ABSTRACT
The war and the departure of troops have brought into prominence during the last few days the question of the condition of the soldier’s wife and family. It has ever been a wonder how soldiers maintain families out of their miserable pittance of 1s. 1d. per day; but there could be no doubt that by some 10,000 or 12,000 men being ordered for foreign service, there would be left behind a large number who must at once be deprived of the means of existence. In several directions strenuous efforts are being made to raise a fund for the maintenance of the soldiers' wives and children for the next twelve months. In London, Edinburgh, and Dublin, these subscriptions have been commenced. A fund of £15,000, it is estimated, would give five shillings per week, for twelve months, to each of the women left destitute; and the proportion of those who would obtain employment would be large enough considerably to increase the average allotment to the remainder. The United Service Club appropriately leads in the matter, and a public meeting, ladies’ committees, and a fancy fair, are talked of for the promotion of the design. By a rightly directed effort, there is little doubt that the means might be raised for getting employment or support for the wives, and for maintaining and educating the children during the absence of the parents.
