Evening star., 1950-08-08
By the Associoted Press

NEW YORK, Aug. 8.-Women
are working for the United Nations
today on the fringe of battle zones.
in political hot spots, in jungleS.
deserts and remote montain ham,
lets.
More than 200 of them are scat
tered around the globe in jobs
that call for fast thinking. cour-
age, stamina and diplomatic skill.
Some handle tough administrative
jobs. Some distribute emergency
supplies in disaster areas.
Doctors, nurses and health work.
ers shuttle by jeep, raft and dom
key through mountains and jungle
areas infested with wild animals
and snakes, some live in primitive
huts and walk from village to vii
lage to do their work. Others do
Office work for United Nations
missions sent to mediate inter-
national disputes that could lead
to war.
The U. N. does not send women
where shells are flying or subject
them to undue risk or danger. But
it does dispatch them to some very
rugged spots and their bosses nave
high praise for the way they han
die their jobs.
Ten women are now working
with the Korean Commission in
the division stationed in Tokyo.
including British Sheila Whitley
and Matilda Mizibrocky, a Cana
dian. Two more are en- route with
other secretarial reinforcements.
Virginia Sherwood, New York
CITY and Irene Landry, Swiss,
are among II women working with
the Palestine Commission in Jeru-
salem. There are nine In Athens,
working for the special committee
on the Balkans. There are others
with U. N. missions in Somaliland,
Libya and Pakistan.
DR.. Ralph Bunche, who was act
ing mediator in Palestine, says the
women who served were 1ndls-
pensible members Of the U. N.
neace army out there: they contri-
buted greatly to the success1ui
completion of the mission"
UNICEF (The U. N. agency de-
voted to bettering conditions Tor
children) and the World Health
Organization (Which fights dis
ease around the world) have corps
of women doctors. nurses and ad-
ministrators working in many
countries.
Anne Laughlin, Topeka, Kan.
heads UNICEF's mission in Bull
garia. Helena Classy Of Wash
| ington, D. c., directs the UN1CEF
mission in Yugoslavia and Ger
trude Lutz (Swiss) directs its OPP
erations in Poland. All work with
government authorities and travel
a lot in overseeing distribution OF
shoes, clothes, blankets. medicines
and food for school lunches. Pa
tricia Palmer, Canadian born
UNCIEF public relations director
for Europe. travels constantly in
Czechoslokakia. Yugoslavia, Aus
tria and Poland.
In the jungle area Of Brunei In
Borneo, Ida Simmons CBritisn)
is training midwives. whose child
birth superstitions go back thou
sands of years. in modern OBJ
stetrical methods. Miss Simmons
travels up and down river from
village to village in an cupboard
motor boat, teaching and demon
strating feeding in an effort to cut
down the high infant mortality
rate.
DR.. Jean Orkney CBritish) jour-
neys through India and Pakistan
by jeep, helping set up child care
centers and training local nurses.
Miss Cordelia Trimble. Peoria.
Ill. UNCIEF chief Of mission In
Ecuador, shuttles back and forth
between Colombia and Ecuador
distributing blankets, soap and
food to earthquake victims.
Why are these rugged Jobs
given to women?
These women got them be-
cause they are so capable and
highly respected" says Maurice
Pate, director Of UNICEF. They
were chosen in some cases instead
of available men,"
The World Health Organiza-
ton has added public health
nurses to practically all its teams
travelling far afield to show people
new methods to combat tubercu-
losis, maleria, venereal disease.
and polio. Ten are attached to
teams in India. Pakistan. Egypt
and Thailand. One team working
in the Terai district Of Northern
India was frequently menaced by
leopards and tigers that prowled
out Of the jungle. One Of It's
n u. -ANA