The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-09-05
WOMEN LABOR BACK
OF THE BRITISH ARMY
Innovation Has Passed
Through the Trial
Stage.
(correspondence Associated Press)

| .
AUXILIARY CORPS. BEHIND BRIT.
ISL LINES IN FRANCE, Aug. Is
Women's labor as a part OF the Brit
ish army In France has now passed
through its trial stage and won the ap
prevail Of the army authorities.
In response to question, How do
the young women themselves like &C.
tive service?" the censors at Womeu's
Headquarters have permitted The As.
ISOLATED Press correspondence to take
extracts from a number OF homeward.
bound letters written by women nov
serving IN France.
One girl writes to her brother: I'VE
are billetted in empty villages and
everything is done for our comfort.
Army blankets and no sheets seemed
little peculiar at first, but all idea
OF sheets has now vanished from ou.
minds and we are developing an affec.
ton for these warm army blankets as
a covering. The restrictions are NO,
at all formidable; in fact, We are al.
lowed more liberty than / personally
expected, which is saying a great deal.
Army rations may be q little rougher
than the food we have been used 20,
but the quality and quantity is good,
and hunger is the best Of sauces. Tho
work is interesting"
Here is girls account Of her daily
routine: I'VE have breakfast at 1886
and parade at Sis. We march down
to the offices and commence work at
.. We leave again at 1:45 and finish
at 5 for the day. We are the nearest
camp at the line, and the work at this
base is therefore very important. We
are free to 60 out from until 9 o'clock
roll-call. That gives us a delightfully."-
long evening"
The free time is well employed, as
one girl writes: I'VE went out on
Sunday and tried our French, which
to our great surprise was understood
by the Frech woman. We are now
studying hard at 1t, and are also get.
ting up a shorthand speed class. The
army Ia developing us already"
A girl working in coast village
writes: I'VE are In the midst of beau.
tiful scenery and the most glorious
stretch of sea. With such advantages
we feel we are absolutely in clover, be.
cause we had expected lot of hard.
ships and instead we have only incou.
venience. Our life in billets, being
army, is Of course very crude, and we
nave dispensed with such luxuries MS
taolecloths, but we have delicious
white bread and white sugar. We get
lot OF bully beef, and | haven't vet
rlsked my teeth on the army biscuits.
we are telegraph operators on night
duty. We have bathing parade at
$3.50 every morning. 1t sounds ike a
summer holiday but it is not all pleas.
ure, and my advice to girls who think
OF coming over here is Don't come OUT
expecting a picnic, because you won,
get IT, Whenever we feel inclined to
grumole at certain things we think o,
the man In the trenches, and we feel
that our grievances sink into insight;
canoe by the side of the sacrifices tbev
are making"
A girl recently arrived writes: our
draft through some mistake had rather
sorry time on arrival, nothing nav.
ing been prepared for us. We had to
put up at a hotel that had not bean
opened for four years and the first day
was spent securing the place from top
70 bottom. To hear the girls talk, one
would think 1t was a huge joke, and
the way in which they made the oest
Of the situation was splendid"
a woman sent to base camp where
a complete staff Of men workers was
displaced writes: I'VE were afraid VIC
would be unpopular with the men on
account OF turning them out of their
Jobs but nothing of the kind. They are