The sun., 1918-09-29

is always in charge of unit, which may
consist of from thirty to fifty operators.
As messages from the front are trans
nitted in both English and French, no
operator left here who was not familiar
with both languages. 1t IS required that
they pass from one tongue tojthe other
"uneonseiously," and some of them can
also put in little Portuguese for good
measure. The Official organ of our forces
lover there" the Stars astd Stripes, says
Of the first unit which arrived on the soil
of France that the girls were equally at
home with "Voulez-vous me bonner lie
Capitaine Blanque' and "Lemme speakta
Cap'n Blank, please" They can answer
"Oui, mon Corlmandant, attended, I'm mo
ment," or Eyes, Major, just wait min
ute, please"
Miss Georgette Schar Of Unit No. 3
wrote in a recent letter that although
there are plenty of bombardments per-
son gets used to them, and. it's the best
thing in anticipation to practise hard on
saying your numbers in French and to
learn to talk rapidly so as not to be out
done by the barrages.
Life has its compensations for the
daughters of the hello over there, because
they are well cared for and excellently
chaperoned. The Government pays sala-
ries OF $50, $40 and $l20 q month, ae-
cording to whether or not the switch
board soldier is operator, supervisor or
chief operator. In addition there is o
monthly allowance or Communication of 81
a day for the first thirty days in service
or until the recruit leaves the United
States, if before that limit.
After thirty days the monthly allow
ances in addition to pay are $50 for lodg-
ing, $24 for food and $6>for light and
heat. If the living expenses are met by
the Government these allowances are not
granted. All the necessary expenses are
refunded. It is the intention of the Gov
eminent that the pay shall be free and
clear above all costs.
All Are 100 Per Cent American.
Doing their bit and their all is the aim
which is uppermost in the minds of the
Young women of the white brassard They
are 100 per cent American, and those
whose parents were foreign born are as
eager as the native stock to do their ut
most for the cause of democracy. All of
them have given a ringing response to the
question which is put to them, why do
you want to go to Franee?'
= One young woman, timid, unassuming
in manner, when she was asked that ques
ton rose quickly to her feet anR brought
both fists down on the table in front of
the astOnished official.
You ask me that?' she demanded.
"You ask me why l want to go to France
after what haze told you the Germans
have done to my home and family? l
would 60 thousand times, even though I
knew the day I landed in France would
he my lastp
She was an Alsatian, and in the his
tory Of her people there is story of
wrongs dating back half century.
$40 fight and win the war;" some of
the fair switchboard soldiers say when the
question, "Why are YOU here'" is asked
of them. - = -.
In the first unit was a Ngirl of English
birth who had reached here from Austria
la by way of San Francisco When soma
one asked her il she was not afraid Of be-
ing so near the front she laughed. She
lad been through eleven Zeppelin raids in
: England and had been passenger twice
through submarine danger zones. What
did she care! She had worked for a while