One hundred years ago this week Australia's men were beginning to enlist. What was the proper wartime role for Australian womanhood? Melbourne Punch columnist Clio laid down the law.
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"The conversation of some hysterical girls makes one determined to take one's part in keeping the life of our community as normal as is possible under present circumstances. They were thoughtlessly condemning a girl, whose two sisters are at school in Germany, for going to the theatre one evening last week. ''How could she?," they asked in horrified tones.
It never seemed to penetrate their featherheads that this girl was doing something rather fine – sinking her private griefs for the sake of others. If each one of us stays at home to wallow in our own selfish woe the whole machinery of society will stop, and what then is to become or those whose livelihood it is to cater for society's entertainment?
It is the highest duty of those who have money to circulate it, for the very existence of the worker depends on this. Stop race meetings, close theatres and instantly throw hundreds of people out of employment? It is unthinkable. Now is the time for the Australian woman to show what stuff she is made of. Greatly on her influence depends the social atmosphere. Let her draw the silver lining between us, and this pitch-black cloud. If we talk horror, and think horror, then the whole social atmosphere is horror-stricken. Let women of Australia prove ourselves sane and strong; and, above all – in spite of all – resolutely turn our faces to the sun."
Clio also ordered featherheaded society women to find time among their social engagements to learn how to load and fire a gun.