Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-03-18 | Page 17 | Women Volunteers in French Defense

WOMEN VOLUNTEERS IN FRENCH DEFENSE Three Thousand Females Engage In Various Activities Aiding Country Coun-try in Warfare. ! PARIS, March 17. Three thousand ' women volunteers are now in the service of the national defense, the Associated Prees is informed by Madame Emile Boutroux, wife of the eminent French j philosopher and cousin of President Poln-care. Poln-care. Madame Boutroux presides over the women's volunteer enrolling- committee, commit-tee, besides directing the auxiliary hospital hos-pital installed in the establishment of the Thiers Foundation for Original Research. "Hundreds of our volunteers are replacing re-placing men in clerical positions," she said. "Others, including many society women, are looking after the children of women munitions workers. Little by little lit-tle our volunteers are assuming every different dif-ferent kind of auxiliary service women are capable of doing. "Several different 'crews' of women volunteers have been helping organize the distribution of coal in Paris during the severe weather. "At Saint Ktlenne. our volunteers are supervising the distribution of sugar cards, releasing just so many men for military service. "We have ready at all times what we call "flying crews.' that arc at the disposition disposi-tion of different departments of public administration for new or urgent service anywhere. "Permanent rrews are being formed to establish new kindergartens "in populous minrtirn whnift reside manv mothers who are engaged in making sheila or cartridges during the day and have no one to look I after their children. Others are organiz-I organiz-I ing canteens near munitions factories for the accommodation of women workers." Women from all classes of society are enrolled by this committee; those In easy circumstances working gratltuousiy, others for such pay as may be given. The main object, however, is to enlist women who have never worked before, Increasing the number of hands available for mechanical and other tasks and increasing the producing pro-ducing capacity of the country.