Evening journal., 1918-09-14
women OF EUROPE
help Win WAR
Mrs. /. Coleman du Pont
Tells of Their Activities
In Munition Plants
OTHERS DO HARD
WORK ON FARMS

The vital part English and French
women are playing in the war was de-
scrlDed last night by Mrs. II. Coleman
duPont in an address before a large
audience at the New Century Club. The
meeting was held under the auspices
or the Consumers League and the
women in Industries committee of the
state Council Of Defense. Mrs. duPonts
address was based upon her personal
observations while on a trip through
France and England to study the sit
uation with regard to developing Y. w.
Z. A. work along most needed lines.
Ihe women in France and England,
said Mrs. dupont, have been called
upon to do heavy work in munitiOn
plants and on farms, since the begin
ming of the war. So far. American
women have been spared the heavier
work, in taking mems places, but now
the need is urgent for American wom-
en- to work in munition plants and fac
| tories, as artisans and skilled mechan-
les. How much longer the war will
continue depends in a large measure
upon the response Of American women
TO this call to hard work. General
Pershing has said that with sufficient
supplies, the war can be won in 1919.
Mrs. dupont said the munition plants
in France were buildings hastily adapt
ed from other uses and unsanitary and
uncomfortable to work in. She de-
scribed a French plant devoted to max
ing and loading shells, which employed
60OO women. The hours were from 6
o'clock in the morning until o'clock
at night, with two hours for rest at
noon. The workers had an hours
train journey between their homes and
the factory. The women were piti-
fully tired, from the four years Of
grinding work. but their spirit was
splendid.
The Y. w. C. A. has provided rest
and entertainment places for the French
women in their noon interval, the
speaker said.
In England, continued Mrs. dupont,
she was told by the superintendent Of
a factory which turned out i75 trucks
every day, that the women gave 90 per
cent higher production than the men
whom they had replaced. The work
was better in quality than that done
by the men. The superintendent gave
as a reason. the fact that the war made
every bit Of their energy into the work
This incentive had been lacking to the
pre-war men workers.
a curious fact discovered in Eng
lish factories, Mrs. dupont said, was
that women recovered from the shock
OF an afraid in three days, while the
men were three weeks in getting back
TO a normal condition Of nerves.
English women, she said, are produc-
ing 70 per cent of all supplies for thu
English army. She saw as many wom-
en- in uniform as men, in England. |
Uniforms in France and England, she
said, were a necessity for women war
workers, because anyone travelling in I
civilian clothes was subject to criticism. |
for taking transportation facilities !
needed for the armies.
A cafeteria accommodating 300 wom- |
en- at time. was described by Mrs. du- |
Pont. She described the barracks |
where women war workers live, places /
devoid Of all luxury The preparation /
Of various kinds Of camOuflage for the /
army was one OF the most interesting
occupations Of women workers.
The raising Of fresh vegetables in
France, for the American army, was
an interesting sight to Americans. Work
Of English women in making airplanes,
telling trees, and driving trucks and
was also described.
Former Judge George Gray spoke
briefly, preceding Mrs. duPOnts ad- (
dress, citing war facts to show how
much depended upon the American
women's willingness to work at mu-
milton and factory labor, to replace the
men.
A unanimous vote Of thanks was
given to Mrs. dupont, by the audience.
The meeting closed with the singing
Of the national anthem.