Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-07
Women Radio Experts
Make Goodwin u. S.
BY Frederic J. Haskin

Of international Importance would un-
doubtedly have given the masculine
element # the population a "turn' a
decade ago. Even today the young women
in the capacity mentioned are regarded
dubiously-by those who know nothing
of wireless. Among radio experts, they
are rapidly gaining the reputation OF
being first class workmen.
Radio as q career for women is being
developed by means of the Radio Corps
of which Mrs. Herbert Summer Owen is
organizer and director The origin Of
the corps dates from year before the
United States entered the war. Mrs.
| Owen describes herself as peSsinnist who
for some time before the war bad seen
trouble brewing and who believed even
then that women would be needed IN
scientific work A girl in whom Mrs.
Owen was interested, by becoming IN
tcrested in wireless, provided the I'M
petus which started the corps. At first
| she studied by herself, but when she
could 90 no farther alone and applied
for admission 10 class for advanced
training, she was told that radio classes
we're not open to women.
FIRST CLASS FOR WOMEN.
Mrs Owen investigated and argued,
! and finally convinced Mr. Edward j.
| Nally, Vice-Presidcnt of the Marconi Co, (,
that there WAS demand for such in
! strrIction. II was he who made possible
the opening of the first Wireless Class
! for Women" for be lent Mrs. Owen the
necessary equipment, costing about - 500.
| Clesses IN New York ~ Hunter College,
! the Marconi Radio institute and the Y.
| Nj &. A. were finally opened to all women.
| The Marooni classes were not for women
alone Mrs Owen is against that-but
classes for men md women, with the same
] opportunities for both.
| The girls learned the code and tech
niqur rs quickly as the men They then
| took the United States Bureau Of Navi-
| CATION test and received operators Ii
censes. After this they discovered that
| they were full fedged worknen with
/ nothing 10 do.
These girls banded themselves into q
| corps, and Mrs Owen came 10 Washing
| ton 10 tack the War and Navy Depart
! rnente In New York, she said, were
! half hundred girls, all skilled operators
| and many Of them capable Of teaching
radio classes, repairing apparatus, or
engaging in radio research. The urgent
| need for radio workers in the Signal Corps
Vas well known. Could not the COVER
rnent make use Of these applicantsY
:, Al first the officers laughed. They
! had amusing visions Of young ladies re-
pairing wires under fire at the front.
| Besides it WAS clearly written IN the army
law that men were 10 be enlisted, with no
provision for accepting women, however
clever For the time being they were
rejected by the Signal Corps but some tim
! later the corps reconsidered and sent for
Mrs Owen To come to Washington TO q
conference The result Of this was that
the Signal Corps accepted the services OF
| the women as civilian workers under the
Signal Corps.
UNIFORM MAKES TROUBLE.
Since then the chief problems 70 be
solved have been comparatively simple,
such as locating headquarters IN crowded
Washington, and getting permission for
the girls 10 wear their uniforms. The
uniform opposition aroused agitation
because of the alleged likeness of the
corps working clothes to the United
States army uniform. As a matter OF
fact, the uniform Is copied from that of
the British army with Sam Brown belt,
British cap, leather puttees, skirts being
substituted for trousers. As the material
used ere English and the officers lnsIgn
IS adopted from the Rumanla army
| insignia with consent Of the representative
OF the Rumanian government IN this
/ country, the charge OF copying the Arneri-
can uniform IS unfounded.
The corps members held out for khaki
uniforms because they could not do
their work properly nor command the
| same respect In civilian dress. They
argued that the effect OF a uniform on
people with whom she came In contact
is almost as important as the effect on
the wearer-a fact which Is becoming
a standard argument In favor OF uni
forms for workers. The army has been
wary of accepting the services of girls
The army has been wary Of accepting
the services OF girls in uniforms lest the
rumor be started that it was enhstIng
women. This fear was somewhat in
creased in the case OF the Radio Corps
girls in that their distinctly iitary
bearing rendered them easily mistaken
for part of the army.
SET DIFFICULT STANDARD.
That girls must be one hundred per
cent more efficient. than the men they
replace to gain recognition rs radio
experts was the opinion OF one officer
who agreed to try out the girls. This
difficult stand ri is being attained by
the corps because every member is IN
tensely interested in her work. Other
wise their enthusiasm would have long
ago been dampened By the obstacles
placed in their way. Some have been
teachers of science in high schools and
colleges, others have studied wireless
with their brothers, and still Others had
only latent ability when the chance
came; but in all the desire to maze
good is strong
Their present status is that OF members
OF a private organi alton from which they
may be appointed by the Civil Service
and detailed to duty wherever needed.
Mostly the girls arc needed by the Signal
Corps, though one vas used by the navy
IN enlisted capacity, and now some are
being called to posts in the West.
The wireless code IS the least part of q
girls training for the work now being
done by the corps. None of the members
are employed As operators. One OF the
questions often asked by applicants for
admission TO the corps is whether she viii
be placed as a radio operator on a battle
ship. This IS hopeless aspiration, There
are As vet no accommodations for women
radio operators on board any ship. IL
most eases the chief operator and his
assistant have only ono room between
them. In one instance woman has
served on shipboard, but she worked
with her husband. who was the other
ships operator
The coming ol peace has affected the
plans Of the corps only ls an indication of