Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1918-10-31
A WALLED CITY (.
OF WOMEN

last year. Its square Tut houses stand
In straight even rows and along one
side Of the city wall IL long tormi.
tory for single women. There are many
more Of them than Of tile families In
the drab little houses. The village ID
full Of w0men-old. young. middle-
aged-whose faces. hands and hair
slowly are turning yellow from the
powder which 1t Is said will eventually
affect their lungs. But most Of them
are refugees and the fact that they
are giving up their good looks, their
health. and perhaps their lives in the
munition factory; Is Of little moment to
them. They have come Into the walled
town from ruined villages and devas-
tateu farms with their frightened little
children, their despalring old people.
carrying all their earthly possessions
in tiny bundles. In their individual
lives there Is no future; In all their
world there Is no interest but the CON
quest Of the Hun.
No one comes into this little war
community that centers around the big
new munitions plant but those who
work. Because of the danger and the
bIlshting yellow powder. the work II
highly paid and all the workers are
volunteers.
dresses. some Of black aateen, some
nondescript The duh garb harmonizes
with the following faces and despair
Ing eyes.
Into this modern walled city Of de-
spair the Blue Triangle has flashed the
first message Of hope. The, 7. w. c.. A.
foyer Is the only recreational center
within reach. The cars which find
cafes at the end Of the line a mile
away, stop running at seven o'clock to
save fuel. The city Ii three miles
from the factory.
MY problem" writes the 7. W. q.
A. secretary In charge, "is to keep the
women occupied in the evenings, to
give them good healthy amusement 50
that they will forget their sorrows and
go to bed and sleep. physically tired
out from playing"
She goes on to tell Of some Of the
women and girls who come to the
foyer:
There Is pretty little round, rosy
checked girl here who is just beginning
to show the effects Of the powder. The
roots of her hair and her forehead are
q pale yellow. The palms Of her hands
are deep burnt orange and her hands
and arms a bright yellow.
"There is an ex-professional dancer.
IN interesting girl who enjoys the
foyer and helps entertain the other
girls. There Is a professional pianist
who does her bit Mt the noon and eve
ming hours. There Is one rough-and-
ready girl who speaks English. whose
father was an innkeeper In northern
France. There Is pretty little girl
who is engaged to French soldier
who still Is rejoicing over the Ave min.
utes she Ind with him recently during
an air raid. His mother IS the care
taker here and he Is one Of six sons in
the war. Two Of them are German
military prisoners. two are civil pris-
oners Id Germany and two are soldiers
In the trenches. Her home In the
north Of France was destroyed ana she
escaped with q small bundle Of such
things as shescould carry In her hands
There IL a sweet-faced girl who
was a lacemaker In valenciennes. who
came direct to us from the German
Ridden section after b hard expsriencl
In getting away"
These are the women the Blue III
angle Is helping to foryet-perhapa
only for an hour ut . time-the hor
;rors that have blacksped their hearth
stones and darksnsd he woeid. b
MY foyer the SECRETARY writsa
-QRsists Of . hall and Two large ROOM
Win cement aooes. One hAs Q writing
table and pepper. pens and Ink. SEWN,
machines, a cupboard with tsaeups Il
II, a large table with papssss and maya
zines, easy chairs and my dask. Tn
other room has Q piano. moro tables
chairs, ironing boards and q vlctrola
There ere unframed FrsncA pictmel
and American and Freneh war poster,
around the room. Tia ,wai1s arS paint
ed gray and vhite.s
Saturday evenings they sing an
dance. First they, haxs q choRns.'
writes the secretary, ssuth u lie Rev
Passe' or the 'Hymne de- Av5atsufS o
something equally thrilling, md at th
final notes of triumph q vuaes Of "a
| ears begs, I'm polka. mses.' The polk
finished. there is q cnll for the Hymn
Anlericain' and we sling tho Sta
Spangled Banner lie Drapeau Etofle
in two languages"
" These foyers have been establishe
In several munltion centers in Franc
Each one has n cafeteria, recreatio
hall and rooms. fitted up as rel
rooms, writing and sewing rooms. 4
. night these rooms are filed wit
French girls learning English, bool
Keeping or stenography, that they ma
work IN the offices OF the America
t'Spcdtionary Forces. In connectie
VITA each IS a large recreation field I
park.
Al the request Of the French mini
try of war the Young Women's Chri
tian association has opened c!u
rooms for the sixteen thousand Fren,
q