The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-04-14
BY Marguerite Mooers Marshall.

The pretty girl cannot have things
all her own way any longer.
Her place may be at the matrimonial
altar or In the front line OF war work.
ers Not that the pretty girl is lack
ing in patriotism--perish the thought!
But her devotion to her country has
a trick OF taking a personal instead OF
an impersonal form. No sooner Is she
well trained In making a uniform than
she up and marries one.
That Is one OF the reasons why Mrs
Olive Stott Gabriel, one OF New Yorks
best known clubwomen and head Of the
employment department Of the mayors
committee OF women on national de-
Tense, Is making special attempt to
place plain, middle aged women in war
work. Presumably authorities at Wash
ington were actuated by similar mo-
tives OF caution to choose brunette typ
lists in preference to blondes when en-
listing n young army of women to han
die the clerical work involved in pay
ing our increased military forces. Three
thousand brunette typists were busily
at work in Washington before single
blonde was employed.
Il
duce employers to take on middle aged
women who frankly have not the
fresh prettiness Of youth for important
war tasks" Mrs. Gabriel told me yes
terday at Their home, lis East 18th
street. Her work with the employ
mcnt department is done at So Waiver
~ place, and she has found hundreds Of
positions for women in the weeks since
she joined the mayors committee Of
women.
| "A very pretty young girl usually
thinks of her job as stop-gap be-
tween school and matrimony. She does
not take her work seriously. She
watches the clock. Is chiefly interested
in the contents OF her pay envelope and
Is not regular In attendance.
"Of COURSE" Mrs. Gabriel quickly
qualified, II don't mean that all pretty
girls are industrial misfits. Some OF
them have sense and ability. But il
always has seemed unfair to me that
they should be preferred to the plain
Numerically unattractive worker, who
ibecause she has few distractions, Il
likely to prove a competent and faith
full employc."
Don't you find that employers arr
ALMOST unalterably 'prejudiced II
favor of the peaches" ! asked Mrs
Gabriel.
Then we both laughed.
"They say, particularly the factor.
men, that they want the dash and =
of YOUTH" she explained. They seen
. to think that only the very young cal
lbe speeded up sufficiently to perform
the work.
. ~ point out to them that, though tn
middle aged woman may work trifl
more slowly. she is infinitely steadie
lin her application. She is on han
every morning and every afternoon
l She doesn't stay away to go to tn
= movies or come in late because she ma
, lbeen dancing all night.
II placed in a munitions factory re
lcently a woman who has been marie
AZ years. know that she will max
:, good, because she has experienc
s Judgment. reliability and quite enous
physical strength.
Il often think that plain. not Il
young women would be more success
full in offices than these little fluf
Y beauties who must powder their nos
Ut a dozen times a morning and who
4 tout so much in the evenings that tn
do not get enough sleep to keep ths
n heads clear for work.
~ while they work. these girls sht
I'll less concentration than their plain
sisters, and 1t IL perfectly true II