Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-07
HaSkin.
AMERICAN WOMEN DOCTORS IN FRANCE-By Haskn

tories with capacity for fifty girls have been built
around central dining and living-rooms; smali
houses have been constructed for the use OF girls
who preferred to do their own Housekeeping, anu
clean, comfortable lodging houses established for
still others
The girls who live under the protection of this
organization happy and comfortable. There is
a central club house, with a good dance floor,
victrola and player-piano, and small library Where
they may spend their evenings. The magnetic
uniform is always visible in this town. Hundreds
of soldiers are always spending their days of
there, but rarely is there difficulty in protecting
any of these Y W. c. A. girls. The men often
come to the club house, and they frequently are
invited to dances there, that the girls are not
forced into candestine arrangements. They have
much freedom than the average boarding
school girl, although they have practically the
amount of protection.
This is only instance Many other diplo-
matte measures have been instituted by other or
CARNATIONS for the perfection of young girls In
many training camp towns girls clubs have been
formed to carry patriotic activities, such
knitting, surgical bandages and, in lighter vein,
amateur theatricals musicales, church sociables
and dances for the soldiers in the outlying camps
IN this way the mingling OF the girls and men is
brought into the open, made a matter of commu-
nifty interest and pride, and the girls are made to
realize the high plane of their responsibility both
towards themselves and the
Girls who come to the towns in search of
ployment also visited by various matronly
women, who try to that they obtain the right
sort of employment and pleasant housing accom-
modatiOns. Wherever it is possible to organize
LneSo CLUBS, also, cluD cenCerS eStaD
lished an appropriate object found for the actvi-
ties of the club, and the medals and insignia de-
signed and distributed.
Still, there is a great deal yet to be accom-
pshed, or there would be less need for the police
women newly appointed by the committee. Sew
entyfve OffceretteS-or protective officers as they
called by the committee-have been appointed
so far to patrol the training camp vicinities
Many of these are regular woman cops" with the
rank of deputy sheriff, while others are matrons
on the town committee who have pledged them
selves to detective work. They work in close CO.
operation with the local civil and military police
authorities.
They use their police power only in the gravest
necessity. Their function is to patrol the streets
and roads leading from the town to the camp; to
visit the public amusement places to report any
violations of local ordinances, and to minge with
the crowd, where they are often able to prevent
dangerous acquaintance by vigilant observation
Parks and other dimlylighted places are also care
fully patrolled by the policewoman.
The duty of the ofhcerette is to protect rarely
to punish. She must study the special circum-
stances of each that she may help each girl
as much as possible. Often she enlists the aid of
parent and guardians frequently herself steers
the girl into a new channel of wholesome interest
and only as last resort uses her power to arrest
1t must be admitted that this power has had to
be called upon to some extent; otherwise there
would be no need for the detention houses and
free maternity clinics that have had to be estab-
lished in the vicinity of training camp towns The
problem is simply one that must be faced bv the
American people of other countries that are at war
Even the cities about which there train
ing camps are patrolled by policewomen in
England. Every European country has had to face
and settle the problems of the unmarried mother
and the ilegitimate child. They included in
the soldiers allowance and insurance bills And
it is upon the efficiency with which these problems
are met and settled that the welfare of the soldier
and the community depends. $3.50 .-..-e i