The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-15
WOman's Committee
of the Council of
National Defense


Committee OF the Council OF Nat t'onai
Defense in this county is being rapid
ly completed. We are being asked
What and Why Is This woman's com
mittee ana the answer TO that. is very
clearly defined and the work explain
ed in the following letter from Anna
Howard Shaw, the national chairman.
1t is to be hoped that this letter will
be read by everyone. especially the
women of our county as every womap
in the county will sooner or later be
called upon to give of her time and in
terest to War Work thru this Wo-
mans committee of the Council of
National Defense.
July 80. 1918.
To the State Chairmen:
The question is often asked. why
was 1t necessary to create a woman's
Committee with Governmental sane
tion. when the Red Cross. SO largely
concerned with women's work, al
ready existed with the authorization
of Congress and the Convention of
Geneva establishing its international
status?"
The answer is found in the accep-
tance of the fact that to the Ameri-
can Red Cross is assigned definite
duties. limits of which are clearly de-
fined. The womans' committee is Civ
en- direction of the Red Cross. The
following statement is made by Mr..
Elliot Wadsworth. chairman of the
National American Red Cross:
THE American Red Cross is charg-
ed with the duty of helping to pro
vide the troops with comforts and ne
cessities when in the field: helping
them in transit and assigning the
Army Medical Corps in taking care
OF the sick and wounded. The Red
Cross will also raise funds to carry
on relief work for the families OF sol
diers and sailors, who may be left in
need by the mobilization OF troops.
To further this work and to prepare
women for service with the Red Cross.
il conducts classes in first aid to the
injured. in elementary hygiene and
home care of the sick. in dietcfics and
in surgical dressings. The American
Red Cross. moreover. in the case of
flood, famine. or pestilence. is sup
posed to act in such emergency and
organize the relief necessary in such
disasters
The main activities OF the Wom
ans Committee lie entirely outside
OF these functions. and therefore. can
be no overlapping or duplication of
effort. The Womsn's Committee. Is
concerned thru its different depart
ments. with the registration of women
for general service: with food produc
tion and conservation. with child wei
fare and industrial conditions con
cerning women and children: the edu-
cation OF women along all lines out
side of the Red Cross service: with
the maintenance of all existing social
agencies. and the safeguarding of the
moral and spiritual forces OF the Ma
tion. so that those inner defenses Of
our National life may not be broken
down In the period OF the war. The
work OF these departments TO be car
ried on thru corporations. where such
exist.
The Women's Committee is in every
way sympathetic TO the aims and pur
poses of the American Red Cross. II
will urge women everywhere to join
in the making of hospital supplies and
garments for the civilian population
in the devastated districts of Europe
and to avail themselves of the educa-
tional advantages offered by the Red
Cross. In every community where
the Woman's Committee is represent.
ed. II hopes to see. also. "A Red Cross
organization. the two cooperating In
the greatest harmony for the common
welfare.
Very sincerely yours,
ANNA HOWARD SHAW.
Chairman Womai's Committee.
The local organization has the fol.
lowing officers:
Mrs. T. NJ Harding. chairman OF
Fremont county.
vice-chairmen-Mr d. n. Cooper.