The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-06-03
WOMEN AT WORK

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1912
WOMEN AT WORK
AS American women settle into
the routine OF war industry We be
gin 10 hear occasional murmurs
about the physical strain. There /,
very little. II any complaint, but the
life to which many have been &C
customed has not fortified them
against the fatigue OF steady work.
II any are inclined TO complain.
however, they can find consolation
in comparing their environment.
working conditions. wages and
hours with the lot Of women in
Germany and Italy.
German women have quite gener-
ally resigned themselves to Nazi'
imposed dowdiness for the duration
OF the war. but women in Italy are
encouraged to keep themselves at
tractiye to men-folk-though the
means at their disposal are extreme
ly limited This is part OF the Fascis:
more babies campaign. designed
10 bolster the birth rate, which has
inevitably declined despite 20 10
30-year sentences for the practice
OF birth control
One OF the strangest government.
regulations is the special rationing
dispensation for newlyweds. They
are allowed extra points for clothes
and household linen, with a spe-
cific allowance OF six sheets for a
double bed-sheets for twin beds
are not permitted.
Premier Benito Mussolini recent
ly issued a decree foroidding the
wives. sisters and mothers of dead
soldiers 10 wear mourning. This not
only keeps the Italian people from
realizing the extent OF casualties
a grief-stricken heart is not readily
apparent beneath a gaily-flovered
dress-but 1t is part OF the whole
trend Of Italian fashions, in which
the Fascist government struggles
for the maximum Of chic with min
imum Of materials
Skirts are shorter and skimpier
hats timer and more cockeyed than
they have ever been. As the war pre-
crosses Italian women are going in
more and more for extremes. That
is, except for Stacks. They are
strictly forbidden. Pants are the e1
elusive prerogatiye OF the male.
Lipstick OF bad quality is plenti-
full. There are no real silk stock
ings, but limitations are turned out
In the millions.
One of the tricks to evade ration
ing, OF moneyed women, is TO buy
the ration cards of the poor.
But nevertheless the signora OF
wealth has the material OF her hus-
bands worn-out suit turned inside
out and made into suit for her
self.
Rationing rules have all sorts OF
loopholes which women are quick 10
discover. Cork-soled shoes with
cloth uppers-the only kind on the
market-reQuire 40 TO so rationing
points. Leather handbags, from
which a pair Of uppers may be
made. take only two rationing
points while cork soles bought sep
arately are unrationed.
German women are forgetting
about beauty, standing in long
queues for simple necessities, des-
perately skimping. The daily grind
is unrelieved by even the simple
pleasure Of dancing or having a few
friends In for tea.
The Nazi motto for women has
been amended from kinder, kirche.
kueche" (children, church. cook
ing) TO children. factory, farm, Of
flee, kitchen" The church is elm
mated.
Official statistics report that, at
the end OF the first two years o.
the war, 9.400. 900 women we're en-
ployed, a wartime increase OF
100000. Thousands more are be
ing pressed into farm and factory
work now. Almost half the labor
in agriculture and forestry is per
formed by women. Women have
been commsndeered into armament
factories. mills, laboratories and
mines. They play a great II not pre-
dominant role in the postal and
state railway services. Most street
car and bus conductors are women
Married women are -exhoEtsa- tc
bear more and more children. Theo
retically, those in cities and town.
need not take Jobs. Actually. NAM
have been drafted, leaving the carr
OF their children TO neighbors o.
Nazi welfare. organizations.
Pleasure is virtually unknown z
the German woman.
The clothing ration and an aimoa
complete absence Of cosmetics arr
toilet articles make II impossiol
for her to look attractive.
In one year she may purchase on
ersatz dress, or set OF inferio
lingerie. but not both. She may ou.
six pairs OF stockings, II she cal
find them. To buy an ordinary Goa
she must sacrifice the dress and tn
stockings. She even needs specia
permit to buy felt hat. or a pair 0
shoes and II is almost impossible
TO get a permit for shoes.
She still can buy face powdel
but lipstick. fingernsil polish. PEI
fumes have virtually disappeare
now that the loot from France an
the low countries is exhausted
There is hardly a tube OF toothpas,
-or-the open market To keep clear
she must use a foul smelling ersat
soap-two inches by two and on
half inches 10 size. One cake mu'
last a month.
And the German woman lives TIL
life IN constant dread OF news fro.
Russia. In many cases. news OF III
death OF a soldisr 10 not transmit