The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-07-02


1t is no mere gallantry of sex, but
an acknowledgment of fact, to say
that in this war emergency, as in
all the crises of our history and of
the race, there is nothing finer in
spirit or effect than the service which
the women Of the United States are
rendering. In her very nature
woman is an instrument of sacrifice
BY circumstance and habit, and per-
haps also by nature, she is accus-
toned to self-effacement. AS a rule,
her chief thought is the thing to be
accomplished; her last thought is
her own welfare. The greatest
factor of success in war is sacrifice
not the sacrifice of burnt offering,
but the sacrifice Of comfort, of we'll
being, and, if need be, of SELF
WOman's Part not Spectacular
Hence 1t is that woman entered
the war already trained in the psy-
chology Of war as it governs or in
fiuences personal conduct. 1t is not
her privilege to engage in the adven-
lures of war, to perform the thrilling
feats on land and sea and in the air
which make war appeal to the mind
of the animal man as a great en-
prise, and which in some degree COM
pensate him for his sufferings and
sacrifices. There is vast difference
between serving even in the trenches
and serving behind the lines, be-
tween fighting man to man and
fighting disease in the hospitals or
hunger in the kitchens, and the diff
ference to the manly man or the
courageous woman lies, not as the
cowardly and the low-minded ina
CINE, in favor of the sheltered SER
vice, but in favor of the battling
service, where force matches force
and mind clashes with mind, and
the grim business takes on the ma
ture of rivalry if not of sport. | can
imagine every brave woman in the
United States in these times wish
Ing she were a man, and l can excuse
the wish because every hour l am
wishing that l were younger. Yet
l know there is service for the eld-
ers and for the physically less fit,
and that it is unmanly to repine.
A Vital Service for the Republic
So l bring you the assurance that
your service is none the less vital,
and that you are doing a part
which, if not the greater part, is as
suredly not the lesser part of this
big task we have undertaken to save
our Republic, to save freedom in the |
world, and even to save the German
race from the utter bestiality to |
which it is committed by its barbaric |
rulers.
am asked to say something about !
what women may do in producing |
food to sustain our people, our arm |
les, and the armies and peoples of |
those who are fighting with u.s. This |
is the big job back of the lines. We
have now 100000 men under
arms; millions more are engaged,
directly or indirectly, in work related |
to war, and while the farm has lost |
only a small percentage of it's man
power in the draft, it has lost con-
siderable share of its labor by the
demands Of Industries and by the
lure of citiees, and yet it is called
upon to increase it's harvests, and |
the harvest must be increased or
there will be privation here and may
be hunger over there, where hunger
spells ruin to civilization.
The Needs ON the Farms
To come directly to the point, to
state the case bluntly without fur
Their analysis, there is need for the
mobilization of additional labor to
supply the farmers with their needs /
for the particular days or weeks of
seasonal strain in cultivation and
harvest. Responding to the nations
appeals, the farmers last year in
creased their paintings beyond those
of any proceeding year, and this
year are further increasing their
paintings. They are planting more
than they will perhaps be able to
cultivate without increments of labor
now and then, and certainly more
than they will be able to harvest
without increments when the fields
are ready for the harvest. Reports
come to the department of agricul-
ture that in many regions the farm
ers are working until black dark;
they are foregoing their Saturday
half holiday; and their families are
making the most of every hour of
daylight. What additional help can
be provided in these circumstances?
Let us understand that additional
help must be provided, for we can
not afford to default in food produce
ton
In the first place, there are many
ablebodied men in the towns and
cities doing utterly useless things
for their own comfort or the comfort
of other people who are financially