Evening star., 1943-04-18
Woman Is Covering Multitude of Duties
As the Chairman of Busy Communications
Mrs. Leon Zach
Of AWVS Trains
; And Places Many
By Mary MacCracken

Ana Places Many
By Mary MacCr0cken
Jones.
Tall, dark and fine looking,
wearing her uniform with dis
tinction and ofiice with serene
capability, Mrs. Leon Zach, chair
man of communications, is one
of the best known figures at the
headquarters OF the American
Women's Voluntary Services, and
her quiet, deep-toned voice is
familiar to many who call there.
"Clear-cut, efficient and de-
pendable, with the two rare quail
tiles Of common sense and pa
tience, Mrs. Zach is one OF the
grandest chairmen I have" said
Mrs. Lynne Lamm, chief Of the
civilian protection section. An
other official declares that Mrs.
Zach's practical ability is bal
anced by a wonderful sense Of
humor.
Her official title covers a multi
tude of duties, for she is in charge
of all telephone and two-way
radio work and doubles as in
structor in telephone switchboard
at headquarters. This takes three
days a week and on the in be-
tween days she is even buster,
for it is then she makes outside
contacts, arranging emergency
work for women who have COM
pleted the course in switchboard
and wish to be Of use.
Women trained and placed by
her are doing good work as vol
unteers at six hospitals of the
District, at the Women's Bureau
of the Police Department, the
District Medical Bureau, at the
Recreation Services under the
Office of Civilian Defense. which
handles recreational activities for
servicemen, and in addition serve
the busy switchboard at AWVS
headquarters.
Our volunteers are doing good
work." reports Mrs. Zach, but
we need more women for the
many shifts" explaining that
these workers do not take the
place of paid telephone oper-
ators. but supplement them
where there is need.
I'm the beginning we had to
beg for work, but now hospitals
and other places come to ask for
our help, so we have real need of
quick. adaptable women who can
afford to give time to the work"
Mrs. Zach left a pleasant, leis-
urely life in Brookline, Mass,
when she came to Washington
with her husband, who is now
chief Of the site planning unit of
the War Department, travelling
all over the country inspecting
and reviewing sites for Army in
stallations. Before the war he
was a landscape architect, part
ner in the well-known firm of
Nlrnctoo6 PnctNn
New England always had been
their home and playground until
three years ago and Mrs. Zach,
whose family is rooted in the
rocks Of Vermont. says she misses
the good old Atlantic" Both
love travel and their life was
spiced with frequent trips, some
times for pure pleasure, some
times on business, for Mr.. Zach
was often called to distant places
as consultant. The business had
good admiXture of pleasure in
trips to South America, Bermuda
and British Columbia.
On one trip to Caracas, Colom-
bia, the young couple were guests
in the home of the president of
the country club which Mr.. Zach
was assisting with plans for de-
velopment.
1T wasn't at all hard to take"
smiled Mrs. Zach, although
was handicapped by my ignor-
ance of Spanish. We had a
beautiful time.
"Now, although my husband
has job that makes for travel,
he must travel alone, for the
War Department does not en-
courage wives to go along"
When first in Washington Mrs.
Zach found it quite bewildering,
but, with the aid of map,
learned her way about nobly,
especially after her husband pre-
Santed her with O coponocc so