The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1919-05-02
MILITARY RANK FOR
j. 5. ARMY NURSES
DEMAND TO eE MADE ON BE.
HALF OF HEROIC WOMEN WILL
BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.
REASON FOR THEIR POSITION
Question Of Efficiency Enters Largely
Into the Matter-canadian Nurses
In the Great War All Were Com
mlssioned.
By EDWARD q. CLARK.

By EDWARD 3. CLARK.
Misunderstanding rank is to be
asked for American army nurses.
Ella Phillips Crandall. secretary of the
committee Of nursing of the council
Of national defense, goes so fur as to !
say that In future wars women will |
refuse to serve as nurses unless they |
are given commissions.
There is a reason. although 1t may be
that the military authorities will deny
that II Is an adequate one. for the POI
siti0n which the women nurses take
In this matter. There have been re-
ports OF many cases in which the
women have been unable to get GER
tain things done In the hospitals near
the front because they did not have
the insignia of rank which entitled
them to give orders to service men act
ing supposedly under them.
1t Is understood that an attempt
will be made to get ut the demands
from the viewpoint Of absolute justice
In the case, and II 1t shall be found
that efficiency will be best served by
granting the nurses wishes the thing
probably will be done.
In 1915 was in Europe as corre-
spondent and stayed some time In Eng
land before leaving for the French
front. was stopping Mt hotel In
the English metropolis when IS Cana
dian young women army nurses ar
rived. They were to be distributed to
the various Canadian hospital camps
In the field. Every one OF these wom-
en- was an army officer to the extent
that she held commission as second
| lieutenant. This gave her the right
within certain restrictions to issue or
ders to noncommissioned officers and
enlisted men Of the Canadian service.
Canadian Plan Worked Well.
| Afterward I was told that this plan
worked for the good Of the service.
Each Of these young women was
trained In her profession and this
meant that In nine cases out of ten al
least she would know better what to
do in certain cases in the hospital thar
would the only partially trained mar
l
with her. 1t is known that in some
cases soldiers disliked and occasion
ally even refused to take orders, ever
In emergency cases, from women who
had no emblem save that given then
by badge Of nursing which the,
wore, the outward and visible sign O
training
The women nurses Of the United
States who went abroad to serve thei
country did heroic work. They no
only served frequently under fire, blu
they were compelled time after tim
to do body-breaking and heart-bfeak
ing work, because in war there ar
times when all thoughts Of self must b
given over and all limitations of hour
of work and kinds of work must b
set at naught.
| Anarchy and Americanism.
Anarchy under the guise Of bolshev
ism has been treated constantly in tn
press from the viewpoint of possibl
action by congress to avert its danger
to and nthe United States.
What congress may do or attelnr
to do still is problematical. The sui
ject is charged with T. N. T., not s
much because men in Washington b.
leve it really Is a potential dange
as because they fear that in gettn
after what they think is anarchy the
| may be getting after something whlc
is harmless and which has been mi.
interpreted. Consequently it Is eas
| enough to see that there are wins
might be called personal political dal
gers in any attempt by individuals [
/ start legislation, unless definite know
edge is in hand that the thing assaile
, is anarchy and not merely remoi
resemblance of 1t.
| There are thousands Of men In II
! city of Washington not in congres
who take as deep an interest in II
l signs of anarchy here and there as
/ the legislators themselves. 1t
{ known that the sporadic manifest
, lions Of anarchy in the United Stat,
' have been heart burden of spccul
r ton and even of anxiety to men his
9 in public office in this city. They ha,
s studied them, and are continuing the
study. but thus far study has been ca
ried on largely, so to speak. in Il
closet, because open acknowledgment
!. Of anarchy as danger means TIL
I such anarchy as there is will profit /
/ the publicity Of using 1t for its ON
y ends.
r Rely on Education.
$ Men in public life, and who ha,
= been long years In it, do not think tn
q the United States is In danger Of al
!. such overthrowings as have been a
d compllshed in the vexed countri
f across the water. Scores Of reason
q have been advanced for the belief
studious Americans In Washingto
where touch with national life is pc
s,ble, that anarchy Is not shar
!, headed spear Of danger to this cou
s try. but the one real reason for dish
!. lief is to be found in the word ed
cation. BY this education which is
! come in the future Is not meant, b
the education which here Is present.