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BETSY ROSS Goes Modern
THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER
SUNDAY MORNING, JUNE 11, 1933

By J.C. Johnson.
BETSY ROSS'S name comes down through history, famous as he maker of the first Stars and Stripes, the flag symbolizing the United Colonies, which later became the United States when the War of the Revolution was successfully concluded.

Now, as the national observance of Flag Day approaches, we have a whole corps of modern Betsies, ready to do just as much for their country.

In the United States there are 200 women pledged to "respond instantly to any call made by the Government of the United States for service during any national emergency."

All are members of the Betsy Ross Flying Corps, organized in May, 1931, through the efforts of nationally known women aviators interested in aeronautics and national defense.

The "ladybirds" have perfected their organization with national headquarters in Kansas City Mo., presided over by Miss Dorothy A. Lyon, native of Kentucky, a university graduate and office manager of a large baking concern, as national commander.

There are nine corps area lieutenant commanders. First Corps Area, Boston, Mass., is in charge of Miss Maurice Ames; second, New York, Mrs. Opal Logan Kunz, founder and first national commander in 1931; third, Germantown, Pa., Jane Dodge; fourth, Memphis, Tenn., Phoebe Omlie; fifth, Columbus, Ohio, Martha Morehouse-Johnson; sixth, Minneapolis, Minn., Lola Lutz; seventh, Kansas City, Miss Lyon, eighth, Tulsa, Okla., Dorothy McBirney; ninth, Visalia, Calif., Pansy Bowen.

Other national officers are: Adjutant, Althea Murphy, Philadelphia, Pa.; finance officer, Dorothy Pressler, Oklahoma City, Okla.; chaplain, Captain Gill Robb Wilson, Trenton, N.J. Four members of the general staff are Mary Goodrich, Hartford, Conn., Peggy Remey, New York, who was national commander in 1932; [[[underlined]] Manila Davis [[/underlined]], Flatwoods, W. Va.; Eleanor McRae, Atlanta, Ga.; Novetah Holmes, Mary Sansom, Hartford, Conn.

Probably no more determined group of women has ever organized more methodically in the interest of national defense than the Betsy Ross Corps. They have received semiofficial recognition in Washington. They have been presented with a building for national headquarters at the municipal airport in Kansas City, and they have been given a tract of ground at Orange City, Fla., to be used as a national training field for members of the corps.

Many of the Betsy Ross Corps members fly their own ships and are licensed pilots. And they have adopted their own uniforms, natty military coats, trouserettes of lighter khaki hue and a brown beret with the organization's insignia.

The membership roster includes prominent society women, business women, nurses, dietitians, school teachers and artists.

So with all this background is it any wonder that America speculates on where the women of the Nation will be found in the next war?

"But before you say too much about war," warned Miss Lyon, the national commander, "don't give the public the idea that we are organizing to promote wars. We oppose war. The corps is a patriotic society founded in the interest of national defense. Therefore, we want security of our country guaranteed by strong army, navy, marine and air forces.

"It is useless to try to be ostriches, burying our heads in the sand. We are not thus secure. All humanitarian relief work, religious activity and child welfare work is of scant value if the country is not safe from attack.

"Our first consideration must be for our own country if we are to continue to live under the high standards which prevail. It is our birthright which we cannot carelessly throw away, and we owe it to the rest of the world to preserve it."

To be eligible for membership in the Betsy Ross Corps the woman applicant must be an American citizen, sign the pledge of service to the country as set forth in the organization's constitution and have an interest in aviation.

"Applicants for membership need not be expert or experienced pilots, since we have room in the corps for all who believe in our ideals," said Miss Lyon. "It is our purpose to encourage members to perfect their skill in order that we may be ready to serve our country in any emergency of war or peace.

"It is not our purpose at any time to train women for combat, but for the countless auxiliary jobs which will have to be done in the event of an emergency, such as flying the mail or piloting airplane ambulances.

"Peace services are the detection of forest fires, working in conjunction with the Government foresters, relief in times of hurricane or flood. Several of our members are graduate nurses who also hold pilot's licenses. These young women ought to be invaluable carrying in their own supplies, if needed, and carrying out refugees.

"The best of our girls might qualify to fly the mail in times of serious stress. We realize that these plans are ambitious, that there are at present not a great number of women qualified to do the enumerated things. But we are taking as our star toward which we strive these high purposes and desire to follow the splendid example of the men in military air forces, the air-mail pilots, transport pilots and all the splendid things the men have been doing for so many years."

Miss Lyon pointed out that, despite pacifism which preceded the last war in this country, women were loyal to their country.
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