The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1914. WOMEN AND THE WAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 57, 3 November 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1914. WOMEN AND THE WAR.

Out of what was at one time one ofl the most sharply condemned phases of? the woman's suffrage movement in England, the militant section of . tno. suffragettes, has risen during the pre-'-'sent' Empire crisis a most useful and widely acknowledged body of emergency helpers, under the secretaryship of Miss Harriet Newcombe, says a writer in the Sydney Telegraph. In an interesting circular sent out by fchaii energetic lady she says that "it will bei wiser to postpone all official accountof the recently-held conference of the British Dominions' Woman's Suffrage Union, as present events may result in very considerable alterations in the schemes of work arising out of that great gathering." The war," she continues, "now fills our mental vision,and the whole energies of our women are concentrated upon providing means for the alleviation.-of the distress which must ensue whether hostilities cease soon or not." It has been found that already the trouble has begun among infant life in London, as the weight of babies who attend at the School for Mothers are lighter, simply because the mothers have no food for themselves and no money to buy any milk' for the • children. Immediately war! broke out the suffrage unions stopped all their special work and devoted allj their energies, their resources, theirj offices, and their big trained army of organised voluntary workers upon the care of the mothers- and the babies.. The admirable work already accom-, plished would fill a volume to describe,' but the great principles on which suffragists are working must be noted, i They seek to co-operate with all exist-' ing organisations, especially those concerned with the preservation of infant; life or the care of school children. They! are establishing new depots where, milk for babies may bo had, and have arranged classified registers of efficient workers in all departments, where there are now several thousand names of women ready to go at call wherever required. They safeguard the paid' labor market by controlling voluntary, energies, .am! seek to provide for unemployment by arranging temporary, work at a minimum wage of 10s weekly rather than by the giving of money.! Temporary workrooms have been establishcd where work for the sailors and soldiers is being carried on. Inj .two directions work which is of perman-J out national value has been begun ; via,, the cultivation of waste ground for the production of foodstuffs, and the utilisation of surplus food. Miss Carey,. of the' Women's Emergency, Corps (a union of suffrage societies led by- the. Actresses' Franchise League), has -obtained the promise of control ol alUho unsold food in the meat, vege-j

tabic, fruit, and fish markets of London, tons of which have hitherto been destroyed daily, and also of the unused cooked food which in the great and restaurants and in wealthy p\i.p'te houses has hitherto been In every part of London depots a.o being set up for the distribution of this food, and empty garages trans-] formed into temporary kitchens. Meanwhile training classes are at work preparing women and girls to help as cooks and distributors of this food. Miss Carey has secured as advisers in this work the heads of the chief restaurants and the greatest chef in London. In like manner the project; for the cultivation of land is under the direction of trained women from the horticultural and agricultural colleges.! Not only waste spaces hut larger tracts of \rnused land are to be dealt with. This work is specially planned for working women of the professional class, many of whom are now con--1 fronted with utter destitution.