Evening star., 1948-09-16
|Soroptiuists Told
|Of Conditions il,
Club in England

Back from q three-and-a-hal1
month stay In England, Mrs. Mar
guerite Dunlap gave fellow members
Of the Washington soroptimist Club
a vivid account Of conditions there
in q talk yesterday at the clubs
weekly luncheon.
At the same time, she presented a
lovely water-color of the Tudor
Gateway to Taunton Castle, sent to
the club by the Soroptimists of
Taunton, England.
A token of appreciation Of the
many parcels sent to the Taunton
Soroptimists by the members of the
club here, the gift was presented to
Mrs. Dunlap at benefit garden
party at which she was given a
place of honor beside the Lady
Mayoress who opened the fete. Il
was somewhat taken aback and very
glad indeed that I appeared some
what 'posh' in that I wore white
Gloves" she admitted yesterday.
Mrs. Dunlap explained that the
English Soroptimists were by no
means in financial straits. THE
hardship comes" she said, lin not
being able to buy essentials, let
alone the little niceties so dear to
the feminine heart.
They are color starved after six
years of blackout," she continued
For instance, for lack of sufficient
coupons, girls and women are wear
ing ill-fitting footwear and-not
from choice-they seldom use stock
ings."
Many of them also complained
to her about the utility suits they
wear instead of made-to-order
tailored costumes. Most of the
clothing appeared to be brownish
maroon or maroonish brown. purp-
lish blue or off shades of greenish-
gray" she recalled. However, some
Scotch yarn-not 100 per cent wool
and couponed, of course-had ap-
peared in the shops, and all at once
everyone seemed to be knitting pull
overs of whatever bright shades they
could get"
Mrs. Dunlap, who was visiting her
sister, Mrs. Ernest johnson at
Shaftesbury, Dorset, explained that
she lived as a member of the family
and learned what it was like to
shop with points and stretch rations
II was conscious all the time of
being just little hungry" she said
Paying high tribute to the pa
tience of the British women, she
told how they have to work and
scheme to get their daily bread. IF
you try to raise chickens and regis
ter for chicken feed, you can't have
your egg rations," she said. IF you
ask for eggs, you can't buy chicken
feed. All dairy foods are subsidized
each person is allowed three half
pints of milk a week. No one ever
sees any cream: even the farmer is
not allowed any for his personal
use. They have been short Of pep
per. salt, mustard, starch, bluing
and soap f0r months at a time
They are getting substitute cereals
And when I left Shaftesbury, the
stores were out of tea but expecting
their apportion daily"
Although the older women look
tense, nervous and tired. the young
mothers who remember the blitz
and do not remember the days when
things were not rationed, seem to
take everything in their stride, sshe
declared. And their babies are the
most beautiful children you could
ever wish to see. Never have seen
such wonderful complexion, curly
hair and happy dispositions. These
babies get their daily allotment of
cod liver oil and concentrated
orange Juice until they are 5 years
old"
The luncheon, which was held at
the Willard, also was marked by
additional reports on the Soropti-
mist convention in Toronto. Canada,
by Mrs. Edith G. Jarvis, club presi-
dent, and Mrs. Mary Catherine
Lewis, a. former national officer.