New-York tribune., 1918-08-16
They're Going to Wear
Uniforms, Too, but What
Kind Isn't Decided
VIII Work at Beaches
New Recruits on the City
Force to Attend to Gases
Involving Girls

The war cloud held bit of silver
lining for New York yesterday-six
newly appointed policewomen, the very
first full fedged feminine guardians of
the law this city ever has had.
There have been a number of at
tempts in the past to put New York
on the map alongside the more progress
sive neighbor cities which have had
policewomen fer years. Wartime con-
ditions put it over at last.
However. when Police Commissioner
Enright appointed the six he distinctly
announced that the policewomen were
not war measure" to be discarded
when the peace dove reforms it's pres
ent migratory habits. Policewomen are
here for keeps. He will appoint four
more to-day and next year expects to
have twenty in addition.
Although the policewomen will be
specialists in the department, having
to do mostly with work affecting their
own sex, the Commissioner said they
would have the same authority as the
old-fashloned police males, and would,
part OF the time at least, wear uniforms
and carry policeman's full equipment
Vague About Uniforms
When it came to telling about the
uniforms to be the Commissioner was
rather vague. He would not discuss
details One attempt was made to pin
him down as TO whether the police
women would wear hats or caps The
Commissioner spoke enthusiastically of
what the pollcewomen Will undoubtedly
be able TO accomplish.
1t was openly suspected at Police
Headquarters that Commissioner En-
cernlng what kind of uniforms, par
ticularly hats, the women would wear,
or would have any definite ideas until
after conference with the women.
A hazy anticipation of something
blue, perhaps a skirt, jacket and head
gear of some sort. was what Headquar-
ters had to content itself with all day.
The males about Headquarters ac-
cepted the debut of their sister police
with a welcoming calm. But there
were a number who could not help
wondering where the policewomen,
when in uniform. were going to carry
all that full equipment Of a patrol
mar" alluded to by Commissioner En-
right
Among the items of the complement
Of standard police male are one re-
volver, an eight-iach police club, chain
handouts, summons book, box key and
whistle
On Duty at Beaches
headquarters optirlists expressed
the belief that if the policewomen's
uniforms were patterned anything like
those Of the policemen the Jacket
would extend low enough to hide ski rt
pockets and the women could carry
thelr equipment in practically the
same places as their police brothers.
II is likely the policewomen will not
De in uniform much Of the time, as
uniforms would hamper their work.
1aey Will handle cases involving girls
ana women. They will be on duty at
oeacnes and dance halls. Washers will
oe % one OF their specialties.
Inc policewomen will have zones, not
neats Each Will strive for the CO.
operation OF women's club and welfare
organizations in her district.
Inc SIX appointed yesterday are in
age from the early twenties to the
early forties. In one particular thew
seemed alike. They were deadly in
earnest about the work before them.
One Of them-Mrs. Mary c. Murtha,
WIDOW OF former warden at Black
wel!s Island prison-is the mother of
81: sM children. She lives at 316 East
Ky ninth Street. Mrs Madaline A.
U, ven, OF l071 New York Avenue,
niooAiyn, is the widow of a policeman
sao cled OF wounds received while on
aasy. The others, who have had expe-
riencs IN welfare work, are Mrs. Mary
T. Hamilton, $50 West Fifteenth
greet; Miss Ethel L. Gay, sO8 West
Ina Avenue; Miss Rose Goldstein, 1903
rvtesident Street, Brooklyn, and Miss
HSssnryn Hyde, 1442 Pacific Street,
me policewomen will work under
v,s., sas direction Of Mrs Ellen O'Grady
sN'n deputy Police Commissioner.