information to arouse interest in the condition of
the United States naval forces, aided recruiting for the Naval Reserve,
assisted in procuring enrollments for the Naval Coast Reserve, and
drawing on their resources provided many needed articles of clothing,
equipment and comfort not furnished by the Government. A knitting
committee makes sleeveless jackets, helmets, wristlets and mufflers.
Comfort kits, games, blankets, underwear, rubber hats, coats and boots
are made or bought by the Comfort and Supplies Committee.

The two poles of patriotic service are the production of food and
fighting at the front; a world of activity bulges between them. European
women are accustomed to farm labor. Millions of peasant women, serfs,
all but in name, under the late Russian regime; Balkan women, German and
French wives and girls, and, to some extent, the mothers and daughters
of the English poor, would have understood Markham's poem better if he
had called it, "The Woman With the Hoe."

In the war food crisis the women of America matched the women of the
enemy and vied with those of their own allies in persuading mother earth
to yield her bounty. In heavy shoes, trousers of jean, rolled-up sleeves
and a straw hat, the girls of America here and there turned to the land
and took hold of the tasks of the farm.

So far we have mentioned only the work at home that women took up for
the war, but this is only a part; the other pole finds them near. The
invaluable service of Red Cross nurses, their zeal and sacrifice and
sometimes martyrdom, from Elizabeth Fry and Florence Nightingale to
Edith Cavell, have been women's glory for more than half a century. This
war multiplied the need many times and veritable regiments of them
responded. Their emblem became the symbol universal of mercy, charity
and good will.

In addition to the 50 trained nurses for a base hospital, there are 25
hospital aids, who serve without pay. America has 8000 registered Red
Cross nurses and scores of thousands are in training for aids.

The effective and helpful work of women in all lines of endeavor, aside
from home and family life, has never before been shown so impressively
as now. Their energy, willingness, faithfulness and capability in every
activity are unsurpassed.

WOMAN BENT ON DOING HER UTMOST.

But woman shares the lot of mankind on earth, and in the issues of life
and death, land and home, she fears to do less than her most, and we
would fear