Evening star., 1942-07-22

Henry McLemore. snort space OF AZ
hours they have become acquainted
with a drying rack. In each bar
rack, according to the official COM
there is wooden spider
web effect on which the girls are
required to hang their washing.
There is tough sergeant present
to see to it that when the woman
soldiers yank their stockings, lin
gerie and other fluffy bits from the
suds and tubs, they put them on
the racks to dry, and do not drape
them here, there and everywhere
over the barracks.
I am not breaking any secret
when I tell you that one of the
major problems that American men
have had with American women
down through the years has to do
with where the girls dry the bits
of laundry that they insist on do
ing at home
No one has ever figured out (eer-
tainly, no husband has ever figured
1t out) why the American woman is
not happy unless she withholds
part of the laundry and does it in
the bathroom lavatory. 1t isn't be-
cause of economy. The average
woman uses three pounds of soap
flakes and Is gallons of water to
rinse out little thing -ma-jiy.
1t wouldn't be so bad If the Amer
lean woman did her home laundry
in, say, the kitchen, using the sink.
But she won't do that. She is
bound to use the lavatory, so that
no matter what time of day the
male members of the family want
to wash their faces and hands they
are confronted by batch Of tiny
garments that are either rinsing
or soaking.
Several years ago, when Sonia
Henie was Sonia Henie and not
Mrs. Dan Topping, we went to. a
cocktail party at her home in Holly
wood. She was at the height of her
popularity and making money faster
than the mint. My wife came away
from the party heartily approving
of Miss Henie for many reasons, but
chiefly because, she explained to
me, that she had never seen so
much laundry hanging in one bath
room.
Sonia must wash a good two
hours day." my wife said, ito
nave that amount of laundry drying. T"
My wife's voice vas filled with adj
miration and approval.
It's not so much the washing AZ
the drying.
A fellow can't walk briskly In and
take shower. Heavens, mol
First, he must take down the
stockings that are drying on the
curtain pole Then he must figure
out where to put them. Years ago
I used to wear myself out looking
for place to hang them. Now, I
just sort Of roll them up and throw
them through the door. That al
ways gets me in trouble but I have
decided I might as well be a man
as mouse, and take the conse-
quences without f1inching.
The War Department is to be
congratulated for including drying
racks for the WAACs. The racks
will work a hardship on the WAACs
at first, and many OF the girls are
sure to be assigned to KIP duty for
drying their little garments tn their
rooms. But, as the days pass, and
they get tired of working In the
Kitchen at menial tasks, they will
start hanging up their laundry in
the basement.
When the war is over, and the
WAACs return to the home, what a
sweet place home will be! Home
Will really be mans castle. and
not drying room for things that
brush his face when he wants to
shave. He will be able to wash his
hands without fighting a nest of
stockings. He will not have to
ward OIL the slip that slaps him in
the face.
Yes, free men are coming out OF
this war. Us
| Vive les gals! 81
| Distributed hv McNou.,.