Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-09-23
\ D v GER MANY
SERVED THE ARMY
AND HER PEOPLE
Correspondence Of the Associated Press)

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.)
Frankfort Germany, Sept. 2o.-The
problem of supplying certain clothing
needs Of the army, and at the same
time providing that the profit from tho
manufacture Of these goods shall go,
wives sisters and mothers, has been
efficiently solved in Frankfort's
Naehstube or sewing room.
Through 1t some 10000 women and
girls, 5000 of whom live in this city,
to-day receive about twice as much
money as they would If employed in
private concerns, and are enabled to
live in self-respecting independence, with
out having even to draw from their gov
eminent the sums. which. as a matter
of duty. 1t is prepared to expend to sup
port the dependents Of soldiers.
Three organizations-the National
Service for Women. the Womens Assoc
citation of 1913, and the Industrial Assoc
citation for Homo Work-are really the
creators of the Frankfort sewing room
md Its affiliations throughout the
province of HessenNassau and the
grand duchy of Hessen.
From the so-called Kriegsfuersorge. or
very roughly translated, war assistance,
n fund was established for the creation
and maintenance of the sewing ROOM
The latter started to all intents and
purposes as a private business concern
would have done, with money and credit
sufficient In amount to pay salaries. buy
supplies and rent quarters.
Women deserving of asslstance-par-
ticularly those who perhaps would have
had to have financial support from the
government or some organization under
other circumstances-then We're encour-
aged to seek employment Five thou
sand have done so in Frankfort which
IS the headquarters for the province of
Hessen- Nassau, and 1900 more are
given work. Darmstadt is the head
quarters for the grand duchy of Hesscn,
For time the sewing room received
Its largest commissions from the Red
Cross, but gradually the government or
ders, direct from the military authori-
ties. have superseded all Others until
to-day the plant Is working almost ex-
clusvely for the empire. In the city
It is possible of course for the women
to leave their homes and work during
the day time in the plants. In the
country district home work is provided.
Tho capacity of the Frankfort estab-
lishment alone has ncroa sod so far that
1t Is able each week to send two full
freight car loads of supplies to Maycnce,
the distributing center for the section.
No less than As kinds of supplies arc
made, the ma iority for soldiers at the
front, but some for their relatives ut
home, the latter being distributed
through the Red Cross and kindred or
ganizations.
The sewing room began to turn out
supplies about the middle of August,
1914. Up to August l. 1915, there had
been made and delivered among other
things, 2.57o514 zweback sacks. 1912
shirts TILES pairs of socks, 1924 neck
bands worn by the soldiers instead Of
collars, l,S6S pairs of trousers, ?S,S07
helmet coverings. 71,6S7 suits of under
wear lin ~ different sizes and vareties).
:s,3l0 salt sacks, 23,25i arm bands and
1856 sacks for shipping gifts. In addi-
ton there have been made thousands
upon thousands of such useful articles
as shoulder straps. hospital suits. pill
lows, gloves. flags. working suits aprons
head and chest protectors, knee and
wrist warmers. nurses uniforms. towels
and the like.