Evening star., 1941-12-14
Alice Marble Warns
Women Fitness IS
Vital in War Work
Those Underweight and
Tired Do No Good for
Defense, She Says
By sHEILAH GRAHAM.
Correspondent Of The Star and NoFte
American Newspaper Alliance.


Correspondent Of The Star and North
American Newspaper Alliance.
NEW, YORK, Dec. 13.-"What can
I do to help?" From every corner Of
the United States women are asking
this patriotic question. A reply that
can be followed by all, men as well
as women, comes from Alice Marble,
tennis champ and assistant director
OF physical fitness in the Office Of
Civilian Defense.
"It is no longer a question Of SELL
ing physical fitness for a mythical
emergency" says Miss Marble. "The
time is now for women to get strong
physically and mentally 20 thay can
be Of real help in winning this war.
Women who come staggering on
high heels into the different volun-
teer services. women who want to
help but are underweight and tired
and hysterical are drag In the
wheels of defense. They must first
get 100 per cent strong before their
willingness to do their share in this
crisis can be of value"
Miss Marble is leaving tonight on
q tour of the nine regions into which
this country has been divided for
military and civilian defense oper-
ations. Before Christmas she will
visit Columbus, Chicago, Omaha and
San Francisco and meet the Mayors
and educational leaders OF those
cities TO put into speedy action plans
to raise the standard OF health IN
this country.
Morale Important Factor.
Morale" says Miss Marble, Is
word I don't like using very much,
but morale-which means calmness,
GOOD spirits and strong resolve, is
an enormous part of winning any
war. And all three depend prlmar-
ily on how you feel physically"
The first thing every woman who
wants to help should do, according
10 Miss Marble, is to have a physical
examination from her doctor.
She should have her rect
checked-women at war have 10 90
a lot of standing-and besides there
will probably be shortage OF gas
oline for civilian use which WILL
mean she will have to walk more,
she said women should also have
their eyes and teeth checked. weak
ewes and bad teeth were responsible
for most of the reflections OF men
for the draft.
TT would also be a good idea 1or
women to learn what their proper
weight should be for good health.
They mustn't lose weight now
through foolish diets. Those IN civil
fefense may have to stay up until
and S In the morning and we don't
ant undernourished women droop-
% all over the place and getting IN
ne way"
Talks Given at Colleges.
The youth group Of the physlcai
mess section of the o. c. D. draws
most of It's recruits from schools ana
colleges. Miss Marble recently
talked on her subject at Vassar'
Smith, wellesley and Holyoke.
"They were all very enthusiastic
and lots of them wanted to quit
college and work with us on full
time basis, but we can use them
part time-if they give us an hour q
CAV we can employ them as teach
ers for other groups OF girls MISS
Marble said.
The Marble program originally
had confined itself to the promotion
of walking for health and gentle
sports.
But that program died on Sun
cay when Japan attacked" Miss
Marble said. "As Mrs. Roosevelt ex-
claimed at our weekly meeting In
Washington last Monday, we are no
,onger working on a short scale, We
must do things In a hurry. The
resident suggested to Mrs. Roose-
cit that our best way now is to get
-ery one to exercise in large groups.
e must regiment them and think
can, now that they are in . re-
c-ptive mood for our program OF
l.ealth.
Army Drills Planned.
1--WE don't have to coddle women
cny more. They now are looking at
lIlc IIlc Ildl u way. OuA pau 10 W
put them through a regular Army
drill. We will require large audi
toriums, gymnasiums, large school
buildings and any place where
groups can be exercised. Large Of
fees and stores can cooperate by
allowing 10 minutes after work and
a big room where employees can be
put through the drill and be super
vised by one Of our teachers"
Also present at the drills can be
A. r. P. wardens and other officers
for civilian defense 80 that with the
calisthenics women also can be
taught what to do during air raids.
with enemy planes over San
Francisco" says Miss Marble, 'it Is
feasible to be prepared for them
anywhere In the country. 1t Is not
enough to warn people to keep calm
and lie nat on their stomachs. They
must be trained for AFRAID be-
havior."
As in England, Miss Marble BE-
lieves that women here will soon be
asked to take on mems jobs. "Tne
younger men will be in the armed
forces and the country will require
women IN the factories and IN the
fields" she says. '''Women win b
doing the hard Jobs, and that = Only
possible with good health"
As for the future Of tennis and
other sports, Miss Marble hopes
they will continue as much a. pos
sfble-''but all athletes in . position
to help IN the war effort should do
30. Now, it's our country first, pGt-
vate aims second"