AMERICAN WOMEN IN ENGLAND.

Mataura Ensign, 4 July 1917, Page 5

AMERICAN WOMEN IN ENGLAND.

| WfIAT THF.V HAVE PONE. I America's sympathy with, the Allies [during the, first two years of the war may at times have ebbed and flowed, but the loyalty of the American women living in England lias been generous' and unwavering throughout (writes G. Ivy Sanders in "'The Daily Mail'). Immediately on the outbreak of war in August, 1.91.4. the American Women's War Relief Fund was formed, with the object of Equipping and maintaining a hospital for wounded soldiers; Providing an ambulance ship;.and Doing economic relief work, entirely by voluntary American subscriptions. In the first two years nearly one hundred thousand pounds was collected. This substantial expression of sympathy has been devoted solely to the interest of Great Britain.

' Assisted by the loan of a large and i commodious house in one of the many beauty-spots of lovely Devon, the offer of a surgical hospital of 200 beds for the use of wounded British soldiers was made and accepted by the .War Office on August 24, 1914. By September 27 a perfectly equipped and model hospital with a first-class operating theatre, radiographic studio, pathological laboratory, and anaesthetising and sterilising rooms was complete, and the first convoy of 130 wounded soldiers arrived.

Since that time close upon 4000 , wounded British v heroes have passed through the hospital. From the moment the pafcieifts arrive at the local railway station until their discharge from hospital the entire expenses are borne by the American Women's War Relief Fund. So successful has the hospital m Spufch Devon'proved that on March 21 of this year a further hospital for British officers, containing 43 beds, was opened in London. As the ambulance ship at the time the offer was made, was not required, j six motor-ambulances for use at the. front were substituted. . These strong ami perfectly fitted cars are still rendering valuable and active service at the front. During'' the first eight months of the Avar the Economic Relief Comrnmittee devoted their energies to the enormous task of assisting in the provision of immediate relief to the thousands of women and girls who, owing to the sudden dislocation of the various ' trades, were thrown out of employment. To this end workrooms were opened at St. Pancras, Islington, Woolwich, Greenwich, and Victoria Street, S.W. Here hundreds were employed who woulc otherwise have been destitute. . The greater part of the work consisted, first, in making the necessarv clothing required for the equipment of the Devonshire hospital, and later in making shirts and knitting socks for the Army. The readjustment of labor condition's,' happily, has permitted the gradual closing down of the various work centres and to-day the valuable work of the Economic Relief Committee is only a memory.

But it is a memory that will lonpremain green in the hearts of the suffering women and girls of England, who in their hour of distress were succored by the daughters of our new Allv.