Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-01
Work for Wives
and Widows of
German Soldiers
ASSOCIATED Press Correspondence

ASSOCIATED Press Correspondence
Frankfort Germany. Aug. 30.-The pro-
bem of supplying certain clothing nee Is
of the army, and at the same time pro-
viding that the profit from the manu-.
facture of these goods shall go. not to il
diyidual firms but to soldiers wives. sis
tiers and mothers, has been efficiently
solved in Frankforts Naehstube or
Sewing Room.
Through it some 10000 women and girls,
GOO of whom live in this city. today re-
ceive about twice as much money as
they would if employed in private con-
Germs. and are enabled to live in self
respecting independence without having
even to draw from their government the
sums which as a matter of duty it is
prepared to expend to support the de-
pendents of soldiers.
Three organizations-the National Ser
vice for Women, The Women's Associa-
ton of 1913, and The Industrial Associa-
ton for Home Work-are really the
creators of the Frankfort Sewing Room
and it's affiliations throughout the pro-
vince of Hessen- Nassau and the grand
duchy of lessen.
Fro mthe so-called Kriegsfuersorge, or
very roughly translated, War Assistance,
a fund was established for the creation
and maintenance of the Sewing Room.
The latter started to all intents and pur-
poses as private business concern
would have done. with money, and credit,
sufficient in amount to pay salaries, BUY
supplies and rent quarters.
Women deserving of assistance-partlc-
ularly those who perhaps would have had
to have financial support from the gov
eminent or some organization under
other circumstances-then were encour-
aged to seek employment Five thous-
and have done so in Frankfort, which is
the headquarters for the province Of
Hessen-Nassau, and 5000 more are
given work. Darmstadt is the headquar-
tiers for the grand duchy of Hessen.
For time the Sewing Room received
its largest commissions from the Red
Cross, but gradually the government or
ders, direct from the military authorities.
have superseded all others. until today
the plant is working almost exclusively
for the empire. In the city 1t 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.
The capacity Of the Frankfort estab-
lishment alone has increased SO far that
it is able each week to send two full
freight car loads of supplies to Mayence,
the distributing center Tor the section.
No less than As kinds of supplies are
made. the majority for soldiers at the
'front.' but some for their relatives at
home, the latter being distributed
through the Red Cross and kindred or
CARNATIONS.
The Sewing Room began to turn out
supplies about the middle of August,
1914. Up to August I, 1915. there had
been made and delivered, among other
things, 2,570,54 zwieback sacks, 18l,428
shirts, 171,255 pairs of socks. 137,7A neck
bands worn by the soldiers instead of
collars, 111,S6S pairs of trousers. sS.sO7
helmet coverings. 71,6S7 suits of under
wear lin 70 different sizes and varieties)
cS,3l0 salt sacks, 1854 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, pillows,
gloves, flags, working suits, aprons, head
and chest protectors, knee and wrist
warmers, nurses uniforms. towels and
the like.