The Washington times., 1919-01-21
Every Day a "Thriller" In
Life of "Little Major"
OF WOnlen'S Motor COrpS

What acting in the movies is to
Pearl White and other daring stars
OF film "thripers" real life is to Ma
jor Helen Bastedo. organizer and
America.
Tho difference is that the movie
heroine knows in advance just what
her stunt is to be. Major Helen, on
the contrary, never knows from one
day to another just what her next
thrill will be or what new feat of
daring she will be called upon to
perform. Up to the present she
hasn't had anything more exciting in
life than helping to save wounded
soldiers from the Northern Pacific
when it ran aground recently or
picking manned and helpless victims
out of the recent wreck on the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit line.
Major Helen came to Washington
for the sole purpose OF trying to in
duce the War Department to put the
Women's Motor Corps on a perma-
nent peace basis instead OF leaving
it as the emergency war affair it is.
The major, short in stature but long
in determination and efficiency. is of
the opinion that the trained woman
forces which the war has developed
are too valuable to be tossed on the
scrap heap, now that the armistice is
signed and peace a matter OF nego-
tiation only.
To have the capable, energetic, uni
formed woman of today revert to the
high-heeled, chiirony. pretty, but use
less. creature OF yesterday is TO Ma
jor Bastedo nothing short of a ma
tional calamity-a catastrophe which
must and will be averted IL the ma
jor's pluck and audacity count for
anything.
Won Spurs By Service.
Major Bastedo has won her spurs
simple fact OF service. Donning a
uniform the day America entered the
war, she has spelled the word service
all over the State Of New York and
literally compelled recognition for
her corps and praise for its efficiency
by the aid she has rendered in every
big emergency during the last year
Her organization has seemed to have
the facility OF being on the spot when
ever there was trouble. Its work has
is called upon before it can volunteer.
And now that the thrill and stimu-
lation OF actually being at war is re-
moved" the sjor bemoans. the ma
jority OF omen seem to think il will
be perfectly all right if they revert to
the fashions and frivOlities Of the
past-if they stop standing on their
own feet and fail back on some mas
culine prop. 1t seems inevitable for
many OF them not to revert to the
harem instinct which lies latent in
every mothers daughter OF US !
cant imagine anything worse.
III l had my way, the uniforms. the
low heels, the service instinct would
remain to be put TO use and advantage
in civilian life as il has proved in
time OF war. Women have shown
their rnettle. They have shown thew
can develop muscle and efficiency and
play their part in the game never
want to see them go back TO FAT and
habby muscles. Nothing can make me
believe that fat and fabby muscles
don't indicate a fat ard flabby soul.
And we need a different kind OF soul
and spirit for the trying days Of re-
const ruction that are TO come
Peace Is Real Test.
Any one can click their heels and
stand at attention when the bands are
playing, the fiags flying. and the verv
air throbbing with martial spirit. The
real test will come IL women keen
their shoulders to the wheel side bv
side with their men, now that all the
spurring urge OF war is over. We've
got O great mass OF trained women
everywhere. What want to do is q,
make that training continuous, both
for the good OF the women themselvea
and for the good they can do the
nation.
And training is the only thint
which can make the great mass o"
women useful TO the country. IL,
all very well for women to be Willing
but they've got to know how. We