Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1943-09-10
Women's Corps in
Peace Time
By Edith N. Rogers
Representatives, Mass.)
(WNU Feature-Through special arrangement
with Woman's Home Companion.l

When the war is over the armed
services should continue to have
women serving in their ranks. l
was convinced that the army and
navy would need women to replace
men in certain duties after the last
world war. But it was Is years be-
fore I was able to get through con-
gress a measure which created the
Women's Army Auxiliary corps.
Since then the navy, coast guard
and marine corps have created units
for women. l believe the whole
country has approved
Now is the time to make provision
to keep women in these services on
a permanent full-time basis. I'm
mediately! Because war is like a
flood or a hurricane. AS soon as it
is over people lose interest in pre-
pairing against recurrence. Be-
cause in the inevitable cutting down
of the armed services to peacetime
size one of the first units to face
the AK, if only because it is the new
est, could be the womeD's corps.
Because some, weary of the strain
of war, will want the illusion that
all can be as it was before the war
began. They will try to force all
women out of the factories, the pro-
tessions, the armed services, try to
relegate them back to homework.
We must plan to fit certain num-
Der of women into our postwar eco
nomic life.
The woman in uniform has served
sv,k r kIn
have had opportunity to learn how
valuable she can be. Lieut.. Gen.
Brehon B. Somervell, anxious to
determine what his officers thought
of the work done by WACs, sent
out inquiries to the men of his COM
mand. The replies were highly
laudatory.
Volunteers for Africa.
Certainly there can be no question
of the women's spirit. Recently, for
example, Director Oveta Culp Hob
by went before two companies of
WACs in Daytona, Fla. There was
need of contingent of WACs in
North Africa. After pointing out
the dangers of the journey and the
perils of the war theater, Mrs. Hob
by called for volunteers. She hoped
to get enough to make a respectable
showing. She got 300-every woman
in the two companies. This display
of spirit, I think, explains why Of
ficerS of the regular serviceS-Who
were skeptical about women in the
ranks, are now enthusiastic. Will
the armed forces need women after
the war? Of course! The army and
navy will need them as nucleus
for the force they will require if
we again become involved in war.
During the truce between the world
wars I urged congress to appropri-
ate money SO the army could place
educational orders with manufacture
ers. The purpose was to create in
industry skeleton force trained for
war work. l think of the wufnen'S
corps of the army and navy in the
same way.
The English maintained a small
force of women in their armed serv-
ices during the years after the last
war. When large force was need
ed, they had the foundation upon
which to build. In this country, it
was a year before we could get the
women's service into action. Dur
ing that time thousands of soldiers
we're modified in noncombatant
jobs which could have been handled
as well by women. We cannot again
afford such loss of time.
The armed services have learned
that there are many jobs which
men are glad to get away from and
which women perform with enthu-
siasm. For example, men don't like
to be telephone operators. Women
in uniform have gladly undertaken
this job, and should continue in it as
well as in similar jobs as interpret
erS, clerks and weather bureau
workers.
In years to come there will be
new emphasis on certain activities
in the armed services which have
only recently become important. We
shall always want to have a regular
airplane warning network as part
of our defense system. This will re-
quire a trained personnel which
should be under army supervision.
There will be little point in training
a large staff OF able-bodled men for
this kind of work. Let the women
handle it.
Nurses Set Precedent.
There is precedent. The army
long ago established it by including
women in permanent status by the
creation of the nurse corps. Re-
Gently the army also made provision
for women dietitians and physio-
therapists.
1t is impossible to estimate today
how many women the services will
need in peacetime. Certainly the
army and navy should admit as
many as they can use. 1t will
not be hard to find them-women
feel there can be no greater privi-
lege than to serve under our flag.