Evening star., 1918-05-26

before and realize the destruction and
sorrow left in its wake.
y +. . r.
ITO gain a. clearer view Of the sur
rounding country. we walked out
through the garden door at the back
Of the house, across the lawn and
down to, near the river. The great
creature came on, making incredible
din and spreading flre in every d.
rection. It has always represented
hades TO mo: its noise the most. soul
destroying sound can imagine. Fires
spring around In every direction.
lighting up the dark country. and
one knows that loss. and suffering
and sorrow are represented In every
blaze Time and again I have gone
out from my home after one OF the
dreadful machines has passed our
way, to fnd women and babies, o!o
men and women dead or horriDly
terrifled, all living things bewildered-
..Turning, after. the noise had ceaAed.
to pass through the garden gate ana
re-enter our house, we found II gone.
It had been bombed and razed Wnne
the noise and confusion and lights
had held our attention in other d.
rections.
.Weil, after all. 1t was only the for
tune of war. Although 1t meant the
instant annihilation Of every beau
to q lifetime of tho making OF q
home, It could be borne. One can
make another homo, but one has only
one country to lose"
It is to impress this fact upon. the
hearts Of American women that Mrs.
Smith IL talkip1 to. her sisters on this
side Of tho Atlantic. She begs them
all to realize now that the present
war is for their freedom as well as
for that of the people Of Britain.
France. Belgium and the other allied
Intensity the war work. now Is the
substance Of Mrs. Smiths advice to
the women Of America. Harder. more
systematic work mpst come with the
progress of the waf, and she advises
once. 81 would advise the American
government to adopt a rationing sys-
tenn now," she said. do 1t before 1t
becomes absolutely necessary. She
declares that England found 1t the
only satisfactory method Of meeting
card ratfoping system now In oper-
alton in England was quite satisfac-
tory. Food Is the supreme test OF
human nature" she declared. "Peo-
Clothes and houses. but they viii not
voluntarily give up food"
In referring to what the war has
done for the people of Britain. Mrs.
Smith said: ut has given us \ won
derful spirit Of work and service; an
uplift and a. realization of, the real
dignity of labor. No loss and no sor-
row can dim the spirit of consecrated
efiiciency. which is inspiring the serv-
ice of. English woman. workers today.
There are over million women
working on the output Of munitions
in Britain today. When war broke
out there were but three munition
plants in the country: now there are
5000. Some Of these are small and
employ only few people; some en-
them are giving their time and their
strength to the very limit. Many OF
them have worked for twelve hours
a day for the past three years. They
do not count the day by hours any
round the clock, taking minimum
Of time of for rest and sleep and
food.
This, work has effected a leveling
process also. Ny own house. when 1
the news given in the letters from
master and boys and daughters at
the front were discussed every morn
ing in a little gathering of thu head
OF the house and her domestic help
ers. They had their letters from their
sons, husbands and brothers and the
daily exchange of news and. con-
fdences made for unity Of interest
between employer and employe that
will never be lost"
Mrs. Smith stated that many of the
Englishwomen now working in mu-
nitionO factories are women Of wealth
and culture. The majority Of these
turn, IN their full. wage to: some war
purpose. AN, wear ;the..> simple uni
Form adopted by the mupitionsAw work.
ers; all eat. the same, food and when
It 10 necessarys all share ;thsS cemmoe