Evening star., 1941-10-14
CIubwomen 10 Relay
Information on Army
To Women at Home
Representatives Of
National Groups Meet
To Plan Program

Ten million American clubwomen
today stand pledged to help the
War Department spread information
on the Army among American
women.
Support of the new womens in
terest section of the department was
promised yesterday at meetings at
the Munitions Building and the
Raleigh Hotel by an advisory council
of 81 representatives of national
women's groups, typifying a cross
section of all in the country.
Information kits are being pre-
pared at the department today. to be
sent as special material to all the
groups represented on the new
advisory council. In addition, Brig.
Gen. A. D. SurleS, director of the
department Press Bureau, and Mrs.
William P. Hobby. chief of the
women's section, are working on
suggestions made yesterday by the
group
Nutrition Data Available.
Information kits will include data
on nutrition and recreation in addi-
tion to that given yesterday by Miss
Mary I. Barber, food consultant to
the War DEPARTMENT and Brig. Gen.
Frederick H. Osborn, chief of the
morale branch.
Miss Barber told the group that
difference in skill among cooks in
various camps was being equaliZed
through the bakers and cooks school.
Central planning and buying, she
said. insures that food will be Suffi-
cient and nutritious as well as
within the food ration.
To make soldiers feel that the
people back home" want an army
and are proud of their being in it,
according to Gen. Osborn. is
womans best contribution Saving
that his own son told him soldiers
were made to feel uncomfortable in
hotel dining rooms, Gen. Osborn
stressed the need for pride in
soldiery
Shortage Rumors Hit.
Douglas Miller. author of 'You
Can't Do Business With Hitler"
asked the group to stop runs on
certain goods in communities where
a whisper of shortage starts un-
necessary buying. A healthy skep-
ticism" should be urged by the ad-
visory council for those shortage
r1lnors, he said, as we'll as for any
rumor which never appears in the
public press. The American press
he declared, carries everything that
Is true.
Scoffing at fear of imitation, Mr..
Miller reminded the women that
the economic thermometer goes up
and down every day Prices today
he said. are six months behind price
increases in the last war This mod
crate tendency, Mr.. Miller was con-
fident, will continue and prevent
much of the "dislocation" of the
World War.
Mrs. Roosevelt urged the Advisory
Council see that existing agencies
help the families of volunteer and
selective service soldiers in the
camps. Effort in local communities,
she declared. can do much to make
the soldier feel his country worth
defending.
Urges Discussion Centers.
Centers for political discussion and
dispending of general information
to soldiers should be set up in
United Service Organization clubs,
Mrs. Roosevelt recommended. Re-
quests for information are unneces-
sarily sent to Washington, she said.
Regional directors Of defense coun-
ellis are meeting here today, she told
the group, to perfect plans for
further utilization of State and local
defense councils. Not enough volun-
teers, she said, have been given
specific work to do. Mrs. Roosevelt
cited the 800 persons of the 10000
Washington volunteers whom she
said had been put to work so far.
The group meeting, which included
representatives of all types of groups
from the Cause and Cure of War
Committee to the Associated Women
of the American Farm Bureau Fed
Grafton, met first at the Munitions
Building to hear an off -the-record
plea for cooperation by Gen.
George C. Marshall, chief Of staff.
Mrs. Dwight F. Davis, director of
the Red Cross special volunteer
services also addressed the group