The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-02-28
NATIONAL DEFENSE
MADIsON's WOMAN'S COMMITTEE
OF THE COUNCIL.

A number of questions have been
asked regarding the woman's COM
mittee of national defense. What lis
the purpose of this committee? Am
I Obliged to register? Am l obliged
to give the service for which I have
registered? What is the money to he
used for? Although these questions
have been answered through the
press, Ii may be well to repeat in or
der to clear up any misunderstand-
ing, The purpose of the woman's
committee of the council of national
defense is $50 to coordinate the ac-
tivities and the resources of the or
ganized and unorganized women OF
the country that their power may be
utilized In time of need and to supply
a new and direct channel of commu-
nication and cooperation between
women and governmental depart
ments.' IL Is an inventory of the
women of the United States and their
possibilities of assistance in order to
place a war value upon each one.
Registration is not compulsory, but
no service is asked or expected of a
woman except what she may freely
offer, but she is requested to register
in any case, that the woman's war
census may be complete. There is
nothing too trivial to be of some
service when the world and all hui
manity need SO much.
1t may be only in raising a garden,
a few more chickens or pigs. or sew
ing and helping TO care for the chill
dren of a neighbor who may have
been trained along broader lines
than we, and who, through our as
sistance may be enabled to fill some
position in the business world where
there is fast becoming such a dearth
of men.
Those who heard Mrs. Gamble
Tuesday evening were impressed
with the fact that the women of the
United States do not realize al yet
what war means, what service and
sacrifice mean. The need is so great,
however, that we must, in a measure
at least, release or relieve the tired,
overworked Canadian, English. and
French women. We must, too, look
into the future when the war will
have actually taxed our resources.
The questions must be constantly be
fore us What more can I do than
/ am doing now?", What can l do
for my neighbor who is more highly
trained or more efficient than / in
order that she may give more of her
time to war service!" For instance.
your neighbor may be a very eff
cient typewriter. Would you be will
ing sometime in the future to care
for her children in order that she
might give one or more afternoons a
week to clerical work? Then in the
card you would indicate that you are
willing to give your service in caring
for children in home town only while
your neighbor would indicate that
she is trained and is willing to give
her services as a typewriter in home
town only. But il she is free from
family cares she might indicate that
she is willing to go anywhere or in
United States only.
All contributions are voluntary
and the money is used to pay cur
rent expenses such as printing, post
age, to help pay carfare OF county
chairman to a state meeting. etc.
Town and township chairmen send
all cards to county headquarters.
where they are to be filed and will
serve as a card catalog of women CIV
ing service. Summaries Of registra-
ton cards in tabulated form are sent
to the state divisions and they in
turn send the tabulations on to the
woman's committee of the council of
national defense in Washington. The
information on these cards will be
available to government officials.
both state and federal, to the Red
Cross and other authorized agencies.
We were to have had a month In
which to make this survey, but our
material having arrived late and de-
string to make way for other drives
that follow this we wish very much
and hope to complete all registration
by Monday night.