The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1917-09-05

thirty. In eight-hour days skilled
worker could certainly make fourteen
dozen pairs week.
A book of instructions comes with
the machine( but remember, before
you invest, how much you. had to be
shown about your sewing-machine at
tachments before you could use them
to advantage, and don't bank on be-
ing able to learn the whole thing
alone. A woman with mechanical
ability may; others require from two
to ten lessons, and teachers are hard
to find. Also the supply of machines
is not unlimited. When they can be
obtained, clubs or sewing societies
might buy one or more and provide
wool for those who can at least offer
work.
Why Hand Work is Indispensable.
Thousands can knit by hand who
can not secure or afford machines.
The first problem is buying the wool.
If you have satisfactory dealings with
retailers, it may not be necessary to
disturb them, but with wool going
constantly higher, remember that the
Red Cross Supply Service now offers
warn at cost. Six Offices are now do
ing business: in Boston, New York,
Chicago, New Orleans, Denver, and
San Francisco. Others will open,
probably by the time this appears, in
Atlanta, Baltimore, Minneapolis, st.
Louis, and Seattle. If local prices
are unattractive, send in your order
to the station nearest you. Ask for
their printed directions for work and
instructions for shipping. If you buy
Independently, stick to the regulation
gray wool. Even blue is not wanted
now. No special brand is necessary.
So far as humanity able, make what
is needed in the quickest satisfactory
way. Avoid fads. Everybody knit
ted scarfs at first-they are still to
the fore Some localities utterly
balked the sock. Others have run to
small articles outside the big list of
needs, like a knitted blind, held on
by head-Gtrap, for an injured eye.
Marching aud bed-socks are perhaps
the most acute lack. They are not
pretty to make, but we aren't play
ing at fancy work. Red-white-and-
blue bands on socks and scarfs are,
as one woman remarked with relief,
such a cute ideal" But decoration
ic ,,fo
and this is earnest business before us.
If women follow explicit directions
and knit well-and by the way, can
you think of anything Of less use
than a misplaced "buttonhole" caused
by dropped stitches ?-and follow di-
rections about labelling and shipping,
they will prove the Stars and Stripes
their trademark without wasting eff
fort.
You see, don't you, that the basis
for judging whether we should knit
by hand or have it done in the fact
ory has entirely changed? The ques-
ton which was the more economical
never had but one answer, but the
work can not all be done now by
power. The machines are all busy.
The hands of many workmen who
could have built and operated more
machines are busy with rifles. In
creased millions are needed on the
fring-line. Every hand at home must
be used in this as in other ways to
sustain thost who fight. Our feryor
Of pity which promoted a possessing
devotion to knitting is not misplaced.
The eyes of one wise man, old in
civilian relief, lit up when I asked
him if he thought women should knit.
His reply was almost slogan.
"Tell them to knit--knit for democ-
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