The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-20
women PATRIOTS ARE
QUICK TO VOLUNTEER
Opening Day at Munitions Reserve
Headquarters Proves Big and
Enthusiastic Success,
NO IDLE MOMENTS.
Hundred Apply for Registration WILL
ing to Help In Their Own Way to
Bring Enemy to His Knees.

Bring enemy to his hneeS-
Put to the test, Richmond girls and
women yesterday gave concrete evil
>dence of their patriotism and march-
ed to the headquarters of the women
munition reserve, fourth floor Centra
National Bank building. Third and
Broad streets. Scores enrolled. SUP
ject TO call for active service at the
United States bag-loading plant. NO
3. al Seven Pines. 1t was the first
day recruits were enlisted and pc
fore nightfaIl more than one hundred
had pledged themselves TO help uRcie
Sam by sewing and filling silk bags
with smokeless powder whenever
their services may be required.
Miss wlnifred G. Crenshaw. execu-
tive secretary. and Mrs. James Il.
Cannon and Miss Gertrude Smith. per
sonnet officers. did not have an idle
moment from the time headquarters
opened in the morning until 'ieS
tIosed at 5 O'Clock.
Uigh-Cinss Recruits.
Those engaged in enrolling the can
dlaates for appointment in the great
feminine army were much impressed
with the character of girls ana Wo
men who responded to the call TOT
volunteers The majority OF those
who enrolled were women VINO nave
been prominently identified with the
city's social business and religious life.
Few OF the callers left without
promising 10 labor with their own
hands 10 support the boys al the
front
Telephone calls were so great in
number that it became necessary 10
have additional lines and instruments
installed when supplied over the
wire with the information sought, all
callers announced that they would be
on hand today TO enlist.
Many called with "A view OF oHer-
ing their services on part time without
any compensation" said Miss Cfen-
shaw last night. Every one seemed
anxious to be of some service TO the
nation. This is the opportunity for
all to crafty this wish and at the
same time to benefit themselves. All
girls and women called for active ser
vice will be paid attractive wages.
When they first go on duty they Will
be given school course of from TWO
TO seven days. and they will be paid
while they are being taught how 10
make themselves useful to the govern
ment.
Husbands Should Agree.
One woman 'phoned to ask me,
Miss Crenshaw continued. to talk
with her husband. She said that she
felt that she should lie at work, but
that her husband could not see why.
] wonder IL her husband would like to
be In France and be without powder
Another woman called and OK
pressed her willingness to serve to
protect our boys. She was surprised
to hear what was paid, This is "a
vital need and | am certain that the
women are ready TO do their full
part"
1t was pointed out that the women
and girls of Richmond will certainly
not be outdone by the women and
girls in Hartford, Conn. our sisters
In Connecticut" said Mrs. Cannon.
were asked to lend hand in war
emergency. Gas masks were needed
and the Hartford girls and women
responded in body. All classes
volunteered TO do the work, and they
did Afternoon teas and bridge par
ties were forgotten by most Of the
young women when they enrolled for
the work. Those who worked for
their living were not too tired to VOL
unteer to assist In the evening School
teachers abandoned plans for vaca-
tons and all went TO work in a great
rubber plant to make improved gas
masks for our boys in khaki. They
accomplished their task in record
time. | am certain that the sex in
Richmond will not be outdone.'
Most Necessary Work.
The ordnance department has sd-
vised the management OF the Seven
Pines bag loading plant that the
m manufacturing of the charges for the
big guns Is the most serious feature
at the present time in the whole
ordnance program. Next to ships, in
fact. ut is the most serious problem
in the whole enormous war pksgram
Along the seaboard are being rsem-
bIed enormous stores of guns and
shells, and unless the three bag load
ing plants at Seven Pines, Tullytown.
Pa, and Woodbury.. y. j.. reach their
capacity in the near. future the whole
ordnance program, as far as heavy
artillery Is cocerned, will fail
Guns and shells are now being
turned out in plentiful quantities. but
these in themselves are absolutely
valucless unless the necessary propel-
liant charges are at hand.
A propellant charge is certain
quantity OF smokeless powder enclosed
in q raw silk bag. which is inserted
In the big gun Immediately behind
the shell. 1t furnishes the force which
propels the shells into the enemy's
lines The shell itself is an elaborate
mechanism, containing in Its brass
casing a charge which explodes when
Il reaches its destination.
Therefore, not a minute can be lost.
nor dollar spared in preparing these
priceless propellant charges for the
artillery. This is the work which
the women and girls OF Richmond are
called upon to do.