The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-02-23
GIRLS IN WAR
ZONE TAKE up
HEAVY BURDENS

There was an ofa-fashioned gen.
eral at the war office. who said to Q
friend of mine in the winter OF 1914
is, Madam, we acknowledge your
patriotism, but the army Is no place
for women" / wonder what he
thinks now, when he sees the wo-
mems army auxiliary corps growing
and fiourishing before his early Vic
torian eyes!
On the lines Of communication in
France they are becoming as thick
as the proverbial peas. Brownie
them. VOLTA les demoiselles en-
khali!'' excIaims the French poilu,
and his wife replies, YES, and how
chic they are!"
And, in truth, they are very chic.
Widebrimmed, low crowned brown
felt hats, brown coat frocks reaching
midway between knee and ankle,
with large pockets and loose belts,
trim but stout brown shoes and
stockings and cosey British warm
in winter-the Brownie girls" de-
serve their name. There is not a
girl among them who has not left a
good position at home, with usually
better wages than she gets abroad,
d.
her ability In France. And don't the
Tommies appreciate what they are
doingl
Accompanied by an old sergeant
major Of the bulldog type, went in
to a mess kitchen. The camp ac-
commodated some thouBands OF
men, and gradually the male cooks
were being replaced by women.
There were thirty girls in this par
ticular kitchen, cooking for about
1900 soldiers. AS we entered the
door heard a sound Of singing.
'Attenshun!" barked the sergeant
major.
Don't stop them, please" I whisp-
Garry ont" barked the sergeant
major.
There were fifteen girls sitting on
the floor. peeling onions and singing
Annie Laurie" a ballad which was
eminentIy suitable for their fearful
task.
Head cook!" commanded the SER
geant major.
A rosy checked slip Of q girl came
from the pantry and stood at at
tention. .-.
Are you really the head cook?"
/ asked. How old are your"
''Twenty-three, ma'am; I like the
work. Yes; it's hard. of course, and
takes a bit Of getting used to, but
we're doing better now"
She's a good cook" interjected
the sergeant major. mo more
greasy stews and boiled rags like the
men had before. Threw everything
into a pot at once. the men cooks
did, and left It until they happened
to remember And the way the SOL
diers complained was something
awful. ANY complaints Of you, Head
Cook7" I'll. .-. ,.L.---I
mot yet'', was the reply.
She lifted the lid Of an enormous
pot and q savory odor reached my
nose.
Dinner" said the sergeant major,
as though didn't know 1t. Now
we must get on, ma'am."
We passed through the great mess
room where one or two more girls
were placing Rauze covers over the
bread and sugar. Each girl wore a
drill overall over her froclx coat and
a drill mob cap on her head. All of
them-even those peeling onions
looked happy. r..
From the camp. with its thousands
Of living occupants / walked to the
camp OF the dead. Windswept,
sand-swept, a level spot between the
dunes, with narrow pathways be-
tween the rows Of graves, is one of
the many spots where the men or
Britain rest. Moving between the
graves were three or four girlish
forms in brown. One leaned on her
rake and smiled at me.
mo, / don't find 1t sad" she said,
in answer to my question. II Just
love it," We try to make the fiow-
ers grow, but it's a tight against the
sand. However, we are learning
what will best survive, and last
month 10 was really beautiful. /
suppose one does favor some graves.
This one" she touched affectionately
a wooden cross, was only eighteen
when he died. Just q baby. I'm try
ing to get ranunculus to grow over
him, but it's very unprotected in this
corner. No, never did any real
gardening before; but I've put my
heart and back into this"
At the end OF the cemetery / saw
q little group of men, a part or
union Jack and the chaplain.
Another grave for you to tend?"
asked.
There are always new ones" she
said, soberly. Il hope their moth
ers know we do our best to keep
them as they would be at home"
She picked up her rake and began
gently to level the sandy soil which
covered the heart of the boy Of is.
I carried the memory OF that
cemetery with me through the long
day. Even the sight of ''Waacs," as
they call themselves, painting motor
cars, acting as "storekeepers" in
ordnance depots, or driving motor
Iorries, did not dispel 1t. Conse-
duently, when my sheep dog" her
self a "Waac," with the rank Of unit
administrators, said. viii you come
to a party the -- camp are giving
tonightg' I enthusiastically accept
ed.
But before I say any more about
the party, I feel that / must explain
a little OF the organization Of the
w. A, A. c.. as otherwise one might
be at liberty to imagine that these
girls in brown were merely a set OF
enterpTising young women without /
a head and with no rules to guide |
them. AS a matter of fact, they are
all under the adjutant general and |
have the following officers: Two
chief controllers, one in England and |
one in France: a deputy controller, |
area controllers, unit administra- |
tors, assistant unit administrators |
and acting assistant unit adminis- |
traitors. These are all women or |
education and experience and usually |
women who have travelled much or |
known life in one Of the colonies Or |
abroad. found one who had been
a pathoIogfst, another one who had |
lived for years in South America, |
another who had been with her
brother on a western ranch, another
who had explored parts Of Africa.
Such women arc admirably fitted to /
cope with the hundred and one prob
lens which must crop up when deal
ing with their own sex and Tor
which, as yet, no military regula-
tions have been framed.