The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-05-09
Wonlan's Opportunity.

MS HlOSl Ielildl hdDlc OPPOl luii'S
for women of the Southwest to help
their fellow man was summed up
today in an interview with Miss
LYDIA Anderson, director Of nursing
service of the Southwestern division.
Miss Anderson lives Red Cross
nursing service. In the war zone
when war was declared, she visual
ICES conditions as they are and
her whole time and effort is given
to enlisting another nurse to save
a certain 500 men whom she visual
izes in the trenches, then another
nurse for another 500, and so on to
the end of the war Speaking of the
absolute necessity for the enroll
ment of COS nurses in the South
western division before June | and
$500 before January |, Miss Andcr-
son said:
THE Southwestern division has
$40 registered nurses, of these l.
100 are enrolled in the Red Cross
and Of the l,l06, SO are in service.
AS the knowledge of the great need
for their service reaches the nurses
they readily respond. Many are
physically disqualified, and though
they may be well able to remain ac-
tive in their private practice, cannot
pass the rigid physical examination
for army service. This eliminates
such a large number that it becomes
evident that every graduate Amer
lean nurse who is eligible physically
and meets other requirements OF the
Red Cross must prepare herself now
to give active military service with
in the next few months. We must
meet this demand Of Our govern
ment and this means that every eli
gible nurse of our country will be
in military service, here or in Eu-
rope, by Jan. /, 1919.
The nursing department to dis
charge this most vital duty put
upon it, namely, providing nursing
care to the wounded and at the same
time, as near as possible, keep the
home line unbroken, urges the clos
est co-operatiom and support Of ey-
cry patriotic American.
MANY nurses are delaying their
enrolment upon advice from physi-
clans or patients with arguments
put forth that their services are
more needed at home The nurse
whose responsibilities are always
grave, whose duties, involving lie
and death, many times absorb her
time and attention to the exclusion
OF every other interest, may be slow
to realize that she can conScien-
tiously leave these duties and may
question if it is possible that she
may be more needed elsewhere,
The wounded soldiers must have
first consideration and are entitled
to the best professional care we
have to offer. Let our American
civilians realize this and instead OF
creatig difficulties for the nurse,
aid her in every possible way to give
this service without too great a sac
rihce.
a special form of enrolment for
home defense nursing makes it pos
sible for nurses who are situated so
as to be unable to perform military
service to become enrolled for home
service. The home defense nurse
may act as an hourly nurse, making
visits, giving treatment prescribed
)y the physician and leave the rou-
inc bedside care to the aid who
las had the practical training inSti-
uted by the American Red Cross
md conducted by the different chap
erS. The civilian population will be
;ared for, but they are asked to
leny themselves the luxury of a
Nurse where the conditions are not
extremely urgent.
On the face OF these several facts
he outstanding features are appar-
mt. namely. that every nurse eli
,ible for military service must serve
n that capacity and every graduate
Nurse who must be denied the privi-
cge Of this service can give equa,
patriotic service BY keeping the
lome lines uubroken and that ev-
ny one of these trained workers
must prepare herself for service now
t her country is to be saved.
The possibility or probability of
lurses being drafted for service Is
,ften discussed; requests that
elective draft law for women be
,assed by congress have been made.
The drafting OF women for nursing
ervice. if they fail TO volunteer in
numbers sufficient TO fill the esti-
mated needs OF the Red Cross for
he first year. will not be necessary
I a proper call is sent 10 them that
heir services are needed. The rights
md privileges women are equal to
men in all respects and the Ameri-
an woman who. equipped with a
raining 10 make her service. when
,iven. equal in value to the coun-
~ OF the enlisted men surely Is
lot going to withhold this valuable
ielp.
What finer service could wom-
n ask This indeed is 4 woman's
var and We must do our part. The
lurses Of the Red Cross are helping