Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1918-10-04
Society at Work



! leisure clase" Recent investigation has
shown il To be in the last stages Of dis
solution. For one thing, leisure heads the
| list Of non-essentinls, and hence has be-
| como the subject for apology, Rnominy,
| even suspicion The President work-or-
| fight edict practically abolished the
| wealthy male diIettante; but American
| femlnfnfty, as variety OF ornament,
went ont OF fashion with the nations
declaration of war
In the hospitals. on the farms IN
munItion plants, IN community kitchens
and in the local Rcd Cross chapters.
women who formerly pursued nothing
more important than the gossamers OF
their own imaginationa, arc now reient-
lessly pursuing war work Some have even
contributed their own homes to the cn,ise.
One Of the most interesting of thoac If the
home Of Mrs Frank r Walsh OF Wash
ington. reputcd To he one of the wealthiest
women in the United States who has
| turned the whole first floor Of her resi-
dence into dresarnakinE establishment
| for the war refugees
The Walsh house in one of tho most pre-
| tentious homes in Washington For long
| time Mrs Walsh has been of tho opinion
| that IL una much too large for Tlst herself
and servants, and she determined 10
utilize it's space for war work According
| Is, she had several knitting machines IN
stalled in her reception room. Her snioon
| she converted into garment factory,
| where ahe and her friends make clothes
for the children ~ devastated Europe
rNnEraE musIc ROOM
Her music room. with an trnrn~sUe prps
organ for one Of its walls ~ Uttered with
feminine apparel in various stageH OF ~
par with stacks Of WOODEN pieces ooaxed
from trilorv. with rows 81 kid-lined vests
for aviators. and with piie- and piles Of
scraps Her dinIngroom rs now quilt
mandatory A hugh highly polished
table capable Of seating - guests, -
used ~ the cutting table, while about the
wnla are abelvoa Of soft-colorrd materials
which are uscd to make borders for the
quilts
For wuruan with millions. Mrs Walsh
is n surprisingly good dressmnser she
designs and cnss mt most Of tho garments
made IN her wortroorns, which IS Ivy no
means an cary task when the materials
consist OF scrape Of old skirts necktes
and silk stockings For this rs conseryn-
ton project A few new materials are
bought, but the great ma Jority Of pieces
are contributed by local merchants, tstlors
and citizens. who send in literal supplies
Of Left
About the city there arc many posters
asking people 10 send their old clothes,
espccialiy old skirts. silk stockings and
gloves 10 No 2D20 Massachusetts ave
nue. and this request has been answered,
not only nv Westinghouse. hut by
citizens of other cities But there ~ stall
need for material Thus, il YOU have any
old stockings that you would like 70 500
turned INTO packet or PAIR of bloomcTs for
ID Er~v 20
this address They will 10 moro than
welcome
WHAT cAN ~ DONE
4 bcvidcrng variety Of things i
sccrns. can BE- made out Of wornen's silk
stockings, and men $ too for that matter
Prom three PAIRS Of stockings q silk packet
can he made whiciis large enough TO fit
stout woman Bows stockIngs-thS
thick. ribbed kind that arc made to with
stand the vicissitudcs Of school life-make
warm, clinging skirts and lovely, soft |
shayls for women. A chlld's skirt can bc |
made out of two and halt pairs OF stock /
inps and out of one and hall pairs OF
worncn's silk stockings = silk sweater can
be made 10 fit n child FIVE or six Years old.
Many Of these little silk sweaters are dis
PLAYED in Mrs Walsh workrooms.
Great care has been taken IN planning
them. than they are really artistic little
garments, with their brlght-colored little
sailor collars and pockets. Some are
taupe color trimmed with American
beauty. Some are black, lined with a soft
shade OF blue. and Others ar brown and
blue, with silk figured collars and pockets
made from men nccktlts
When The, bundles Of stockings, gloves
and materials are first received they are
sorted. rolled into different bundles and
taken down in the basement 20 be launder-
ed Here Mrs Walsh has also set up a
dycing establishment. where, with the
help of her maid, she dyes old yeilo"
stockings and gloves % bright blues and
crimsons. No attempt is made TO dye the
mems shirts, for these are most often of |
figured madras and striped material
They are Numbered and sent upstairs, st
once where few days later they emerge
IN the form Of womens tailored shirt
waists or chidren's dresses. The front OF
the shirt. with its buttons and button
holes becomes the front Of the dress, while +
the back Of the shirt Is turned into kuted /
skirt
pREssMAkING 4 IA GUERRE.
Besides these dresses Tor small children, !
garments for Older girls are made from |
larger materials There are lowered Gre /
and pockets of plain harmonlzlng colors; /
dainty lawns and dimitles, and thick, wool |
en- dresses with boomers attached. The |
material for the latter was contributed by /
an old lady who pointed out that a heavy T.
dress and an equally heavy pair OF bloom (
ers would br sufficient TO keep a child |
warm and thus eliminate the necessity of /
a coat In this same pile are three plaid
dresses large enough to fit girls eleven
or twelve years olC- that have been made
out Of fancy dress costume sent N by
one OF Mrs Walsh's friends In its origin
al state it was Scottish kilt And in dark
contrast to this gay red material Is pile
OF black sateen aprons to be sent TO the
SMALL boys of devastated France and Bel
gum who trying to support themselves
in workshops hastily erected by the
rescung parties
On high-backed, linen-covcred sofa in
front of the fireplace in Mrs. Walsh
saloon IL her hood collection The entire
hack of the sofa is covered with hoods for
old ladies, made from scraps that have
been gathered together from all parts Of
the country Some of these, made Of silk.
lined with wool and with soft, plcated
edges, would make excellent motoring
hoods, aud several of the Young ladies
who have helped to make them have de-
= n n IN