Great Falls tribune., 1922-01-27
The HQskin Letter 81 eszRss:sz asssn
THE OVERSEAS WOMEN

Washington, Jan. 24.--Those who
said that the women who went over
seas would come back changed seem
to have been right. Overseas women.
back from huts and canteens, have
the old routine of work and play. The
thrill Of being in contact with a world
war is not easily forgotten.
Because of the memories OF that
thrill, small groups of the women who
had been across began to form, and
when they got together they talked
not so much about what we did, as
what it would be interesting to do
now. Out of these scattered little clubs
in various cities there has recently
grown up new national organization
called the Women's Overseas Service
league, with units in number of cities
and states.
The organization last week presented
a request to congress asking that the
league be incorporated, and the bill
authorizing this has been passed upon
favorably by the judiciary committee.
The president of the local unit ex
planned to us that overseas women en-
tered service in response to the gov
ernment's call, and by national char
ter they will receive national recog-
!
seas women, she pointed out, are a
unique body "Such a group Of wom-
en-, who held positions directly con-
nected with war operations, never ex-
listed before, and we hope there never
will be need for such a group again.
But we wish to remain in existence so
that we may be ready for service and
to preserve the comradeship of the
war days"
| According to the bill before congress,
only women who served overseas for
the allied cause at some time between
August l, 1914. and January 1, 1920,
are eligible This makes eligible over
seas women Of all the various war
: councils and associations. 1t excludes,
however, women who have gone to
Europe to do reconstruction work since
January /, 1920.
The reason for the existence of the
, new league is set forth in the bill:
'sThat the purpose of this corporation
shall be to keep alive and develop the
spirit that prompted overseas serv-
ice, to maintain the ties of comrade-
ship born of that service and to assist
and further any patriotic work: to in
culcate a sense of individual obligation
to the community, state and nation; 70
/ work for the welfare Of the army and
navy; to assist in any way in their
power men and women who served
} and were wounded or incapacitated in
the world war; to foster and promote
; friendship and understanding between
America and the allies in the world
, war"
What the Women Do
Some of the units are already at
work carrying out this purpose. The
. igrls cannot work as they did in France
or Poland, because most of them have
positions and interests that take up
their time. but in few hours snatched
!; here and there the overseas girls are
carrying on.
Some units have undertaken to keep
the soldiers and veterans in an insti-
tuition cheerful by supplying them with
books, games, music and entertainment.
The Seattle unit has opened a service
mems information bureau and reading
room for the men Of that city. Sum
. mer picnics for the men in a public
health hospital were another popular
project engineered by this unit last
| fall.
!, Another group has an employment
back from overseas have given bene-
fits Of various sorts to help new
vocational school and hospital for ex-
: service men. The list could be extend
!. ed indefinitely. The girls look about
, the home town to find some phase OF
welfare that needs help, and then they
) go quietly to work.
!. The overseas girl learned to work
efficiently under what would have been
: regarded as impossible conditions II
j peace time Every member Of an over
seas league unit has this background
of experience and tradition, and that
. accounts for the amount of work the
units are able to do in spare tine
;. There are no noy1ces at welfare worn
t among them. Every member is al
| home in some line of social service
whether it is in library, canteen
, hospital or recreation center.
. Help Unemployment
!: Scattered after their war service, the
girls could have made very little use
of their experience. Organized, they
!, are at hand wherever call comes
;, Already. there have been several re
quests for their assistance. In tht
: New York unemployment crisis. tht
. local unit of overseas women was ask
cd TO help the city find employment
$ for the destitute. Colonel Forbes O
the Veterans bureau also called on th'
|. league to help him in his cleanup
= campaign to adjust claims that had no
n been decided by the bureau
The league expects to interest ltsel
: in several lines Of welfare work will
h which no other Organization seems t
. be concerned. For instance, there ar
overseas girls themselves who suffere'
from their war service. If their in
n iuries could be shown directly due e
service some provision was made TO