a good Job
for somebody in keeping In touch with
the needs of the. government machine
II you can do nothing else, be the CO.
herer; find out from your state officials
and from Washington all about the
qualifications, the dates and places Of
civil service examinations. the jobs for
which no examination but merely
certificate of fitness is required. See
to 1t that your circulating library has
such books as are needed by students.
If your state has travelling library,
know what helps it can give. There is
no real reason why any American
should not be able to learn anything
he--or she puts her mind to.
There is another branch of patriotic
service which, though 1t has not been
departmentally opened to women here
as in England, is open through com.
munitles and committees to American
women. This is the branch OF the com
missary. It includes all sorts of knowl-
edge supposed to be native to the
genius of women, Of food buying and
storing and cooking on large scale.
The basis Of commissary work Is a
natural aptitude for 1t and a knowl-
edge of food values. This you can
teach yourself at home, making lab
oratory of your kitchen. The rest you
can learn through community activi-
ties Ia your town, community store
houses, community kitchens, com
canning clubs and buying clubs.
The department Of agriculture cam
supply You with information on the
conduct of all these enterprises. AL
ready the demand for instructors In
these branches exceeds the supply.
And If the war should surprise us by
the years 1t holds out, there Is nc
doubt many Of them will be made
part of the government machine, Just
as they have been abroad. In that
case the women who will be chosen are
the women who had the initiative to
prepare themselves long in advance of
the necessity.
Food production is as important as
food conservation, but 1t can be
learned only by those who have a GER
tain amount of capital at their dis
pOsal, lands or tools, or stock. All the
things | have mentioned call for very
little more than the personal equip
patience and staying
power.
And this war is different from other
wars for women, simply as 1t uses
more of these qualities than any other. |
Wives and mothers have never lacked |
for war service, but this
war calls for qualities In woman
which transcend her sex and establish |
her social value on her power to do, |
rather than on her power to give. More !
han any war that was ever fought, it |
s lone woman's war. Women have |
played the part Of scabbard for the
sword, they have been the belt which |
binds 1t to their sons; now comes tho |