The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-02-22
FRENCH WOMEN
IN 1000 TASKS
Girls Help in Mending Of $4,000
Pairs Of Soldiers Boots
a Week.
DO ALL KINDS OF LABOR
Old and Young Rendering Good serv-
ice in the War Enthusiastically
80 Per Cent Of Waste 10
Ever salvaoed,

IL i.AtHNu NtMGls nlu HllN
young, are nobly performing thelI
tasks in war industries. thousands
working In all kinds of Industries
within the sound Of German guns.
They are praised for their intellt.
gence and industry, from the little
girl from the lycee TO the old woman
who has come buck to work because
she wants TO see the BOche punished
for what he did to France In 1870.
The French workers formerly had
been lacemakers. and n few OF them
fisher girls. OF the former there were
few who were the children or grand.
children OF English people from the
great English lace centers at Noting
ham, who had settled In France many
years before and been absorbed into
the life of the French people.
In the salvage eenters Mt an ord
nance base saw them working in the
biggest boot repair shop In the world,
where 10000 pairs OF boots are re-
paired week and here saw old up
pers cut into disks, which In their turn
were made into boot laces. These sal.
vaged boots, swept up from the debris
at the front. emerge finally In three
classes: 1, those that can be used again
by men at the front, and are often
preferred to new. as they are softer in
wear: 2, those for men on the lines OF
communication; and. 2. for prisoners
and colored laborers.
Only 30 Per Cent salvaaed.
While I was going round these re-
pairing shops | noticed an American,
officer being taken round also, and
heard his cicerone giving him lnfor.
nation on the Importance OF salvage
all OF which he was carefully noting.
There were Frenchw0men cleaning
old web and leather equipment by re-
volying brushes; French girls sorting
salvaged ammunition, the .emptles"
being sold TO the French government:
there were girls washing discarded
hayersacks, cleaning rifles, picking
through masses Of horseshoes TO see
II there was any wear left In them;
there were girls sorting out old he'll
NETS and picking the few good ones
10 be washed, sandpapered and ''camou-
tagged" All OF these things had been
swept up from the debris Of the re-
cent fighting. Yet only 30 per cent OF
waste is ever salvaged from the fight
ing lines.
They were repairing and riveting
spurs; they were making wooden
sticks for watson's signaling fans;
they were sharpening blades Of horse
clippers; they were repairing wheels
and cleaning the bolts and hubs Of
the wheels. and doing a thousand other
curious routine things. Most OF them
sang at their work ribald little French
songs. which occasionally changed 10
the defiant "Maiselllaise" when they
saw stranger near them. Industry
means happiness in France, where all
who eat must work, even the dogs.
In the textile factory there were
girls handling over FIVE tons a day Of !
old tents; others were repairing them
upstairs at the rate OF hundreds
week. They cut out disks for signal /
Ing, and the tabs for soldiers great !
coats; they were making up the par
cells that go In Tommy's greatcoat !
pocket, buttons. thread, etc. each one
At great table having her share in
the process.
HeIp in Clerical Work.
There are French girls also helping
in the clerical section of ordnance,
side by side with w. A. A.
S's, filing papers. though they know
40 English. by numbers, and becoming
very skilled and quick at monotonous
Job.
The pay is that prevailing in the
own in which they work and arranged
With the French authorities. One Of
he great advantages OF employing
french women is. in addition TO their
thickness and skill, the fact that they
i've close at hand, thus saving the need
or importing English people for UNI
killed work.
The French woman's labor has one
that is recognized by
he military employer. 1t Is little
rratic. Six francs day is the usual
'ay, and If woman does not choose
o work consecutive number of days
he stays away, and no one says any /
hing. They are also a mobile labor, I
nd If a group decide to move else
here owing to air raids and other
auses, they depart with all their
Gods and chattels. Always they please
themselves in purely personal matters
lille remaining on the best of terms
18th their employers. OF their strict
onesty heard constant praise.