The Monticellonian., 1919-05-02
MILITARY RANK FUR
 J. $. ARMY NURSES
DEMAND TO BE 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 missoned.
By EDWARD B. CLARK.

By EDWARD 3. CLARK.
 Washington.-Military 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 far as to say that in future wars women will refuse to serve as nurses unless they are given commissions.
 There is Il reason, although il may be that the military authorities will deny that it is an adequate one, for the pc sition which the women nurses take in this matter. Tkere have been re- ports of many cases in which the women have been unable to get cer- 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.
 It is understood that an attempt will be made to get at the demands from the viewpoint of absolute justice in the case, and if it shall be found that efficiency will be best served by granting the nurses wishes the thing probably will be done.
 In 1915 I was in Europe as a eerre- spondent and stayed some time in Eng land before leaving for the French front. l was stopping at hotel in the English metropolis when 75 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 q 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 1 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 at least she would know better what to do in certain cases in the hospital than would the only partially trained man or noncommissioned officer on duty with her. It is known that In some cases soldiers disliked and occasion- ally even refused to take orders, even had no emblem save that given them by badge of nursing which they wore, the outward and visible sign of training.
 The women nurses of the United States who went abroad to serve their country did a heroic work. They not only served frequently under fire, but they were compelled time after time to do body-breaking and heart-break. ing work, because in war there are times when all thoughts of self must be given over and all limitations of hours of work and kinds of work must be set at naught.
 Anarchy and Americansm.
 Anarchy under the guise of bolshev- ism has been treated constantly in the press from the viewpoint of possible action by congress to avert its dangers to and 1 nthe United States
 What congress may do or attempt to do still is problematical. The sub ject is charged with T. N. T., not so much because men in Washington be- lleve it really is a potential danger, as because they fear that in getting after what they think is anarchy they may be getting after something which is harmless and which has been mis- interpreted. Consequently 1t Is easy enough to see that there are what might be called personal political dan gers In any attempt by individuals to start legislation, unless definite knowl- edge is in hand that the thing assailed is anarchy and not merely a remote resemblance of it.
 There are thousands of men in the city of Washington not in congress who take as deep an interest in the signs of anarchy here and there as do the legislators themselves. It is known that the sporadic manfesta- tions of anarchy in the United States have been heart burden of specula- tion and even of anxiety to men high in public office in this city. They have studied them, and are continuing their study, but thus far study has been car rfed on largely, so to speak, in the closet, because open acknowledgement of anarchy as danger means that such anarchy as there is will profit by the publicity of using it for it's own ends.
 Rely on Education.
 Men in public life, and who have been long years in it, do not think that the United States is in danger of any such overthrowings as have been ac- complished in the vexed countries across the water. Scores of reasons have been advanced for the belief of studious Americans in Washington, where touch with national life is pos sible. that anarchy is not sharp headed spear of danger to this coun- trv hut the one real reason for disbe- lief is to be found in the word edu- cation. By this education which is to come in the future is not meant, but the education which here is present.
 There are all grades of education. notwithstanding the fact that the word