French munitions

Levin Daily Chronicle, 6 March 1917, Page 4

French munitions

—— A VISIT TO A GREAT SHOP.

(]•", urn a London Times Correspondent) Throughout Fraiioe many thousands of French women are working at munitions ; women or all ages between 18 ai;J GO, and almost without exertion women of the people. They are animated in the first degree by that spirit of patriotism which makes them want to take their share in the winning of the war, and again they aria attracted by the material advantages which munition making brings with it. Many who, in the first months of the war, were obliged to accept chairity, to work in ouvroirs at chanty "rates, or to face probable'stiarvation, have found unexpected wealth in munition factories. The minimum wage is 4s 2d I a day, the maximum 10b ~6d, and the amount earned depends on individual '■ eii'ort, for almost all are paid at piece

work rates. Let us visit one of tlie largest munition works in France. The pre-i-iucts are cloa&ly -'guarflad; 'and''even when you have' passed to the inner co ar us and a little card, inscribed in your name and the reason for your visit has been attached to your buttonhole after the manner of an admission card to the paddock of Ascot or Longchamp, you are liable to be challenged, and your guide has to answer Sot yoto to thi heads' 6f the different department#,, Broad «T«nii«s lead from one immense worshop to another, and the "sound of tlie grinding"* in them is never low, night or dr.y. They receive 75 shells and shells of 100 in the rough, to be finished, tested, packed and sent off in unthinkable numbers every day. And it is just that process of finishing and testing which is so important, and is being done to such a large extent by women, under the supervision of skilled p&n. Here the many parts which make up the shell fuse are finished, put tßgetlfer, filled, tested again, "then packed and sent to the front. To realize what this means in exactitude, concentration, and deftness you must see the process in execution, and as you watch the women at work with bent heads, steady eyes and fingers that fly you realize a little what sustained effort at such work must mean. Not only does every woman among them know that the forewoman will report the slightest negligence and bring down on her the reprimand of the manager, but she also knows that any mistake on lier part, no matter how small, may mean the death of her own men and escape for tlie leriemy. With this thought to steady their eyes and speed their fingers, the women who work in munitions have little heed : of stronger incentive to work well. The women in the fuse-making department work under particularly admirable conditions, thanks to the forethought and clever organization of the manager, under whose instructions the buildings were erected. There is light and ventilation, every possible precaution against fire, and that perfection in the smallest detail which is necessary for the safety of the workers and for the faultlessness of the work they turn out. The women who undertake the most dangerous tasks are isolated and carefully watched, they are also fully warned as to the nature of the work before they are allowed to undertake it. ... A separate group of the building is given up to the infirmary, where doctors and nurses are always in attendance, and where tact and. firmness are necessary for dealing with real and imaginary ills. At the moment of 011s visit a pleasant-faced nurse was persuading a woman that she did not need a rubber finger to protect a finger that had .never been injured, and the woman was obviously disillusioned as to the use of the infirmary. In another group of buildings is the canteen : kitchen and dining rooms, with whitc-capped cooks . and energetic women busy preparing themidday meal. Long oilcloth covere dtables were set ready with bottles of wine, water and bread at intervals.' Side'tables were arranged with dishes of fruit, cheese and biscuits and from the kitchen came fragrant appetizing odours. Written large on a slate was the day s menu—a fixed price of Is 3d for a meal of three courses arid a series of dishes for clioice at different rates. In a room with long empty tables and a sideboard fitted with gas-heaters women can take' their own food and heat it free of charge. : In these great workshops the scene is impressive. The noise is deafening and the oily blackness of everything is contrary to' all" feminine ' taste. You see a splendid young'woman working a machine which needs great physical strength, a sure and steady eye, and a hand that never falters, if the machine' is to'yield its full complement.-of = shells in the day. "Watch her," says our guide; "she never stops' her machine, and she works 101 hours a day." The woman smiled at us when we left in recognition of a well-earned compliment. In the 101 hours she earns something like 12s, and it is literally earned byi the "sweat of her brow. There are many such women working for their country to-day. The price tllSit the women are paying for tlieir patriotism is not a light one,, for their homes inevitably suffer by •their absence. 'Tlieir children are. left to the care of a neighbour or they are sent to a creche, and hot all provincial women are tnore" reconciled to. the creche than their husbands to the hospital.