WOMEN AND WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1918, Page 7

WOMEN AND WAR.

WHAT LONDON GIRLS ARE DOING. FEW WHO DON'T WORK. (By Hugh Eraser.) London, July 4. ' The magnificent efforts which women, are making to help to win tho war are to bo seen all over London to-day.

Thousands of women—women who are nurses tending the sick and wounded, women who are making shells to destroy the enemy, women who are tilling the soil, women who deliver our mail, women who are working on the railways, the tubes, the buses. and women who are working for England in a hundred and one other directions —-made a splendid and inspiring show when they marched through crowds of cheering Londoners the other afternoon to pay homage to the King and Queen. And they marched in column with a fine military carriage and with the swing of well trained troops. Why not? Are they not good loyal soldiers of the King? As a spectacle there was far more animation in this great parade «f women than is to be found in the general march of a body of soldiers, for here there was variety of color and a frequent change of uniform making up a gay procession which no regiment of soldiers could provide in the brightest peace-day ceremonial. There were hundreds of nurses in their neat uniforms of all colors, there' were the smart V. A. D.'s in their wellfitting costumes of blue serge, then the munition girls in overalls of white, now more of them in blue, and still others in brilliant red. Post women carried their canvas bags and mail drivers their whips. Next battalions of W. A. A. C.'s provided a relief in their trim costumes of khaki, the W. R. E. N.'s were no less attractive in the smart fylue of the Navy they toil for, and then there was a breath of the hay and sunshiDe as the land girls—fit, well-built girls full of the energy and color which only the country can give—swung along in their cream overals, breeches and leggings, and wide-brimmed hats. And now tfte latest of London's women toilers—the police-women. On they marched, girls representing every kind of industry until one wondered if there was any kind of work which women are not doing in England to-day. I don't think there is.

Brilliant silnshino flooded the courtyard of Buckingham Palace and bands played stirring music as the procession wheeled in and a picturesque pageant formed up before Their Majesties. The address was presented and then the •King spoke to the women. "When the history of our country's share in the war is written," said his Majesty, "no chapter will be more remarkable than that relating to the range and extent of women's participation." And so was summed up the nation's recognition of women's wonderful effort. NIGHT AND DAY WORK. Stroll down any street in London and you cannot help being struck by the number of women in some kind of uniform. 'Nurses out to enjoy a few hours respite from their labors are everywhere and the familiar girl in khaki—the W. A. A. C.—can be numbered in hundreds. No tribute can be too full of praise lor either of these great units. Not only here in England but just as much in France close to the firing line and often well under shell fire these women — young girls just, out of school many of them—toil long hours at work which is not always attractive, to help the men to win the war. You all know what the nurse means to the soldier in war, but out in New Zealand you have yet to see the W. A. A. C. She is a wonderful girl and she does all manner of 1 tasks. Out in France she works in the mess and looks after the soldiers' wants, she doe 3 his laundry, and with her womanly instincts make the war as bright as is possible. She will go anywhere that good work can be found for her and to-day many W. A. A. C.'s lie in hospital in France wounded. Over hero in England there is no kind of war work they are not doing. You will ten her going to her duty by an early tube and you will see her going home late. And when you talk with these girls they will tell you that they love their work but would be much keener if they could only go out to France. I don't suppose there is a single nurse or W.A.A.C. here to-day who does not cherish the hope that soon she will be allowed to go over the Channel. But it is not only the girl in uniform who toils for England. Look at the. girls in all the, splendid Y. M. C. A. huts here in London. Most of them are voluntary workers and they work long hours at what must be monotonous employment. I met a girl in a Y. M. C. A. hut the other night who shows what girls will do for the soldier. She leaves home at eight o'clock in the morning because she has to be at an office a long way from her home at nine and there she hits a typewriter till six in the evening. In a. big London office this represents a hard day's work, but it is now that t:iis girl starts what she calls her real work, for now she goes to this Y.M.C.A. where I met her and here she works till ten o'clock. She does this every day in the week and there are lots of other girls who do the same. "Don't, you ever have a spell or go to a theatre?" I asked her. "Oh," she laughed, "I have almost forgotten what theatres are like. But Ave can go to heaps after the war." Then there is the girl who drives an ftmbulance in London. It is just plain hard work. She is up eariy m the morning and has her car cleaned and ready for work when most people are thinking about getting up. She may have to go anywhere. She is probably away all day driving wounued soldiers here and there and when she comes home lato at night ready for /est she is told that a convoy of wounded is expected from France. Do you know what that means? It means tliat she drives to one of the stations and waits. The trains may ho there as 30on as she is, but as likely as not it Wili Kofc he in until near midnight. No one can tell her when the train is coming to she just waits. When it does arrive she may have a very long drive out of the city and so it is* very late when she arrives home. And what of the girl who toils on the railways and the buses and the tubes? Can't you picture wlmt her life is? And the girl who delivers mail in all parts of London in ail kinds of weather And bo on one could tell o£ London in all kinds of weather. And so on one could tell of London*** ■ women workers in numerous other ways, but everywhere it would be tb? same story of hard work done wdlingly and efficiently. TOILET! S WITHOUT DISPLAY. Are there any girls left? Ye\ thousands more..and-.thei ftre tha office girls

of London. Thousands of (he.ol there were before the war; there must bo inil- ' lions of them now with nearly all the men away. _ So groat is tlie demand for girls for office' work tliat nearly every well-schooled girl to-day goes .straight from her studios to an office or to some labor in the city. It is all war work because these girls are lakiisg tho place of the men who are away lighting but they do not have all the glory of some of their sisters who can go about in smart uniforms to show the world thai they are war-workers. TJiey are the toilers without display. In the early morning tubes or buses which leave the outlying suburbs about 7.30 a.m. you will see Die first lot hurrying to their businesses. They are plainly dressed for the most part and you will decide that they are workers in big shops that start work ut eight. TIIO factory girl lias gone mi her way long ago and. is well on witli her day's work by this time. Then about eight another type cornea out. She is better dressed than her sister who has gone before and she carries a attache case with her lunch and perhaps a book, which she reads on her way to and from the office. This is the girl who works in the big Government offices which start the day at 5.30. Then towards nine the next type wends her way to the city. She is smartly dressed and has no attache case with her lunch because she can afford to go to a restaur,ml. iPterhaps she carries a bunch of flowers to decora-te her desk and always a book. They are great readers these London girls who travel to and fro. This girl you will see go to a business place where she is a private secretary or at least a typist of some importance. Now by the ordinary law of things the next influx into the city of girls should bo those who have just come to wander about and do a little shopping and have morning tea. I have never seen this lot come in to London. There is a war on and tho ■women of London are helping to win it.