Courier Democrat., 1918-10-17
A WALLED CITY
OF WOMEN

| "A ulllC Sull1S SAllStSC uuS SIoNA up
inside high wall in France within the
last year. Its square flat houses stand
in straight even rows and along one
side of the city wall is long dorml-
tory for single women. There are many
more of them than of the families in
the drab little houses. The village is
full of women-old, young, middle
aged-whose faces. hands and hair
slowly are turning yellow from the
powder which it 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 aud devas-
tateu farms with their frightened little
children, their despairing 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
blighting yellow powder, the work is
highly paid and all the workers are
volunteers.
The women wear overalls or apron
dresses, some of black sateen, some
nondescript. The dull garb harmonizes
with the yellowing faces and despair
ing eyes.
Into this modern walled city Of de-
spair the Blue Triangle has flashed the
first message of hope. The Y. w. G. A.
foyer Is the only recreational center
within reach. The cars which find
cafes at the end of the line mile
away, stop running at seven o'clock to
save fuel. The city is three miles
from the factory.
"My problem" writes the Y. w. G.
A. secretary in charge, "is to keep the
women occupied in the evenings, to
give them good healthy amusement so
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 W ho 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
a pale yellow. The palms Of her hands
are a deep burnt orange and her hands
and arms bright yellow.
"There is an ex-professional dancer,
an interesting girl who enjoys the
girls. There is professional pianist
who does her bit at 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 a French soldier
who still is rejoicing over the five min
utes she had with him recently during
an air raid. His mother is the care
taker here and be Is one of six sons In
the war. Two Of them are German
military prisoners, two are civil pris-
oners in Germany and two are soldiers
in the trenches. Her home in the
north of France was destroyed and she
escaped With a small bundle Of such
things as she could carry in her hands.
There is a sweet-fnced girl who
was lacemaker in Va:encicnnes, who
came direct to us from the German
ridden section after hare experience
in getting away"
These are the women the Blue Tri-
angle is helping to forget perhaps
only for an hour at q time-the hor-
rors that have blackened their hearth
stones and darkened the wcrld.
'My foyer" the secretary writes,
Consists of hall and two large rooms
WITH cement floors. One has writing
table and paper, pens and ink, sewing
machines, q cupboard with teacups in
it. large table with papers and maga-
zines, easy chairs and my desk. The
other room has a piano, more tables,
chairs, ironing boards and Victrola.
There are unframed French pictures
and American and French war posters
around the room. The walls are paint
ed gray and white"
Saturday evenings they sing and
dance. "First they have chorus" "
:: writes the secretary, "such as lie Reve
Passe' or the LYNNE des Amateurs or
something equally thrilling, and at the
final notes Of triumph voice at nay
ears begs, 'Uh polka, mees.' The polka
finished, there is call for the 'Hymne
, American and we sing the Star.
Spangled Banner (Le Drapeau Etoile)
in two languages"
These foyers have been established
in several munition centers in France
Each one has cafeteria n recreation
hall and rooms fitted up AS resi-
rooms, writing and sewing rooms. Al
night these rooms are filed will
French girls learning English, book
keeping or stenography, that they ma!
: work In the offices Of the American