Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 219, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 September 1918 — Substantial Pensions for American Women of Red Cross and Y. M. C. A. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Substantial Pensions for American Women of Red Cross and Y. M. C. A.

By ADDISON C. THOMAS. Chiago

Do the American people realize the important work for the war that our women are doing at home and abroad? With the greatest array of women that the world has ever known actively helping the fight for the freedom of mankind, it seems but fair that ample provision should be made at the earliest'possible moment for their maintenance and support. in case of disability, and in particular for the war nurses at the front. Miss Kathryn Carlisle, who is at the front in France, has strikingly brought out in a letter to . her

parents, Col. and Mrs. Charles A. Carlisle of South Bend, Ind., the value of the wonderful service rendered by the women of the American Bed Cross and the Young Men’s Christian association. From this letter a movement has begun to take shape to pension any such women whose heroic efforts may make assistance a debt of honor on the part of the nation. Conferences with Colonel Carlisle have decided accordingly to submit to the American people through the press the following suggestion and petition: “In behalf of all the American women at home and abroad who serve in the American Bed Cross and the Y. M. C. A., and in behalf of the countless number who serve elsewhere, all with the same hope and desire, to be of real value and service to the American soldier, every American in the world is invited to contribute to a freewill offering for the express purpose of establishing the “American women’s war fund,” out of which shall be paid a substantial pension to every American woman who gives ' up het life, or who sacrifices opportunity at home that she may better serve ‘our boys’ or in other ways contribute to their welfare and comfort. “Every penny contributed shall go to the ‘American women s war fund’ and shall be held for distribution by a finance committee to be selected by the American Bed Cross and the Y. M. C. A., and approved by the secretary of the treasury of the United States. “Each penny contributed shall be held by the finance committee subject to order and distribution by an executive committee, who shall be selected and directed by the American Bed Cross and the Y. M. C. A. head officers, and if they fail to agree the secretary of the treasury of the United States shall have full authority to take over all funds and direct how the money shall be distributed. So far'as possible, and if and when these "funds shall permit, the executive Committee in its discretion shall pay to any American woman, or to the family or dependents of any such American woman who gives up her life in the service of the American soldier, or who makes any special sacrifice at home or abroad that she, may better serve ‘our boys,’ a sum of money that in part may, in the discretion of the executive committee, show due appreciation by the American people who contribute and make possible this fund. “To each person who contributes shall be given a certificate of membership, acknowledging receipt of the contribution, and once each year, so far as it is possible to do so, the executive committee, through the press or otherwise, shall make a comprehensive report. “Every child in Sunday schools, public schools and elsewhere is invited to contribute one penny or more each month for a' period of one year, making the payments direct to teachers, who will deposit the funds with any national or state bank, for shipment to the national finance committee, care of the American Bed Cross, Washington, D. C.”