Rita Macleod

“ She who has lived in the midst of household duties and home cares, gives what hours she may spare—and often, what she is unable to spare—to Red Cross activities, comforts for the men in the trenches, or to practical work to augment the funds of some particular patriotic institution. For these works are not temporary works, they are institutions, institutions built on the foundations of self-sacrifice, and they will outlive many a granite building in the memory of future generations. The society woman—the butterfly—has been one of the surprises of the war. ”

“ The delights promised since childhood have been swept away in the great tide of war, and instead of idle pleasures occupying her leisure hours, it is war work on every side. And the war work has become more to her than any idle pleasures could ever have become. All soldiers have been her friends, and she has worked with enthusiasm for them for the last three years. ”

“ The Brisbane girl of war time should make a splendid woman, for she is spending her youth in a heroic and self-sacrificing age. The silken tassel of her girlhood has been torn and all the treasure of her youth thrown into the arena of war service. ”

“ Courage, patience, self-denial, self-sacrifice—with untiring energy and devotion—make up a galaxy of virtues that, to some extent at least, compensate for the dreadful losses and shocks which women have had to sustain, and when added to all these is the abiding faith of women in the great principles of Christianity, we have the foundation broader and deeper, than ever before, of a regeneration of the world of the future for the highest purposes. ”

“ It is a wonderful achievement for women who, previous to the cry of war, had lived the every-day domestic life of the average woman. And they are as enthusiastic to-day as when they put their first stitch in a Red Cross garment or took up pen to arrange the financial affairs of a branch. Their difficulty is not the lack of gifts or work—these roll in daily—the chief outcry is the small amount of space obtainable to send the goods overseas to the men who are wounded and ill. The tonnage given to the Red Cross Society is worked on a percentage of the enlistments. ”

“ Can’t you hear, women of Queensland, the men in the trenches calling for extra comforts? Can’t you hear them saying, “If we had a few more pairs of socks and some extra warm clothing things wouldn’t be so bad. I wonder why the women don’t send us more things?” Those who have their women folk working here are unbounded in their gratitude for individual parcels. They also receive goods from the Soldiers’ Comforts Fund. But think of the men who have no friends or relations to work for them! ”

“ FOR MEN IN THE TRENCHES. The thought of the severe strain of trench life, whether in the deserts of Egypt or the blood-stained fields of France, has always struck a chord of compassion in the hearts of women. It seemed so terrible that, in addition to risking their lives, the soldiers should be faced with daily discomfort; and when the Queensland Division of the Australian Soldiers’ Comforts Fund was established in Brisbane, in September, 1915, there was a big response to the appeal for help. ”

“ No man will ever realise the feeling a woman has for the man who goes forth to fight for his country, his womenfolk and the weak. Life is such a precious thing. Women know this too well. So many of them have lingered near the edges of that undiscovered country and known the joy of regaining the shores of Life. So that when a man voluntarily risks his life to defend all that is precious to him, he becomes almost a demi-god in her mind. ”

“ They have wandered in, in the first instance, out of curiosity, but the kindness of the girls and women and the happy atmosphere of the club have attracted them again and again. Seeing that a certain respectability is expected of them, they have taken care to come sober and remain sober. The numbers of men who were apparently “lost” characters and who have reformed under the influence of the club is amazing. The women who worked up this movement, and who continue to give strenuous attention to the welfare of the club, are the source of more influence for good than they are yet aware. ”

“ From the lowest to the highest rung on the social ladder, from the tropic lands of the North to the wheat grown fields of the Downs, from the out-back stations of the West to the Pacific, women have arisen to do honour to the man in khaki. She who must needs work to earn her daily bread spends her leisure moments in knitting or sewing. ”

“ Into the domestic trend of their lives came the shadows of battle and strife and death, and they waved goodbye to their sons, brothers, and lovers, with a vague feeling that they had gone forth to meet danger, and it was for their country. Then came battle news and casualty lists, and the doubting fears broke into grief and sorrow and daily anxiety, from which emerged an unfathomable reverence for the man who will die for his country. ”

“ It has been decided by the members to establish two homes for returned wounded soldiers. One for advanced consumptives and the other for men who are physically incapable of earning their living. The movement is as yet in its infancy, but when the Red Cross Society have taken the matter in hand there is every reason to have full confidence in the homes being established. They will be of inestimable benefit to men made physical wrecks through the horrors of war; and doubtless, it is only a matter of bringing the fact before the public to receive support from all parts of the community. ”

“ WORK OF THE SCHOOL CHILDREN. The spirit of the times has not failed to touch the budding womanhood of Queensland. In every school, whether public or private, girls will be found knitting industriously for soldiers. Indeed, it is no uncommon sight to see quite small children knitting in the trams and suburban trains, and the exhibitions of their work rank in quality with the exhibits of women during these years of war. ”

“ In this country the women have risen to the occasion as readily and as effectively as their sisters in any part of the world. The war has touched them deeply—more deeply than it has touched a large number of our men. ”

“ It would be difficult to find a club, society, or band of girls at present in Brisbane, who are not assisting to swell patriotic funds in one way or another. Some have had more notable results than others, but all are absolutely giving of their best. A band of girls under the supervision of a patriotic worker, have collected considerable sums for the Wattle Day League, enabling that body to hand over sufficient money to the Red Cross, in 1915, to erect the recreation hall at Kangaroo Point Hospital, in addition to giving substantial sums to other funds. ”

“ The guild has been of inestimable value to women who have a number of relatives at the war, and who found the price of wool a severe tax on slender means. The movement has steadily grown throughout Queensland in the last year, and no better testimony of the work could be shown than the splendid exhibitions of wool displayed by amateur spinners at the Brisbane Show, both this year and last year, and at the recent Toowoomba Show. The renewal of spinning shows the determination of women to use every means possible to alleviate the hardships of war. ”

“ When a soldier’s wife is confronted with legal or other difficulties, she will always find assistance at the Mutual Service Club. Jumble sales are also held, and quite a large sum has been made by the members from a small stall at which remnants, supplied by the shops, are sold. Proceeds from this stall purchased a clock for the camp hospital at Enoggera last year, and the profits are always of use to the committee. Sometimes money is advanced to women who are in needy circumstances, and, indeed, whenever anyone is in distress, endeavors are made to alleviate the trouble. ”

“ Girls are also continually arranging private concerts and entertainments, the proceeds of which are devoted to the cause of the soldier. One teacher of elocution has toured the country with a small company at intervals during the last three years and has succeeded in raising over £2,000 for patriotic funds. Early in the year, the Red Triangle appeals resulted in exceptional sums being raised, and girls in all parts of Queensland were untiring in their efforts to collect money or arrange entertainments for the Y.M.C.A. Huts. The Brisbane girl is not afraid to work for the soldier ”

“ Old legends of the homeland told of the women who spun, and one knew that in Highland cottages, with grandfather clocks, deep, wide fireplaces and inglewoods, there were spinning wheels hidden away in some forgotten corner. ”

“ No man, woman or child can plead ignorance of Red Cross Work. It is voluntary help given to alleviate the pain and sickness of the soldiers, and the women of Queensland have spared no effort to supply goods to the hospitals and convalescent homes both at home and abroad.
The military hospitals in and around Brisbane, the transports leaving for war zones, and the Australian divisions of the Red Cross in Egypt, England, France and other parts of Europe are supplemented with necessities from the Queensland division of the Red Cross. ”

“ Such a big proportion of the men enlisting in Queensland to-day are married men, that we thought it would be a good plan to state all the rates of pay and pensions clearly for their information.
There is no doubt that the single men are not coming forward as they should, and many married men are coming to the conclusion that there is only one thing to do—take up the sword themselves. ”

“ Leisure hours are given to sewing, knitting, or arrangements for “days,” fétes and other entertainments whereby money may be gathered in for the welfare of the soldiers in the trenches, in the hospitals, on leave, or discharged from duty.
The working girls, no less than those of the leisure classes, have given of their time and money, and it is no uncommon occurrence for the employees of large drapery and other establishments to arrange concerts, river picnics and entertainments to provide either the furniture for a room in the Residential Club, or some other gift for a patriotic cause. ”

“ She exists in a daily imagery of their lives, and when they fall in battle something of their great courage seems to be reflected within her. She meets her loss with such a knowledge of the honor of his death that she is fortified with a strange new armor. Girls who grew up with their brothers, and looked on them just as their “brothers,” are at times overwhelmed with the magnitude of what these boys have done and are doing. ”

“ Those women who have immediate ties with men in the firing line have learnt of the soldiers’ delight in receiving additional comforts—they have also heard of the long hours spent midst wind, rain, mud and snow, when the soldiers’ only food was military rations, their only clothes—military equipment. ”

“ In numerous ways children have assisted in providing materials and funds for the soldiers. Entertainments have been organised, and often talent discovered that would otherwise have lain dormant, the children showing unbounded enthusiasm for their work. They have also been encouraged to give small donations, such as having an “Egg Day” at the schools, when each child brings an egg to send to the Red Cross Kitchen. War will ever linger in the memory of the men and women of the coming generation. ”

“ The honorary secretary’s table, with a telephone, is in the centre, while to the left is a circulating library, initiated by the Girls’ Sub-committee to augment the funds. This committee has also made considerable sums through the sale of cakes and home-made sweets, while individual members make and sell home-made jams to swell the funds. All work is voluntary, and no effort is spared to increase the comforts for the soldiers, and the committees are continually improving their methods and means of attending to the wants of the men who are in the trenches. ”

“ The sight of the women, in their white uniforms and caps, working busily every day and all day behind the large windows with the sign of the Red Cross, has almost ceased to attract the attention of the passerby, and yet there is a retinue of 70 helpers who carry out this work consistently, each member having her regular hours and regular days for assisting. ”

“ The stage of this hall has been turned into a billiard room, and at all times of the day there are men using the privileges of the club. Upstairs there is a reading, writing and rest room, where notepaper, envelopes and a library are provided free of charge. No entrance fee or subscription is asked, and the only time a soldier has to put his hand in his pocket is when he requires refreshments. These are provided at the lowest cost possible, and it is obvious that some return is necessary to keep the restaurant in financial order. ”