National Defense: Ladies to Arms?

Last week the War Department had about decided to enlist women in the U.S. Army. Several branches of the service had asked for it. Most importunate was the Army Air Forces, which is anxious to sign up 25,000 women to serve as telephone operators, plotters and tellers at Army Information and Filter Centers (see p. 55). The Army feels that such jobs, now looked after by volunteers, would be done better by disciplined maidens in uniform.

Courtly, soft-spoken Lieut. General Delos C. Emmons, head of the Combat Command, last week pointed out that the Army needs control over women engaged in confidential work, plans to set them up in several corps that would include all ranks, from privates to colonels. Determined that U.S. women in service shall look less dreary than opposite numbers in Britain, the Army intends to dress them snappily, make appearance as well as intelligence a necessary qualification. If Army suggestions go through Congress, the ladies will be housed in barracks, will be disciplined as carefully as regular soldiers.

Should these plans go through, the Axis will have the only major armies in the world made up of men only.