New-York tribune., 1918-09-17
Army Nurses to
Ask Congress for
Military Rank
Women Believe 1t Impera-
ti've They Should Have Or
derlies Under Control

WASHINGTON. Sent 16.-"One gold
rar OF the shoulder IS worth TWO reru-
ia.ions in hooA" when K comes 10
Setarg an orderly 70 do things At
less; American army nurses believe so
. such an extent that they are asking
Corsress 20 grant thcm relative mill
,zTy ra,k-
- relative rank" ,hev mean rank
wA'ch iaoAs several of the essentials
q absolute rank. In this case It does
g. carry = commission. and it does
rot carry the pay. the allowances or
s7oiuments Of absolvte rank. In fact.
An'erscaR army nurses want only three
lhlncs; TIE dignity incident to the
'sne e rank. the right TO wear the
insignia thereof. and authority in
sec.oal and sanitary matters next
aSsr ~ medical officers q .he army.
Tee nurses do Not ask TINS selfish
: sad Ars Helen Hoy Greeley. a
.Swye- o New York City. who is in
Washington working 10 accomplish the
WISHES O. the AMY nurses. "They ask
I: Simply because they believe much Of
re efficiency Of their service depends
u7on l. A. present their authority
: CONTINUALLY disputed b. enlisted
rs'. wAo. 8 o~derlies. are expected to
-sss tas nurses orders.
Effect Psychological
Few q The orderles have read the
vrterS giN nG : nurse authority. Il IS
military fsychclogy that Il they see on
re- shoulder the bars that they haze
cec7 -@lsa- 20 respect they will not
.les.lo. her ? ght 20 command them"
]-sc AE the sine when The army
-arSe colVs was appealing for thou
saris e volunteer nurses the Con
frc4.er Ct the Treasury Department
anoed down the decision that army
nurses taken aS prisoners Of war were
no- entit'ed 10 pay during their cap
--fl.l Iae reason for the decision
sas tha. members Of the army nurse
corps wee not specifically included IN
-ae s.a-l,e which provides for such
pav.
Fifteen thousand nurses are in the
service G t. army and navv,' said
aiss Clara =. Noyes. president OF the
American Nurses Association. They
have gone forth quietly, without blare
or trumpets. and are willing to accept
Aardships in order that our men and
hoys nay not suffer for the want Of
ssilf1l nursing.
Protection Is Necessary
hose nurses who have already en-
terea thc service and those about 10
enroll should have every assurance
taat the government is ready 10 protect
iAe-n q their hazardous work and help
1hcEl 20 do their best for the men they
a-e caring for"
The bill prepared by the nurses pro-
Fses that the superintendent Of the
Ar-ny Nurse Corps have the rank Of
Ms19r. the assistant superintendent
that OF captain. chief nurses that Of
trst lieutenant, and nurses that Of
second lieutenant. The lowest COM
mission given a medical officer in the
army is that of first lieutenant. and
any first lieutenant in the Medical
Corps will outrank the major Of ~,
Army Nurse Corps.
FOR eighteen years members Of the
Army Nurse Corps have been an in
tegral part Of the regular army. but
they have never been treated as off
GERS. Their association with French,
Canadian, Australian and English
nurses, says one Of their number, has
opened their eyes to the somewhat be
lifting rank they themselves have. and
to the fact that the United States is
the one country in this war whose
nurses have no social rating. English
nurses Of the Queen Alexandra Impe-
rial Military Nursing Service have no
rank but that implied by their imperial
name and with their clearly defined
military status they do not need more.
he Canadian and Australian nurses
rank from lieutenant to major. They
receive equal pay with officers and