Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-22
DEPENDENT WOMEN
OF CITY REGISTERED
Mrs. L. B. Taylor Heads Com
mittee to Help Those
in Need
POSITIONS GIVEN 1400
thousands Whose Husbands Are at
War Will Be Made Self
Supporting
POSITIONS GIVEN 14oO

FOR the FIRST time in the history Of the
city a census is being taken Of women
rssidents over the age of sixteen years.
And the work Is being done by women.
Furthermore, the Government will not
have to pay cent in high salaries or
for enormous printing and stationary
hills for the women engaged In this
great task are donating their services.
This city-wide registration OF women
,s being conducted by the registration
bureau of the women's committee. Coun-
ell of National Defense, Pennsylvania
division, and Is under the dircst charge
of Mrs. l.. b. Taylor, vice chairman of
the committee. She is being assisted in
the organization work by Mrs. w. G..
Rhoads, chairman for the Eighth Ward.
who has perfected in that ward a model
organization.
III Ten Thousand Registered
To date 10000 women have voluntarily
registered 1t is to enroll the thousands
Of women who have not yet signed reg
istration cards that the womens COM
mittee Is bending every effort. An or
ganization is being built up that will
! cover every nook and corner of the city.
The purpose of this registration is, in
word to take care of women made
dependent through the calling to the
colors Of sons, husbands. fathers or
ether men on whom they were formerly
dependent. In registering women state
What kind of work, If any, they can per-
form and whether or not they are de-
pendent on their own labor for support.
= IL .F,s -sax..
they are asked to designate what service
they would like to enter.
q This registration, it is hoped, will he
4 the answer to the problem confronting
the nation of what shall become of
women made dependent by the war.
Before the end of the war 1t is expected
that these women will number many
thousands. 1t is pointed out that such
an army of dependent women would
constitute serious problem.
Positions Given 400
Already through the efforts of the
registration organization 400 women
and girls have received positions so
quietly has this work gone forward that
the extent and importance OF 1t have
been but little understood and less APP
preciated. Those In charge of the work
arc confident they can give positions to
all women who will sign these cards
and make known their wants and what
service. If any, they are able to per-
form.
In this connection it Is urged that
employers of labor and any persons who
can use woman in any capacity that will
enable them 10 become self-supporting
wholly or in part give their names and
addresses and requirements TO the Ma
tioual Council headquarters, 1907 WAL
nut street. = "
Women whose relatives have gone TO
the 'front.' and who are not dependent on
them for support are urged to volunteer
for work during the absence of their
soldier relatives.
Women working on the city registra-
ton report that they have already
found evidences of German anti-registra-
tion propaganda. Some women visited
refused to sign registration cards, say
Ing they had been told such registration
would enable the Government to con-
script them for labor or service even at
the front. This. II is said, Is absolutely
false The registration seeks to help in
stead of to work hardship on women.
II is also reported that the greatest
difficulty Is being experienced in regis
= tering women of means. These ap-
i~'~heiy Wutt tIts call All III
/, trusion into" their homes and refuse to
4 sign cards. One woman. in a very
wealthy home in the central section of
the city, IL said to have ade very
. bitter statements against the draft, say
y Ing that her husband had been drafted
and that she would not sign a card for
Z any kind of Government work.
Il Registrars Well Received
Az n r,tla bnu ho
registrars report only the best kind Of
treatment at the hands Of women resi-
dents.
Many women do not seem to under
stand the nature of the registration re-
CURED of them. One woman refused
to register until 1t was explained that
the action would give employment to her.
self and her daughters. Another woman,
when asked what kind of work she
could do, said she had, before her mar
riage, worked as a manufacturer of chill
drens toys. AS this industry Is one
which Is being rapidly developed In this
fountry, owing to the cutting off of the
Toy supplies from abroad, the services
pf this woman will be eagerly sought
by firms handling this product. It is
because women do not know where to
y tufH III an emergency OF inns hiiu that
the city registration Is being made.
Much assistance is being rendered in
performing this task by captains of
Girl Scout troops, who are making a
house-to-house canvass in various Sec
tions of the city.
This work Is not confined to any color
or creed. For instance, that section
( OF the Eighth Ward, between Walnut
and Spruce and Seventh and Eleventh
streets. which has many negroes, is be-
ing taken care of by Mrs. ii. II. Nous.
eroun, a negro woman, who is being as
sisted by eight others. Mrs. Mouseroun's
mother. eighty years old. has regis
tered.
Trouble has been experienced owing
70 the belief of some women visited that
women registrars are receiving large
salaries. None of them receives a
penny for her services.
1t Is expected that the registration OF
me Eighth Ward, of which Mrs Rhoads
~ the chairman. will be completed to-
morrow. The city is being organized
. ward at time.
CHURCHMEN ORGANIZE