538 State Papers and Addresses

or. from the air, but we all must agree that, two years ago, the men and women
of now-prostrate France felt the same security about their homeland.

No! With airplanes that can carry their load of death 6000 miles or more,
at almost incredible speeds, it is entirely possible that the United States may be
attacked, particularly through the air, and it is for this reason that all the
forces for the protection of. our Country are being organized in Cecil County,
to the end that we may not be caught unprepared if we, like England and
Belgium and Poland and Russia, ever feel the awful effects of the might of
Germany's air power.

Today our women need no longer stand by helplessly and ask, "What can
we do?" Your County Chairman, the Women's Division of the State Council of
Defense, can quickly put all women volunteers to work. Among the many
fields of activity not only open now to women, but for which women are being
registered in great numbers throughout the State and Nation, are such things
as automobile driving; aviation; canteen work; factory; machine and mechanical
work of all kinds; nursing, not only in the hospitals but in First Aid work;
telephone operating; typing and office work, and many other fields.

All of these things are tangible. Then, too, there are the intangibles such
as, for instance, the educational work on Americanism being conducted by our
women, in which hundreds of less-informed women are being instructed in their
civic duties, in the benefits of Democracy, and in many other considerations
that serve to give them a better idea of what America means to them and why
the free institutions of America are so worthy of defense.

Nutrition is another such field where, in the event of a possible bombing
attack, intelligent supervision by thoroughly capable women will be of the
utmost importance. We know only too well, that in any time of great stress one
of the very first considerations is the continued health of the people, and under
this heading nutrition is of the utmost importance.

Sponsored by the Women's Division of the State Council of Defense, a non-
college course for adults on nutrition will be conducted at the Fifth Regiment
Armory starting on November 27th and continuing three weeks. The College
'of Education, University of Maryland, and the State Department of Vocational
Education are cooperating in this very timely course.

In the field of aviation there is a great demand for young women all over
the State for training in aircraft radio, parachute packing, ground school, air-
craft mechanics and flying. Courses in all of these subjects are now being made
available through the efforts of the Women's Division, with the University of
Maryland, University of Baltimore and Mt. St. Mary's College, at Emmitsburg
cooperating.

Thousands of sweaters, scarfs and gloves have been requested by the
Commanding General of the 29th Division for. the men in his command, and
are being supplied through the efforts of the Women's Division.

All of these, of course, are tremendously important, but there. is another
under-cover phase of the struggle going on that unquestionably deserves to be
brought to the attention of every thinking resident of our Country.