The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-11

stered in the same restfu1 shade. and
 the curtains were dainty with borders
 to match. A library table completed the furnishing.
 The bedrooms are simply furnished, providing for each girl a separate bed. Some rooms for one. others may have two. three or even four to a room. There are shower baths and tubs either of which is distinct innovation for the European business woman. A library is being installed; it will Be selected by competent authorities. There Is a general reception room with smaller cozy corners, ample space is provided for classes and instruction will be given in many subjects. splendid kitchen is back of the cafeteria Every effort will be made to help these young
 women live comfortably and conserva- lively.
 "The cafeteria is the only sserve-y your self and pay -at-the-counter' restaurant | in all Paris. Admission to the privi-
 leges of the club is seven francs yearly. Already one thousand members have enrolled, and each day brings new ap- plicants The organization in spite of i obstacles has opened seven institutions
 in France. It is gratifying to know that in each department of the new club there is a presiding officer who A come a specialist in her work. This is true even down to the laundry where
 6 young woman may do all the pressing l she cares to for the sum of one sou. l T quote from the Paris Edition of | the New York Herald;
 1 After making some study of eco 1 homie conditions of the women and children in Ireland, Scotland, England, l France Switzerland Italy and most I i.,fo l. n6 nriAet in our own American womanhood. The war. certainly, has brought it's sorrows, but it has also created in the minds of European women of every class de- sire for a greater freedom of expression f and greater desire to share in the re- responsibilities of all life.
 | What a pity Spain could not have I had some such experience and vision The existing condition there as re gards women and children of the peas ant class is pathetic Such a depart ment of ohild labor and welfare work as is presided over by our own Miss l Julia Lathrop is greatly needed. The l rate of infant mortality is alarming.
 1 Tn the province of Guadalajard- I one of the very old and, now, poorer l provinces of northern Spain, I spent l days going from village to village Il talking with the peasants. The living HI HQdTttIS dEG AAlS III b41h@ &t' 1 stances in the factory village of Ma
 tillas 1 found six or eight families liv- ing in one large room No windows
 1 and only one door. which on inquiry
 l I found was securely barred at night.
 Many dug-outs were to be seen, ant
 none entire village there were onll
 adobe houses. As a consequence thu children are small. in many eases puny and two thirds of them appear greatly
 k,.xt 1ox recognized by the women, and that i marriage On investigation I fonn' dozens of cases where the woman wa
 the mother of anywhere from eighteei to twenty two children, with only four five, or in an occasional instance si' reaching maturity. The domestic ar arrangements among these peasant house H keepers are crude, indeed They their laundry on the bank of the near est stream and depend on the sun an the dews to bleach the garments. The, carry all the water used by the famil, from the public fountain. I saw man, quaint figures that typified Cover tsThe Water Carrier They are particu Ilarly gossip, meeting as they do at tn public fountain they exchange ever passing incident They are remarkable hospitable and take refusal Of an, offered refreshment as 8 direct insult. "I attended many of their fiestas as I happened to be there following tn Christmas holidays, when each villag celebrates in memory of its fayorit saint or saints. Their many old cathe drals and castles. in ruins, impress stranger with former splendor. Ky anywhere the spirit of the old Moors l apparent. They, have no more regar for the Sabbath than any other da, The men go to their places as regular ly as on Monday If one has been beref of loved one he goes to. early mas: then on to work.
 Diseases spread rapidly. since i
 none of the smaller villages is ther any sort of sanitary regulations.
 Their social customs are the sam