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We still need these trained women fliers. Let's assure the continuance of their services.

L.R. GERTRUDE MESERVE, CATHERINE SLOCUM, NANCY LOVE, ADELE SCHARR,
& BARBARA TOWNE

S NOT THE WOMEN
WHO ARE HYSTERICAL

It has become the fashion among certain groups to point the finger of scorn at Congress; to find, or pretend to find, no good whatever in it; to consider it composed of moribund reactionaries who never get anything done right. No one, of course, would claim that Congress is always the perfect representative body, but it nevertheless does represent the sovereign power of the people of the country. Its ability or ineffectiveness is, in the last analysis, the responsibility of the voters.

One does not have to be a scorner of Congress to realize it has its faults. One of its greatest is the occasional tendency to legislate by hysteria. Once in a while a measure comes up for consideration which stands or falls not on its merits but upon whatever emotional mood happens to grip Congress at the time. This tendency holds elements of great danger. Our national decisions are supposed to be reached after a careful weighing of pros and cons. All too often needed laws are killed or harmful legislation is adopted because thoughtful debate gives way to a surge of hysteria in which reason flies out the window.
                                                                               
A minor case in point is the fate at the hands of Congress of a small group of women fliers known as the Wasps. When war broke out, the Army Air Forces set out to determine to what extent women could be of value to the country in military flying, and to what extent they could take the place of men pilots in routine flying duties, thereby releasing men for more important work, including combat. In all, some 1,000 young women have been trained or are now completing training. Both in training and in the performance of their duty the Wasps have been an unqualified success.

These women pilots, though they perform military duties, occupy a civilian status. At the instigation of Army authorities a bill was introduced in Congress to place these fliers in the Army and thus give them military status. But suddenly the whole idea of women flying seems to appall Congress. Discussion of the measure in committee becomes involved with the Army's utilization of male pilots, and as a result the proposal is thrown out and the whole Wasp training program discontinued.

General Arnold himself is the best judge of what pilots needs and the way he uses them. He wants to continue training Wasps. But even if we grant the time has come to discontinue further training of women for military flying, there doesn't seem much sense in withholding military status from the women already trained.

As matters stand now, they can quit whenever they want to. They are not subject to Army discipline and, theoretically, do not even have to obey orders. A lot of money has been invested in training these girls and this investment of taxpayers' money should be protected. The girls are good and can do needed work. Giving them military status insures their continuance in this work as long as needed.

Paul Hunter

82 Liberty