Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-13

fact that their elders are at war.
Civic work, she said. is ever an
important obligation for women and
they can easily and effectually &C
compIish what they start out to do
if they will only find the right place
at which to begin. She spoke of
the need of recreational centers as
war measure where the work of
democratiZing the peoples of the
country may have their inception
and where the children of all may
be placed on equal ground She
made a special plea for more Amer
icaniZation, preaching the doctrine
of reaching over and not down to
foreigners. This question, she said,
should be viewed from very
broad standpoint and the American
people should make special effort
to democratiZe themselves that
they may democratiZe the foreigner.
She suggested a careful study of
questions of government, what its
institution represent and why or
dained. This, she said. could espe-
cially well be taken up in citizen
ship classes where the opportunity
is large for reaching those people
that need to know the principles of
the government, national and civic,
under which they live. She made a
plea for the work of the Red Cross
and told of the great need that is
becoming more and more urgent as
the American boys are entering the
great war. Mrs. Bemis spoke in
formally of the work that she is
engaged in in Chicago in connec-
tion with the city club and various
other organizations and gave inter
esting examples of self-sacrifice
and heroism on the part of the
lovely women of the city who are
ding their might to help win the
war
Miss Maude Gerault Smalley,
who is in the city in the interest of
the organization of a Patriotic
league, as a representative of the
United States government, address,
ed the women briefly telling of what
she proposes to do in the formation
of the league. Social conditions are
always disturbed, she said, where a
large number of soldiers are sta
toned and theer is danger to the
y
en-. The former are the special
care of the commission appointed TO
look after the men in army camps,
it is the special duty of the Pat
riotic league to look after the care
of the girls. This organization is
promoted by the United States gov
eminent and is to be a permanent
organization following the close of
the war. Already such an organi-
cation has been begun through the
| local Young Women's Christian as
sociation and has a membership of
more than 500, including flourish
ing high school club. Miss Smalley
said Il is proposed to form the girls
of community in groups wherever
they may be congregated and to put
| them in charge of volunteer leaders
who shall direct their activities.
She said II is the idea to procure
good women speakers who Will
; make the girls realize their pat
riotic duty in doing well those
things that they are now engaged
in where they can give just as effec-
tive service as going to France and
establishing soup kitchens. Mem
| bers are asked to sign a pledge OF
, loyalty to their work and to the
country and to give of their best
efforts. 1t is proposed to establish
system of honor in recognition of
work which has been we'll done and
in various lines. 1t is hoped to
provide whatever lines OF activities
groups of girls may desire be it
swimming, dancing. sewing acting.
, etc, and to give them opportunity
to meet soldiers under proper condi-
tons, for the desire of boys and
girls TO play together is as natural
as breathing and no more harmful
under right conditions.
The meeting was one OF the best
of the season, both speakers inn
pressing with the earnestness of
their messages.