The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-18
Topics of General Interest In
 Birmingham Society Circles
Interesting and Timely Letter On Timely Topc-Marriage Frank Jones to Miss Elizabeth Wolfe-Mr. and Mrs.
 Winsow's Dinner Dance-Notes

So much has been written and said
 about the war and hard times" this fall
 that it seems impossible to throw any
 light upon either subject or to say any
 thing that has not already been said and
 reiterated several times over
 The idea of hard times, scarcity of money and all such unpleasant subjects have entered into the homes. At the dinner table and in the shops it is dis cussed ad libitum, and to one who wants to be cheerful it seems almost adnauseum. In one of the shops yesterday a Birming ham woman of wealth and faishion re- marked that 'she was not going to buy a thing to wear this winter" but she was ."going to have the prettiest wardrobe she had possessed in a long time" She had dragged out all her old velvets, her old laces and silks and satins and with the help of a day seamstress she was going to make herself quite presentable without buying anything at all." Sup pose every woman made up her mind to do this same thing, what would become of the merchants who have laid in a supply of such beautiful things? Apropos of this it might be interesting to publish letter received recently, written from Paris. At least portions of it might be ap- piled to Birmingham At any rate, it will do no harm to weigh what she says:
 T was present on a recent afternoon at very interesting meeting of promi- nent nnes-Frenchwomen who have in times past done much, in a quiet way for their country and who are now inspirited by desire to lend a helping hand in the best possible way.
 This meeting was the sequel to an ex- cellent article which appeared recently in the Figaro-an article which set forth in passionate terms the necessity for calm Judgment and wise action in this terrible hour. The subject matter was the ex- isting tendency-in Franee as in Eng land-suddenly to turn the ordinary streams of life into fresh channels-sud- denly to set aside amusements and enter tainments of all kinds and to save every possible penny.
 Undoubtedly all this is theoretically step in the right direction, but in prac- tice-unless very skilfully and thought fully managed-such a course of action must necessarily spell ruin for countless unoffending persons. In France these persons are chiefly women.
 We may not feel very much inclined to go to theatres or concerts. We may not feel disposed to purchase new dresses or new hats. We may wish, deep down in our hearts. to shut ourselves up to await events. But have we the right to carry this idea to the point of exaggera- ton? This is the question which in- telligent Parsiennes are just now asking 1hemselves-openly And in the majority of cases the answer is No
 At the meeting to which I have just alluded the general opinion was that those who were accustomed-and who were able-to lay by money, ought now to spend it, judiciously. They--and each dinary social life in working order That few radical changes should be made be- cause of the consequences of these changes on innocent persons who are obliged to earn their daily bread. All this presses urgently in France. Here it is a matter of vital importance, to make it possible for the women and children to live.
 "A very real kindness just now is com bined effort to keep every day life normal as possible. Everyone will wish to avoid extravaganza, but do not let us hoard at the expense of helpless women and children.
 T have given a good deal of space to this matter because it seems to be of inn mense importance. When we speak of dress and theatres as impossible at such a moment we are apt to forget that vast number of persons will be thrown into the warehouses if that impossible is given real meaning