The Raymer enterprise., 1918-10-24
The SECOND LINE
OF DEFENSE

today as the distance from Paris TO
Berlin. The Atlantic ocean is not as
wide as the River Somme. The girl
In the munition factory in the middle
West Is very close to her brother In
the front-line trenches. II her work
falters. II one untrue torpedo passes
the careful scrutiny Of the Inspector
the lives Of American soldiers pay
the price.
II Is as necessary to keep the girl
who makes the shells physically flt
and high Of courage as the man who
fires the gun.
The glory and excitement Of war
are for the man In khaki. Grinding,
m0notonnus labor far away from the
flying flags and martial music Is the
portion Of the girl who makes NUM-
tions.
One and a half million women and
girls have marched Into the service OF
the United States government, to take
the places Of the men who have been
called to the colors With every craft
and with the opening Of every NUM-.
ti0n cantonment the number Is mul.
tlplied. These girls work long hours
and the work Is hard and monot0nOus.
Furthermore, they work at high nerv-
ous tension. on the skill Of their fin.
gers and the accuracy Of their eyes de-
pends the lives OF many soldiers. the
winning or losing Of many battles.
81 can't sleep at night because I'm
10 afraid may have passed on some.
thing that was not quite true" said
one young girl not yet IN her twentips,
WHO inspected hundreds Of torpeloes
every day.
Unless something can make this girl
forget at night aud find some rest. her
hand will lose its cunuing.
Nights and Sundays" said another.
u walk and walk. and never &c the
snne route twice un.il ! have qorn
oHi all the others, md set Z can't for,
get that perhaps some time, somehow.
during the day something may have
gone through that was nor quite right"
Il was lust ON the edge Of going
back home" said another Il couldn't
stand e. Then the recreation leader
asked me If played basket ball. aud
] told her | was too old. I'm twenty.
eight. She Insisted that | just try
throwing the ball and now I'm captain
of the buskct ball team. play tennis,
and can sci up md 'wig.Wag, mud
they're going 10 make me forewoman
Of the room. That would have fright
ened mc to death once. Bnt every.
thing is different now. that we hnsr
oEr War Service club"
The war department had seen the
need nf occupations for out.of-work
hours u the employees were to work
nj their greatest efficiency, and lhraigh
the ordnance department asked The
Young Women's Christian Association
for recreation leaders, 10 line up The
girls and direct their free-time pleas.
urps
The government reminded the Y. W.
{. A. tint rs an organization il always
hud had an Interest In the right hnuS.
inE Of girls in the right feeding Of
grl~ nnd In the right education Of
girls. and that the Intelligent care Of
thasa girls in the munitions factories
was one Of The essentials In the win.
ming Of The war The government
could house and feed them II could
pul up recreation buildings, but when
this was done II was as helpless as the
fnther Of a mothcrless girl The gov
ernment Is y composite man. He dldn't
know what n girl should do when the
six o'clock factory whistle blew. lie
only knew She needed locking after
and he called to the one Wdman'S or.
ganlzatlon that for half n century had
made study Of the needs Of girls
Vaguely, he had an idea that she
should he encouraged 10 play, that
she needed wholesome recreation. and
some one, wise and sympathetic as a
careful mother, TO guide her social nc.
tlvitles.
The Blue Triangle sent its play lady
to salute and 20 10 work. Workers are
asked for In recreation buildings 0f
all the 90 federal Industrial reserya-
tlons or munltion cantonments which
have been opened this summer in scy-
eral of the states. These reservations
sprung up out Of The very fields in n
few weeks. They are employing thou
sands of workers Many Of these
women have come from far distant
homes. The government provided
dormltorlcs and mess barracks. In
some places 1t Is putting up recreation
buildings Where such building IA
not provided by the government. the T.
W. c. A. will furnish II. using one al.
ready standing when available, and
building when that is necessary. All
these buildings whether government
or assoclati9n.own'd. win operate un.
der the sign Of The Blue Triangle. They
will have big living rooms. assembly
rooms for entertainments. club rooms.
and gymnasiums. The Blue Triangle
will furnish program Of service work.
educational classes, games and enter
tninments. Military and signal corps
drills Will be In charge Of soldiers.
In Washington, the members Of the