Bisbee daily review., 1918-09-22
War Mourning

| The question of whether the women | of America will wear mourning for ! their dead is being agitated. To put on heavy crepe for their husbands, sons and brothers who fall on the far off battle fields of France in the cause of democracy would be to plunge themselves deeper into sorrow and all those whom they come in contact with. True mourning is in the heart and not in the ostentatious display of somber garments. In every letter from the front the spirit of gameness is most perceptible, but before going into battle, these soldiers can speak in the most casual way of going west into the great repose of the sun set" It is instinctively felt that these lads would never wish those left behind to be made more miserable by the depressing reminder of dead black.
 Then too, they must be viewed in the light of added expense, for if it is the general thing women will spend the money that could be we'll used to better advantage People of means will set the fashion and the poorer classes will feel bound to follow. The civilian population must look shOddy so that the soldiers may have the best and the warmest materials for uniforms. Then isn't it up to the women of America to hide their grief, bury it deep in their hearts and mourn their heroic dead by maintaining so far as possible the cheerful and usual aspect of every day life.
 The wearing of deep black crepe and the use of bordered stationary was originated in England. But today the British women have decided to show in some other way that their men have died so gloriously. If mourning is worn at all, it is much lighter and not worn for such a lengthy period. The sane view that personal grief is not a reason to injure your health and live a life of melancholy ever after wards is being seen clearly. Infinite ly sad are the mothers and the young wives that lose those most dear but there are others to be comforted and tasks to be done. Each day they are beginning to realize that these deaths are such glorious ones that they cannot afford to despair.
 At the very beginning of the war women came forward offering their services and claimed their share of the. responsibility, giving time, work and loved ones. Knowing that the men of the nation were willing to give their lives, and that she must be as brave and give way to no selfish in- signia of grief
 Of course nothing can take away the great loss but it would be un- bearable if that loss didn't bring with it pride as well as sorrow.
 When the men go the women will be left in this country to carry on the work to keep up the morale. Learn ing new occupations, helping encourag- ing and smiling. Think of what a disheartened effect it would have upon the men home on furlough to see the women garbed in the conventional mourning, at every turn. The whole atmosphere would be charged with woe. Calm faces must be shown no matter how great the pain. All the energy devoted to nursing the sick and wounded back to health. Go to the theaters and entertain the men on leave to dinner or invite them to tea at home. Just strive to. take up the broken threads of life and go on with an ideal as before.
 From France comes beautiful let ters from the boys of the chateau that stood in the middle ages covered with vines and climbing roses and a moat roundabout with a drawbridge. In these places they are billeted happy