MANAGING WOMEN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 206, 20 May 1918, Page 2

MANAGING WOMEN

A HINT TO MEN. , There is; a young commanding officer shivering in his shoes at a naval air station because he has been told that a number of "Wrens" (members of the Women's Royal Naval Service) are coming to help' him. This is happening at nearly every naval station where women are to take the places of mon. The C.O.'s are in a."blue funk." Tho reason is that they do not understand women. Tho mystery which enshrouds a woman and charms a man in social Hfo now hangs like a heavy cloud upon the C.O.'s spirits. Ho does not know what the women will do—or not do. He has got to gel. the work done, and the men aro leaving him; in their placo he has an uncertain quantity—very nncertain! he says to his junior officers, grimly. Men aro exceedingly hard to convince about women's ability. A man brought up with capable sisters marries an Enrly Victorian wife. He immediately forgets tho capability and pins his opinion of women to tho Early Victorian tyjip. Men who have never had sisters might be excused if they had not clever typists—but the clever typists are the "exceptions;" Every clever woman is an exception in a man's mind. It takes quite 500 of them to convince him that there is something in them after all. Tho "Wanes" have been converting the Army officers. It is now the turn of the "Wrens" with tho Navy men. :

To ease their nervousness a few hints niiiv be given on working with women:— Women aro more conscientious than men, so do not givo them more than you expect them to do. They will bo afraid to disobey orders, so do not make any that need not be obeyed., A responsible woman is more dependable than a man. Her nerves mako her afraid not to be careful.

She needs more explanation than a man, si put away your "Theirs-nolflo-reason-why" manner. She has a great respect for authority, ljnt a grand contempt for "swank." She will hato you if you aro rude and despise you if you swear. It would be advisable to remember that she is a woman. Girls aro not used to .being treated as clothes-pegs or "ratings." Let her talk. Sho can do two things at once.

. And for your comfort, remember that her woiY. 'is entirely unskilled. She cannot do much harm cleaning, sewing, ami cooking—tho worst she can do is to poison you.

• i « Tlio young CO. was afraid that he ivnuld not be able to manage the women. Then their director arrived. Her rank was higher than his own!

In his mind he classed her as an "exception." He began to see that slin meant to manage the women. H& had o feeling that she meant him to manage the men. His doubts "the ship" to "shore." Would ho ever get the men "aboard" again when the women cnine? And he had an idea that she would despise him if ho did not. More than ever he wishes Unit the women were not com ing. And yet the mess seejincd strangely homely with the "Wrens" at tea! -Peggy Scott, in Hie "Daily Mail."

THE LATE CAPTAIN DAVE KENNY A CHAT WITH A NUKSE. The grout regret which has been oxpressed by recently-returned soldiers at the death of tire liiie Captain Davo Kenny is also shared by the nurses v.-ho cither knew him personally or the. knew of the splendid work he did in distracii';" the minds of the aoiiliers by i,k iniini£ able gilt of IjiiiTuoMry fiom* their immediafe surroundings ol war and all ii.-t irreparable tleva&tction. So greatly is the need of tins distraction estimated by ihe military unllioriai's Hint, .is m how weii known, tli?y have arranged that eacii division (British or overseas) has its divisional entertainers, who i'oliov. , tlio division wherever it may be (save, of course, "over the top"), and give this much-needed distraction night after niyl t to men who lyvc often come straight from tho firing-line. Mud-stained, we.Vv.i-, just released from tho high tension ii; life and tieat.li experiences, Hip men forget the hours through which they have just passeS in tho music, the irresponsible gaiety, and the clever nonsense which are presented to them by tlicse entertainers who do so much to uphold the moral of the troops'by their powers of distraction.

It was interesting to learn, in the course of conversation with a recently-returned nurse, that the Kiwis, us the New Zealand Divisional Entertainers are calli'd, were by nc means the least among; thesu clever troupes, and some of their performances have become historic among tho men, notably the pantomime "Aclii Baba." It was while she was on leave in Paris that Sister saw this performance, and if laughter makes the heart grow young, then many of those who witnessed the performance must have returned to the days of their most irresponsible youth, so uproarious were its mirth-provoking qualities. To see Captain Kenny as the Fairy Queen in his long gauze robes, with tiny wings emerging from his shoulders, and his face surmounted with a tiny circlet, to listen to his patter, and to watch his inimitable by-play, have left a memory among those who witnessed the performance that is deeply shadowed by the realisation of what his loss means to men who are daily face to face with the grimmest and most merciless facts of life. To those who know what war means the life of such a man as the late Captain Kenny (and all others who have his laughterprovoking gifts) is very precious indeed, and his work" for his country cannot be over-estimated in these Iragedy-ridiien times.

It must not be imagined that life for tho Kiwis is a safe and comfortable affair because they do not "go over tiie top" as the other, men do. Thev too are in the danger zone, sometimes very dose to the front, and the buildings, or whatever they may be in, ill which they give their entertainments hnve beeD often under fire. Night after night thup give their performances, follow the fortunes of the New Zealand Division, and sometimes visit other divisions and entertain them with their performances. It was at Haarsbruck that the sister had the pleasure of attending one of their entertainments, and on another day their orchestra provided the music for. a garden party given in the grounds of the nurses' rest home, a beautiful place that had been handed over for this purpose by a wealthy and well-known baroness.

Nurses who are on duty in France are now well provided with these rest clubs, and they meet a very groat need. At ono time, when a nurse hoii to g< , into a town on shopping bent, or Tor other purposes, there was no place in which she could rest or fill in spare time until these places were provided them. Quite recently a very fine residential club has beon opened iu Paris for nurses, and as Sister was i'ortunato enough to have a weok's leave in Paris (until then a rare occurrence for nurses) she fully realised the value of such institutions as nurses' clubs in that city.

to people who have been feeling very pessimistic over the way in which the Germans have regained territory that had been wrested from them last year it may be a little consoling to be told (as the writer was) that to a certain extent this loss was fully anticipated months before the offensive started. So much was this the case that there were evni little jokes among the officers and meii in regard to comforts that had tan installed, and which ultimately Nicy said "would come in for the Germans.' The Allied policy being to conserve life, at the expense of •. ground if need be, and' the German being that of an utter disregard of life, it was taken for granted that territory would have to be given up, though not to the extent which happened. AVith the ground that has been, retaken by the Germane practically nothing can "be done, so battle-scarred is it, so impregnated with explosives, save turn it into forest areas, which the French' had already started to do. Speaking of tho soldiers, British and overseas, the nurse said that their spirit was wonderful. "Going into battle, and coming away from if, they were always sinking, and yet sometimes, they would be nearly dropping with fatigue. And in hospital their endurance rind courage are marvellous." For the Canadians she had an immense admiration. They were so full of dash and tenacity, and their organisation was wonderful.

The following ladies will be in charge of the Navy League offices this week:— Monday, Mrs. Luke and Miss Cabloj Tuesday, Mrs. P. M. B. Fisher; AVednestlay morning, Mrs. Larnach; afternoon, Mrs. Buxton; Thursday, Mrs. Harding; Friday, the "Spinuery" ladies. The bridge afternoon at Mrs. S. Kirkcaldie's, Karori, realised the sum of .£3 12s. (id. for the No. 1 Plunket Baby competition. At the Anzac Club, Featherston, on Friday night, a very pleasant dance was held, tho cold weather conditions malting the exercise thoroughly appreciable, lies dames W. Barton, AV. Tougood, and B. Speedy were the hostesses, and in addition to music by tin, military baud. Mesdames AVickeus and Dawson, Misses Bish and Kilmartin, and Private j>l Kay played pianoforte extras. Mr. i'. lirabant wus M.C. Tho Brooklyn people have been very active in working for their baby, and in addition to having >i stall »t the Boulcott Street corner on Inday they also had a Paddy's Market at the tramway terminus, Brooklyn. At both very satisfactory result? were secured, and to finish the week's activities a very successful dance was held in Fulford's Hall. In connection with the Ked Jersey appeal, the Karori Paddy's Market was opened on Saturday for the fourth time. The sum of 0:21 Ms. Gil. was realised, a record for this ell'ort. The market was under the supervision of Mrs. Dryden and Mrs. Tiugey.