Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-20
ENGLAND AT WAR V.
BY FREDERIC J. uASKIN

Of the women in tho munitiOn factories
is concerned ii can he said dciiuitclr
that IL shows evidences Of AN expert
ness which exceeds that OF the trained
man.
The women of England arc doing to-
day work which calls for Il high order
Of moral and physical courage In
some OF the departments of the muni-
ton factories. slip of fingers
breadth may mean the destruction or
hundreds Of lives. The women who
do the delicate work in the chemical
departments of the war-supply fac
tories literally take their lives in their
hands, when they go to their benches
fhcy make no boasts of their bravery
bu, every man in England is prouN
OF tho woman who is doing her bit u,
make her country victor in what
she believes TO be a war Of free IN
SttutinnS against world -thrcatcninr
militariSm.
Busy In Mnny Occupations.
Get up carly III London and go along
tho far roads leading in from the sub
urbS and YOU Will meet the light dairy
ana market wagons coming into town
laden with their food products and ali
utlNcn. motor and horse cart alike. by
women. They have taken naturally TO
TINS work. and when they get into the
crowded streets Of the city they guide
their horses or their machines no,
"iNE with the skill OF the men whom
they nave succeeded on the drivers.
seats. but with tho cal.nnesS and the
confidence of tho veteran of the crowd
Ell traffic routes.
Go further along these roads into tho
country ANA visit the dairy farms and
t"c 81" pl.S "t the farmers and market
E'-'"'hcrS' W omen, young girls per-
maps Tor The most part, are doing the
milking. the feeding Of the cattle and
the grooming of the horses They are
farm hands and stable hands in one.
ana moreover they know how TO do the
work. and nov that they arc at 81
thcE seem TO tic satisfied with /, as :,
lii" occupation. Whether or not they
VIII be OF the sam. mind when the
boss com" hach Is perhaps quite an
other question.
rms matter Of The state o., mind
ON the part az the women regarding
tn"ir occupation after the war. brings
up "uit" - serious question which one
DAY fiust he answered.. Women have
Son" 1" work At all Kinds OF vocatious
aud arocations. The economic. status
%: woman has changed and il may he
mat the economic status Of the land
must chang" with her. England to-
nar is confronted with q war: when
TN" war Is over she VIII he confronted
",ih problem Of how to rcadiiy,
working conditions 40 that trouble NAV
he avoided and the balance Of things
"a ia" Ia Dor ana economic worlds he
kept even.
finc NorS In Hospitals.
'!ere have been those III England ~
hold tina, The work which the women
a." doing IN tho hospitals represents.
tn" highest lin. Of oulcavor In :,
sens" this may he true but j, is agreed
generally 'h"t - ~ tru" only because
"oman's work I'm tho hospitals rop-
rcscnlS relief work. 81. iu other words
u ~ the cNcmpliicati"u Of ii wonans
IeS.r" t" serve humani,y
Hospital work. is uSriirIl,rlv t-,ino
because u gets on tho nerves" Tho
women IN TIA" hospitals must steel
themselves 10 suHcriuc must no.
wi"(" IN presence Of pain HOSPITAL
work Tor women ir soul.,ryiny work:
but nevertheless the feeling i tina,
mintst"riug To suffering IS .sscntiallv
tn" wpck az woman. Hence tho
thought IN Eng Land j. iha; the woman
VII" goes int" "ti"r fields of labor .
dcin; a scryic" 10 her country which
should stand on jus, as high a plane
as that OF the service fur the sick and
wounded
Thcr" arc fcw tasks left in Eng
land which ~" within tho strength ~
women 10 d" that they arc no, doing
The heaviest work must he done Nv
able bodied mon. but women are doing
work today which three years ago
was supposed to lie far beyond the
limits 81 th"ir strength. They have
bccom" Injured TO certain kinds OF phy-
steal labor and NC have INC word OF
the pay sicians tina, lhcy arc receiving
bodily benefit from what ., ono time
would have bccu thought body break
in: effort
In England. - everyone knows. the
elevator are called hts. Away.
pri"r TO tho va 'h"s" vcr" operated
by mon. Now -,comcn ana girls stand
~ til" lovers az tho lifrs in all the
hotel, and SUCH business buildings az
ar" supplied with them