The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1918-10-05
THE SECOND LINE
OF DEFENSE

today as the distance from Paris 10
Berlin. The Atlantic ocean is not as
wide as the River Somme The girl
In the munition factory In the middle
West IS very close 10 her brother In
the front-llre trenches. II her work
falters. II one untrue torpedo passes
the careful scrutiny OF the inspector.
the lives OF American soldiers pay
the price.
II Is as necessary 10 keep the girl
who makes the shells physically ut
and high of courage as the man who
fires the gun.
The glory and excitement OF war
are for the man In khaki. Grinding,
monotonous labor far away from the
flying flags and martial music is the
portion OF the girl who makes NUM-
lions.
One and half million women and
girls have marched into the service OF
the United States government. TO take
the places OF the men who have been
called 10 the colors. With every draft
and with the opening OF every NUM-
ton environment the number Is null
tipiiei. These girls work long hours
and the work Is hard and monotonouS
Furthermore, they work at high nerv-
Gus tension. On the skill of their fin
gers and the accuracy OF their eyes de-
ponds the lives OF many soldiers, the
winning or losing Of many battles.
Il can't sleep at night because I'm
so afraid may have passed on some
thing that was not quite true" said
one young girl not yet In her twenties.
who inspected hundreds OF torpedoes
every day.
Unless something can make this girl
forget at night, and find some rest. her
hand will lose Its cunning.
Nights and Sundays" said another.
II walk and walk. and never go the
same route twice until have worn
out all the others, and yet can't for
get that perhaps some time. somehow,
during the day something may have
gone through that was not quite right"
"I was just on the edge OF going
back home" said another. II couldn't
stand IL. Then the recreation leader
asked me If l played basket ball, and
I told her / was too old. I'm twenty
eight. She insisted that I just try
throwing the ball, and now I'm captain
of the basket ball team. play tennis.
and can set up and 'wig.wag.' and
they're going TO make me forewoman
OF the room. That would have fright
ened me 10 death once. But every
thing is different now, that we have
our War Service club"
The war department had seen the
need OF occupations for out-of-work
hours II the employees were to work
at their greatest efficiency. and through
the ordnance department asked the
Young Women's Christian Association
for recreation leaders. TO line up the
girls and direct their free-time pleas
ures.
The government reminded the Y. w
G. A. that as an organization it always
had had an interest In the right hous-
Ing OF girls, In the right feeding Of
girls, and I'm the right education OF
girls, and that the intelligent care OF
these girls In the munitions factories
was one OF the essentials in the win.
ming OF the war The government
could house and feed them. II could
put up recreation buildings, but when
this was done IL was as helpless as the
father Of motherless girl. The gov
eminent Is n composite man. He didn't
I II -. 4. 81
six o'clock factory whistle blew. lie
only knew she needed looking after
and he called 20 the one womans or
ganization that for half century had
made n study Of the needs Of girls
Vaguely. he had an idea that sh,
should be encouraged 10 play, thai
she needed wholesome recreation, and
some ope, wise and sympathetic as G
careful mother, TO guide her social &c
tivities. $780,. .y.1Jr
The Blue Triangle sent its play LADY
/ 20 salute and go 20 work. Workers are
asked for I'm recreation buildings OF
/ all the % federal industrial reserva
lions or munltion environments which
/ have been opened this summer In sew
eral OF the states. These reservations
/ sprung up out OF the very fields In &
! few weeks. They are employing thou
sands Of workers Many OF these
women have come from FAR distant
homes. The government provided
dormltories and mess barracks. II
some places IL Is putting up recreation
buildings. Where such a building Il
not provided by the government, the Y
w. G. A. Will furnish Il, using one al
ready standing when available, ant
building when that is necessary. Al
these buildings, whether government
or associatlon-owned, will operate un
der the sign OF the Blue Triangle. The!
will have big living rooms, assembl!
rooms for entertainments club rooms
and gymnaslums. The Blue Trlangl
Will furnish a program OF service work
educational classes. games and enter
talnments. Military and signal corpi
I drills Will be In charge OF soldiers.