Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-12
WOMEN IN FRANCE DOING
THEIR SHARE FOR NATION
Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Employed in Govcrnment-Con-
trolicd Munition Works.
ENCEL MEN IN MANY RESPECTS
they Bring Into iron-Woriing
Trades Personal Consideration
OF Working People for One An
other-Deportmcn Also Improves.

Correspondence OF Associated Prcss.l
PARIS. February 21.-Threc hundred
and fifty thousand women are now
working in the government controlled
munition works in France. Albert
Thomas. the Minister of Munitions. In
talking OF their work TO the Associated
Press. said:
They arc more skillful than men
ouickness OF hand sucn as the mount
ing Of rifle parts or the rolling Of
fuses. They are particularly good at
Eliminating work.
Then on the heavier labor. Look
At the women on cranes lifting i've
tons. | have in mind 4 scene in heavy
mechanical management in IL copper
working mill. An active girl of nine
teen on travelling crane is 50 attcn-
tive 10 her work that she anticipates
the slowing down and stopping signals
of the men who guide the load 10 it's
place. Leaning over the railing. with
out taking her hand from the handle
OF the electric wheel. her eye Judges
the movement; OF her machine thirty
or forty feet below. The people under
meath working in cooperation with
her know that she will slow down
at the necessary instant. II is a fine
example OF intelligent and trained
teamwork.
This woman sewcd -eady-made
clothing before the war. Her physical
labor was spen, on the pedal or a
wing machine. Now she has only 10
move lever. Passing from feminine
employment 10 some OF the heaviest
work OF men. she has said that she
a H.
and with less fatigue, Instead OF ped
dal;nr twelve hours day she prefers
managing travelling crane for eight
The same qualities suffice. Instead OF
following the way Of the needle. she
surveys the descent of the load They
see from below the stern attention OF
her eyes"
NJ. Thomas has noticed that women
have brought into iron working trades
personal consideration Of working
people for one another.
Women from dressmakins and mil
linery shops for example" said he,
coming into ruder workshops insist
upon courtensy. They will not tolerate
coarseness and roushness Of bearing
they bring into the metal working
mills their OWN standards OF deport- /
mcni. and tn" men adopt them. The /
change where large numbers OF women !
are employed has been remarkable"
NJ Thomas WAS elected as an extreme
Socialist. one OF the l"3 members OF
the Unified Socialis, group in Pariia-
meut. lie knows the feelings OF work
insmen in France more thoroughly.
perhaps, than any other member II the
Cabinet
Il have an Impression. said ~
Thomas. that An idea has spread in
America that ;he workinsmen's par
ties III France are growing indifferent
toward the war, would like to cor
rect that view IL !, exists The French
w"rkinsmcn are Frenchmcu There
fore. they are penetrated profoundly
by the French national spirit. exalted
in their period OF war 50 powerfully
Mat private ana personal interests
have been merged III the national in
ierest The individual soul a. ii we're.
has been absorbed for the time being
into The collective soul. The personal
habits Of men. the things dear TO them
in their daily round. tho motives which
inspired their lives. their very opin-
IONS concerning social and political
arrangements. have for the time being
heCom. SO absolutely secondary thai
they seem not 10 exist The national
aspiration TO win the war and Ia do
everything that can contribute Ia that
result. is supreme in individual life I
throughout; France. regardless n what
49,