WOMEN IN THE ARMY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144197, 13 September 1913, Page 4

WOMEN IN THE ARMY.

If the French army warns recruits (says tho Paris correspondent of thoi Daily Telegraph ' on- June 25), Madame-' Dieulafov is ready to’supply thousands. This is tho' gist of a lecture that she' delivered to 300 bright and smiling French girls. - It is-time.i she said in substance, for women to take an active interest in the 'army. AVe are not going to carry rifles or-knapsacks, dig trenches, or stand'An the front line, of fire, but whore we-can. help the army we will. She said the same a few weeks ago,. As she’.made her way through the service corridors of ihe Ministry of AVer into the; very offices of M. Etienne,. the Minister. She looked like a young officer, indeed, dressed as she was in men’s clothes; and few of the attendants suspected that it was Madame'Dieulafoy, whose privilege it is to wear male attire. M. Etidnne received her Very kindly, listened to her, proposal, and then and there referred the matter to a special committee of technical experts, with a* recommendation ‘that they should instantly study the’ matter and report upon it. without delay. In the course of her lecture, Madame Dieulafoy repeated her arguments.’ She said tha't the administrations of tho various Ministers, excluding those of the Navy and AVar departments, _ employed 150,000 women. “This is a triumphant proof,” she said,., “that women are good for something in Government offices. Not also in the army ? AVo can.take over tho greater part of the office work and administrative details in which soldiers are unnecessarily employed, AA'oinen have shown their adaptability in nearly all the departments of human activity—in finance, in commerce, and in industry, and they can do something better than men. At present,” she added, "there are 23,000 subaltern officers of tho reserve and territorial forces, and more than 4000 of them are stowed away in administrative buildings.” She had learnt that in time of war four officers of a company command 200 men. If we could only take the place of .these, 4000 subaltern officers wo would bo of great service to the army. AVo are, not anxious,” she .added,, “to begin’ our services in the ’ active army. “Let us have a try in the reserve and see what wo can do.” '