El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-04-14
YOemGnette In
TheNagyLS To
Be Tilted Soon
Congress Fails To rovide
For Her. But Navy
Needs Her.

Washington, D. C.. april 1.-THE
-YeOmenette." as she IS called by the
people and The press. despite the in
sistence Of the navy department that
she is by rights a Woman female"
las become one Of the best known
figures in the nation. Her natty uni
form. her natural pulchritude, and the
pictorial sections Of the Sunday news
papers have worked together TO that
end. And now this charming. useful
and picturesque creature Is threat
ened. like the snowy ibis and the ring
tailed armaiillO, with complete ex-
dnction- The United States congress
has failed 10 provide for her finan-
ciaIy beyond the end Of the fiscal
year.
This means that several thousand
young women now working for the
United states navy and earning from
ts-.ou 70 Slsz month are puZzllug
their brains as 10 how they are going
10 get along after July j. At the same
time the personnel division Of the
navy department is wondering how
il is going 10 manage without the
efficient services Of these several
thousand young women
Taking ADVANTAGE Of the permis-
sion to enlist "reservists" 20 fiji the
places formerly held in the clerical
divisions Of the navy department by
men and the ruling that this term
was sexless. the department started a
campaign OF female enlistments which
called 20 its aid patriotic girls from
practically every state in the union.
At the flood tide OF the enlistment
campaign over 1000 female yeomen
were used In the Washington activi-
ties OF the navy department alone.
with other thousands scattered about
at other stations.
Many in Service Yet.
Already seeing their severance
from the uniformed ranks Of the navy
approachlngr many Of the ye0men Of
skirt wearing grades have sought
other positions but there remain over
-5o0 OF them on duty at the navy
building here. When it is considered
that the female yeomen are subject
10 transfer from station to station,
and there often comes q cali from
some other shore station for one, ten,
a dozen Of 50 yeomen 10 jump in and
overcome jam Of work. IL is seen
how important the corps has become.
And now with the naval appropri-
alton bill which provided for their
continued service, dead Of an acute
OF filbustering in the United
states senate the navy department
has got to put these young women on
the inactive list, and pay them S12 a
month retainer pay until the term
Of their individual period Of enlist
ment expires. What viii the girls do
without the navy3 What viii the
navy do without the girls? These are
not among the smallest OF the prob
lens Of reconstruction.
Whether the passage OF the naval
bill at the extra ses-
sion Of congress viii allow the yeo-
men Of the female persuasion TO be
called back into service remains to
be seen II Il does the navy viii
quickly avail itself Of the privilege,
because OF the very important place
the girls have made for themselves In
the service.
What she Can Draw.
Enlisting for period Of four years
the female yeomeu is given a rating
as 'landsman-for-ye and rafd
SIC a month This. however. IS in
creased by the 1908 10 per cent in
crease and the war pay OF SIS
bringing the actual pay up
TO s32.60, 20 which IS added a daily
allowance Of 50 for sustenance and
quarters. which in q 80 day month
Increases the lowest pay ana allow
ances to $3.50 Then. too. the en-
listed girl is given clothing allow
ance OF 800. which she can spend in
real regulation" clothing at the
naval store. or invest in tailor shops
where more natty. and mayhap bet
ter fitting uniforms are made
After being a landsman for one
the enlistee becomes eligible Z
for promotion 10 the rating OF veo-
man, third class. with nay and allow
7nce Increases M TO 81. not count !
nC thu daily subsistence. Two months Z
more and she nav be made q yeoman
second class. and the pay fumns 10 l
1850 Spending three months in I
.his grade she IS ready for another I
idvance and IS first class woman.
Travis pay and allowances Amounting !
N $50 monthly When. not less than /
siv months after Getting this Grade. I
The IS made q chief woman. she draws /
30 which with the 50 n fav suhsis-
ance brings IN s12f In 81 dav months. |