not concern nurses and hospitals alone, it is a matter which primarily concerns the public health and welfare and it is only fair and just that the public should know just what the situation is and should be in a position to help in making the necessary reforms and adjustments. There have been many indications during the war that the public is beginning to take a very much keener interest in nursing and nursing problems. In the first place the value of the nurse's work has been recognized as never before, and the country has wakened to the fact that this essential form of national service must be definitely provided for, not only in preparation for war but in preparation for peace. Nearly every program for reconstruction, whether in the field of industry, or education, or social work, emphasizes the need for better health work and specifically mentions the need for more nurses and doctors. There is no doubt whatever that we are entering a period of rich opportunity, especially in the newer fields of public health nursing where the preventive and educational function of the nurse are being most stressed. But this increased recognition of the value of the nurse in the community brings with it greater and greater obligations and responsibilities. Already a good deal more is expected of us than we are able to supply and the result is that we are laying ourselves open to serious criticism, which is now beginning to be of a rather open and specific kind. It comes chiefly from a few leaders in the educational, social and public health fields, but we find it also among other classes of people. If we are going to put our work on a firmer basis for the future, we shall have to see just what there is of truth in these criticisms, and if necessary, make definite efforts to correct conditions that are responsible for them. (To be continued) THE RED CROSS IN CHARGE OF Director, Department of Nursing IN MEMORIAM MRS. FREDERICK W. TICE Among the first to help organize and to serve on the National Committee on Red Cross Nursing Service, giving freely of her time, her ability, and her strength, Mrs. Frederick W. Tice has been a pioneer in building up the organization and the ideals of the Nursing Service of the American Red Cross. During the years of the development of the Red Cross, Mrs. Tice was always eager to answer any call from Red Cross Headquarters, and often at great personal sacrifice to herself, came to Washington several times a year to advise and direct the development of the service. When the demands of war became overwhelming, Mrs. Tice was among the first to respond for definite and active service. As supervisor of the Department of Instruction for Women, she has trained thousands of women for effective work in Home Hygiene and Care of the Sick, Home Dietetics, and Invalid Occupation, and her efforts were amply justified when the Surgeon General of the Army called into military service large groups of women trained under her supervision. It is probable that, had the war continued, her courses in reconstruction work would have been placed on a permanent basis and used as one of the centers of preparation for this work by the Surgeon General. In all her relations, Mrs. Tice embodies the spirit of the Red Cross, and in her death on October 22, 1918, which occurred after a three days' illness, the Nursing Service has suffered an inestimable loss. Her influence, however, which has guided the service so long, will be felt through all the years to come. One of the saddest phases of the work at National Headquarters has been to receive the names of nurses who have died in the service of their country. Out of the 25,000 nurses assigned through the Red Cross for active military duty, although the reports are not yet complete, there are 101 gold stars to-day upon the service flag of the Department of Nursing. Now with the coming of peace, there remains the high privilege of a tribute to those who, side by side with the men of the nation's hosts of battle, have given their lives in the fight for human freedom. In the first days of America's part in the great war, two nurses, killed on shipboard by the explosion of a defective shell, set the initial seal upon the declaration of our country's purpose. Since then, sickness, accident, and the actual storm of conflict have claimed a constantly increasing number from our ranks. That war should reach behind its blazing lines and touch with swift death those whose only ministry was mercy, is but a part of the world's tragedy of terror. It is enough to say that where men dared and died, women stood as bravely, dared as supremely, and died as heroically. In the nation's roll of honor, their names stand written in the imperishable letters that tell of duty nobly done. And in the happier days that lie in the world's future, when history shall tell of the deeds that won for mankind righteousness, and justice, and peace, there shall be no loftier syllables than those which tell of the devotion of American womanhood that shone respendent in the courage, even unto death, of the nurses of the Red Cross. "After life's fitful fever, they sleep well.”—T. E. G. MOBILIZING FOR PEACE With every week bringing two and three transports to dock, each with its thousands of returning troops, the country is again mobilizing for a new battle-the realization of our ideals of peace. For the nursing profession, this will be as clear a call for service as was the declaration on April 6, 1917, which plunged this country into war, and which has placed approximately 25,000 graduate nurses in active military duty, during the past eighteen months. Through their example, the people of the world have learned to value and respect the training, the discipline, the skill, and the high standards of the profession of nursing, and the time seems ripe to launch a new endeavor, in which also nurses will play a major part. With the release of large numbers of nurses from military service, it will be possible to take up again the nursing activities which have been more or less interrupted by the insistent needs of war. First on the peace program of the Red Cross will be the further development of our public health nursing, and also of our courses in Home Hygiene and Care of the Sick, and Home Dietetics, so that the women of the country may be better prepared to maintain the health of their families, and to care for minor illnesses in localities where graduate nurses are not available. The epidemic of influenza has proved as never before the absolute necessity for a greater self-reliance, and for a more intelligent conception of the principles of hygiene, sanitation, and general pub lic health needs, on the part of the women of the country. Another strong argument for the extension of this work has been brought out by the rejections on account of physical defects in the Army draft. While complete statistics are not yet available, it is well known that a very high proportion of men were disqualified because of dental and other defects which might have been remedied had the inspection of school children been a recognized policy of the nation some years ago. With the return to civilian communities of about 20,000 graduate nurses released from military service, we hope to extend greatly our Town and Country Nursing Service, and to interest nurses in public health nursing and other forms of community service, in order that skilled professional nursing may be available even to the people living in remote and isolated parts of the United States. We believe that the experience of the nurses in France, and in our cantonment hospitals, as well, will have brought to them the realization of the broader opportunities for service awaiting them now, and that the experience in public health nursing and relief work which many of them have had in European countries will especially qualify them for this service. It is hoped therefore that many nurses about to be released from military duty may be directed into public health and educational work, thus serving the community rather than the individual, until a high order of nation-wide public health is established. To accomplish this end, active and vigorous coöperation, both from the nurses of the country and the chapter organization of the Red Cross is imperative. It is planned that each chapter will have a Committee on Nursing Activities, composed of representatives of local nursing, public health, educational, medical, and civic relief organizations in the community. This committee will be responsible for the development of Red Cross courses of instruction authorized by the Department of Nursing, and will also be responsible for nursing activities organized in the community. The work of passing on the professional qualifications of nurses will remain, as always, with the Local Committee on Red Cross Nursing Service, which will be represented on the Chapter Committee on Nursing Activities. It is hoped that through the organization of chapter committees, branches may be formed for the conservation of available nursing resources in each community, this to be accomplished through the prevention of the unnecessary use of graduate nurses; through interesting young women to enter training schools for nurses, and especially through the extension of the visiting nurse system. As the first step in working out these plans, the Department of Nursing has secured the appointment of a public health nurse who will act as the Director of the Bureau of Public Health Nursing in each Division Office. Mary Cole, a graduate of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass., formerly the superintendent of the Visiting Nurses' Association of Santa Barbara, Cal., has been appointed to represent the Pacific Division. Emma Grittinger, Seattle, Washington, a graduate of the Presbyterian Hospital, Philadelphia, for some time superintendent of the Visiting Nurses' Association of Portland, Oregon, and for the past months Field Secretary for the Nursing Service of the Red Cross in this Division, will represent Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Olive Chapman of Denver, Colorado, a graduate of the New York Post-Graduate Training School, a Director of the National Organization of Public Health Nursing, and State Nurse for the Women's Committee of the Colorado State Council of National Defense, will serve as the representative of the Mountain Division. Ethel Parsons, a graduate of Grant Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, who has also had postgraduate work at the Department of Nursing and Health of Teachers College, New York, a Director of the National Organization of Public Health Nursing, and a member of the National Committee on Red Cross Nursing Service, will represent the Southwestern Division. Miss Parsons has also served for some time as the Chief Nurse of the Sanitary Zone, San Antonio, Texas. Grace Engblad, a graduate of the John Sealy Training School, Galveston, Texas, a postgraduate student of Bellevue Hospital, New York City, who has also served as Chief Nurse in the sanitary zones in the Gulf Division, will represent this district. Matilda Johnson, of Washington, D. C., who has been acting as Traveling Supervisor of the Bureau of Public Health Nursing of the Red Cross Department of Nursing, will represent the Potomac Division. It is hoped that within a short time other appointments will be made. The Director of Nursing in the New England Division, Elizabeth Ross, a graduate of the Newton Hospital Training School for Nurses, Newton, Mass.; the Director of Nursing of the Central Division, Minnie H. Ahrens, a graduate of the Illinois Training School for Nurses, and of Teachers College, New York, who has also been Superintendent of the Infant Welfare Society, Chicago; and the Director of the Southern Division, Jane Van de Vrede, a graduate of the Wauwatosa County Hospital, Milwaukee, Wis., all of whom are experienced public health nurses, will take over the responsibility for this work in their divisions, appointing assistants to aid in the office routine. While this educational and public health program is occupying the foreground at the present time, the Red Cross is not unmindful of the fact that there are many women who have had training as hospital administrators and executives whose work has been interrupted greatly by war service. In order that the nurses released from |