Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1918-02-15
RARE CHANCE FOR PATRIOTS
Those Between the Ages Of II and 20
Who. Can Pass Physical Elk
animation Are Qualified
for Enlistment.

Women Of the Southwest have Q
chance to show their patriotism now
as never before since the beginning Of
the war. They have been bravely Civ
ing up their sons, fathers, brothers,
! sweethearts and husbands to fight in
the great war; they have knitted thou
! sands OF sweaters, helmets, wristiets
and mufflers; they have practiced
! food conservation, bought Liberty
bonds, Red Cross memberships. thrift
/ stamps and certificates; they have
marched in dozens of parades. attend
ed hundreds of meetings and made
hundreds of patriotic talks.
But in few instances have they been
given an opportunity to go into the
field of the world struggle. This is
the path they now have q chance to
take.
The Department OF Nursing Of the
American Red Cross, the mobilizing
agency for nurses in military service,
| still is in urgent need of recruits. The
Red Cross wants the strong, brave,
competent women of the Southwest to
step forward and prepare to go to
France ard help nurse the brave sons
of the United States when they fall on
the battlefield
Thousands of Nurses Needed.
This appeal to the Southwest is is
sued by Miss LYDIA Anderson, head Of
the Nursing Department, Southwest
ern Division American Red Cross, and
should be heard by every woman in
this district. The need for more nurses
is so acute that the surgeon-general Of
the United States estimates that with
in a short time the Red Cross Will
need 10000 nurses for the army alone
Besides that, he points out that the
Allies also are depending upon the
United States to supplement their
nursing service.
1t is estimated that there are be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 registered
nurses in the United States at the
present time, meaning graduates of
accredited schools. Of this number
$500 are enrolled Red Cross nurses,
the majority of whom are in active
service, ready for mobilization or pre-
pared for specific service
To be Red Cross nurses one must
be graduate of an accredited school
be between the ages Of 81 and As and
must pass a physical examination Aft:
er the necessary 10000 nurses are
drawn from the total number Of regis.
tered nurses in the country there will
be only half enough nurses left here
to take care of the civilian needs.
Nursing is Fine Preparation.
Therefore, the only solution to the
problem-the only way to provide suf,
ficient number of nurses to care for
the American soldiers in Europe-is
for women of the Southwest to answer
the cell of the Red Cross and say
I'VE will help you fill the necessary
number"
There are rs accredited schools OF
nursing in this district that will pre-
pare volunteers for service. Two years
duty is required.
Nursing education not only prepares
for a large variety of professional
fields. but it is an excellent prepare.
ton for home and family life and for
public service in many ways, Almost
upon enrolment the student begins
her service to the community in help
ing to care for the sick, as part of her
instruction and training. This service
to the community will be greatly in
creased in war time, because the con-
ditions of war, which take wage-earn.
ers from the homes and nurses from
the civilian hospitals. produce an in
creased amount of sickness and dis
tress among the civilian population,
with decreased facilities for guarding
Ats health.
1t might be added that enrolment In
the Red Cross does not compel one to
go into war service. though there is
moral compulsion that one should
do so.
When Red Cross nurses are called
upon for active duty they receive $50
a month in the United States and $50
month elsewhere, plus maintenance
and travelling expenses.