Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1918-11-14
A WALLED CITY
OF WOMEN

A little sunny village "as ei
inside high wall In France "ith'h INC
los, year Its square HAT houses stand
IN straight even rows and along one
side of the city wall is long dorml-
tory for single women. There are many
more of them than OF the fami'ies III
tbe draw little houses. The village -
fuu of women--old. young. middle
aped-whose faces. hands ana nalr
slowly are turning yellow from the
| nowder which 1t is said will eventually
affect their lungs. But most OF tnem
| are refugees and the fact tnat they
are giving up their good looks, their
health. and perhaps their lives IN the
munition factory, is Of little moment 70
them. They have come into the "aiieu
town from ruined villages and devas-
tated farms with their frightened litt'e
| children their despairing old people,
CARRYING all their earthly possessions
in tiny bundles. In their individual
| lives there is no future: In all their
| world there Is no interest but tae con-
quest of the Hun.
| No one comes iuto tiiiS 't'i~ "
| community that centerS around the DIG
new munitions plant but those VINO
work. Because of the danger and the
blighting yellow powder. the work IS
highly paid and oil the workers are
volunteers.
The women wear overalls or apron
dresses. some Of black sateen. some
nondescript The duh garb harnonizeS
with the following faces and despair
ing eyes.
Into this modern walled city of de-
spair the Blue Triangle has flashed the
first message Of hope. The Y. w. q. A.
foyer is the only recreat'onal center
within reach The cars which tnd
cafes at the end Of the line mile
away, stop running at seven O'Clock to
save fuel. The city is three miles
from the factory.
MY problem" writes the Y. w. G.
A. secretary in charge, as to keep the
women occupied in the evenings, to
give them good healthy amusement 80
that they will forget their sorrows and
go to bed and sleep, physically tired
out from playing"
She goes on to tell OF some OF the
women and girls who come to the
foyer:
There is pretty little round, rosy
checked girl here who is just beginning
to show tie effects of the powder. The
roots of her hair and her forehead are
| tN.ln no Of hDr ho
are deep burnt orange and her hands
and arms a brigh, yellow.
"There is an ex-professional dancer.
an interesting girl who enjoys the
foyer and helps entertain the other
girls. There is professional pianist
who does her bit at the noon and eve
ming hours There is one rougi: and
ready girl who speaks English. whose
father was an innkeeper in northern
France. There is Il pretty little girl
who is engaged 10 French soldier
who still is rejoicing over the five min
| utes she had with him recently during
an air raid His mother is the care
taker here and he Is one of six sons in
the war. Two of them are German
military prisoners, two are civil pris-
OnerS In Germany and two are soldiers
In the trenches. Her hoUae in the
north Of France was destroyed and she
escaped with small bundle Of such
/ things as she could carry in her hands.
There is a sweet-faced girl who
, was lacemaker in Valencennes. who
came direct 20 us from the German
ridden section after hard experience
! In getting away"
These are the women the Blue Tri-
, angle is helping 10 fOrget-perhaps
only for an hour at time-the hOr.
rorS that have blackened their hearth.
stones and darkened the world.
My foyer" the secretary writes
consists Of hall and two large rooms
with cement lioors. One has writing
table anu paper, pens and ink, sewing
machines. il cupboard with teacups in
II. large sable with papers and maya
zines, easy chairs and my desk. The
other room has piano. more tables
chairs. ironing boards and Victrola
Ihere are unframed Frenc! pictures
4
around the room. The walls are uaipt
: eel era, and White"
Saturday evenings they sing ,cf
, Nthre FIRST they have chorus
writes the secretary, such as lie Kew,
s'asse or the 'ENEine DIES Amateurs a
something equally thrilling. and ut tn,
. hnal n"!eS Of triumph a voice a, m,
ears hegs. Tn polka. mceS. The. polk:
finished there is a call for the HYMN,
Anericain and We sing tn. Star
Snangiess Banner lie Drapeau T.toiie
in two languages"
These foyers have been establishes,
In several m,!nitian tenters in France
Each one has cafeteria. recreatio
nall ami rooms fitted up MS res
rooms. writing and sewing rooIns A
night these rooms are filed Wit
French girls learning. English. book
Keeping or stenography, that they ma
, work In the Offices of the A,o.,r;ca
4