Evening star., 1943-05-23
Major Credit in War Effort Is Declared Due
To Rank and File of Many Faithful Workers
Mrs. T. J. Johnson
Praises the AWVS
Night Section

Night Section
By Mary MacCracken Jones
"It is to the rank and file of
the workers who faithfully and
conscientiously carry out their
details that credit should be
given, not to the brass hats, the
few in prominent Places" said
Mrs. Thomas ]. johnson, night
section chief Of the District Of
Columbia Unit Of the American
Women's Voluntary Services.
"They are the ones who do the
Jobs, steadily, intelligently and
with real self-sacrifice.
Again and again she eluded
personalities to dwell on the
work of the 2,400 members of the
night section, almost all either
actively working or in training
for real service. These are
women who work a 48-hour week
in the daytime, yet do a full part
in war work.
Martha johnson, "Mardy" as
she is often called affectionately
by her girls, knows the AWVS
from the ground up. She was
working in her Georgetown
bookshop, her colonel husband
being stationed in South Amer
lea, when the disaster of Pearl
Harbor came. Characteristically
she stood by through the Christ
mas rush, then joined the Amer
lean Women's Voluntary Serv-
ices. She had so many friends
in the Philippines who were
prisoners to the Japs that war
work was a must" for her, she
said.
She started training at once,
she wanted to drive an ambu-
lance, being we'll fitted for the
work. Training finished-and
there are many requirements,
not only driving and handling
heavy ambulances, but first aid,
map reading, motor repairs,
stretcher drill-she soon became
sergeant, then was advanced by
degrees to captain of Rescue
Squad No. So.
Born and reared in the Army,
this girl whose modest air does
not entirely camouf1age her Ca
pacity for leadership, has been
almost everywhere, in the way
Of Army children. She knows
not only the United States, but
China, Japan and the Canal
Zone, lived two years in the
Philippines and had some side
trips to Europe.
II never had an entire year in
one school," she said. "An my
life I have been on the move,
but have lived longer in Wash
ington than anywhere else"
Tall, straight and strong, with
a straight forward look that in
spires confidence in her integrity
and understanding justice, her
appearance bears the impress of
the outdoor life she led until re-
cent years. She loves riding, golf
and hunting. She was member
OF the first women's polo team in
the District and laughs as she
tells Of the thrill caused by the
rotogravure page The Evening
Star devoted to the game at Fort
Myer between the team and
"but I don't remember our op-
ponent. That was way back in
1924" she commented.
Her friend and partner in the
bookshop, Mrs. Ross Thompson,
said, "Mardy won't mention it, so
I'll tell you that her apartment
Is crowded with cups and trophies
won for riding and golf. She is a
fine horsewoman and golfer"
Mrs. Johnson would say moth
ing Of this, but acknowledged that
she found it hard to be shut up
indoors, for nowadays her days
and nights are divided between
bookshop and the AWVS. Social
life is completely out for her until
the war is over, she said.
This many-faceted person
also loves books and poetry, has
written stories and verse and has
seen them published. Both sides
came into play when she started
her bookish career with the Vesta