The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-11-06
BY Gertrude Atherton
of The Vigilantes

of The Vigilantes
Although the women OF this coun-
try have no such stupendous task as
confronted the women OF both the
North and the South during the
Civil War, when there was no Red
Cross, and the government was at
its wits end to care Tor the wound
ed and the poor, to say nothing ol
few other problems that in these
highly organized days are being di-
rected by specialized men and wom-
en- in authority, still Tor the most
part they have risen eagerly to all
the demands made upon them, Al
most Immediately upon the outbreak
OF the war in 1914 the more earnest
and responsible women OF the coun-
try began TO knit and make Surgi-
cal dressings, form societies Tor the
relief OF the afflicted in Europe, and
bv degrees impressed into service
women OF less initiative and who
had done little or no work before.
After our entrance in 1917 IT may
safely be said that the best OF our
women arose as a unit and demand
ed opportunities ior service Their
record to date is a line one and the
country is Justly proud OF them. If
they are not able to rise to the
heights OF the European women or
OF the American women during the
Civil War it is because no such bur
den has been placed upon them.
They have sufficiently proved, how
ever that, given the same conditions
they would prove as equal to the de-
mand.
There is another class OF women
all the more contemplate by con-
traSt. Even before the war it was
patent to any student Of the country
that our women might be roughly
divided into two classes, those that
thought and those that did not,
those that did not, those that cult
vated their brains and those that
remained, either IRON disabilities I'M
posed by nature, or from choice,
the SillieSt, most thoughlless, and
most selfish in the world. Rich or
poor their standard was self-indul-
gence, they lived for what they could
get out OF lie. and they cultivated |
4 Sickly setimentality. The primary !
fault lies in our system OF educa-
ton. \ sound, thorough, severe ed |
ucation will drill some sense into /
The most brainless and imbue them
with a sense OF responsibility. But .
a vast number OF our women do not .
go to college, do not even finish
school do not make the most even !
)f their slender opportunities. Only
hose OF good natural parts, 10
quote an Old phrase, rise above their
conditions. educate themselves
when they are old enough to realize
what they have missed and learn
he great lessons OF lie.
1t is from this inferior brand OF
American women that this country
: suffering in peculiar and siniS-
er ways at the present mo-
nent. They are the cause OF a great
additional expense to the govern
nent. and OF severe punishment and
to many needless
'oung men.
am not at liberty to give figures
Dut great number OF soldiers dur
ng the past year have oyerstayed
cave. missed their transport been
educed in rank, kept i'll the guard
.ouse with pay held up) until
here are $50 OF them, when they are
hipped of to France and give the
military authorities endless trouble
eiore their regiments can be locat-
d. The blame is laid chiefly on
he class OF women with which this
ountrv is cursed. / the women /
-ho tempted the Young men were {
utcastS there would be no comment !
D make. for the soldiers knowing
hem Tor what they are, would alone
E to blame. But ii is the wives and ;
and sisters, in few {
aSeS the mothers, women whom I
ne soldiers heartily respect, who '
-eep when the hour to return to
utv approaches. who beg them to {
axe the risk for the sake of a few t
lore hours, wall that they may new c
r see them again, protest that |
lv more or less cannot matter, hang
n their necks, possibly faint in the v
-