Thursday,
HONGKONG TELEGRAPH
February 29, 1940,
BY SOMERSET MAUGHAM
By
.
IT IS strange to see middle-aged women of de- termined aspect, the mothers of families, young women evidently not long married with painted lips and a permanent wave, tending an automatic machine in the crowded din of an armament works.
For thousands of women are working in factories in France. In most of them, I think, the wife was offered the job of her mobilised husband.
Many of them had never worked in a factory before, but I was told by various directors that they got into the way of it very quick- ly. I was not surprised, for after what I have seen I am ready to be- lieve that the French woman can do anything she has a mind to.
But they have their homes to look after and their chil- dren to care for. In some factories they work only two weeks out of three, in others they are given every third day off, in either case with full pay, so that they should not lose touch with what after all are their essential in-
terests and so that their children should run as little chance as possible of neglect.
* * *
fuse, they are better than men. It is grim to see them so neatly painting and varnishing
know
moment. There are many and it is heartening to
that the response has been who have set themselves, great. The books are sorted alone and obscure, to al- and sent to the front to give a leviate the distress, financial soldier a few hours of happy forgetfulness, to give him, per- and moral, of their neigh-haps, some new thought to pon- der over and to bring into his bours.
monotonous life a little romance The Red Cross has found-or a little laughter. ed 150 auxiliary hospitals, with nearly 20,000 beds, and has placed thousands of adequately trained nurses at the disposal of the authori- ties.
there was little French women I said just now that I believed could not do if they had a mind to. Ilere is a little story which might well serve as the theme for success novel.
the
There is a factory where not only most of the employees, but also the owner, were young; L'Union des Femmes de they were called up and the fac
But lory closed down. France sends parcels to the sol-owner's secretary, whom I know diers and has enrolled a host only as Mademoiselle B., could of women and girls to make; not bear to think that these busy jumpers, socks and scarves works should stay idle and its for the soldiers, but besides many women employees thrown this, it has embarked upon out of a job; so with feminine astuteness she pulled all the two undertakings, one of
strings she could to get the fac- which shows, to my
tory requisitioned by the State, mind, 12 touching by which means work for Na- thoughtfulness and of tional Defence could be secured.
which the other pecu- liarly interests me ns 42 professional
writer.
The
*
* *
MEN on leave, or transferred from one post.to another, often
Woman's
Part In
The War
arrive at a sta- tion. where
She was thus able to keep her women workers and because what the factory produces is of essential service, get such men as are necessary. The machines were set going again, and soon work was in full swing.
* * MADEMOISELLE B. is evi- dently a young woman of deter mination, for during the fun- cheon hour, lunch being served at a canteen, she has set the
*
they have to women to knit scarves, socks and sweaters of the employees spend the
of the factory who are mobilised. best part of
There is a fund to which ench the night be-worker contributes a few sous go fore the that little luxuries may be added to train starts. the parcels. They arc tired and hungry.] maybe wet through,j
- and they have perhaps little money in their pockets. L'Union des
Mademoiselle B. must be a per- son of intelligence, energy and initiative; and of course the end of the story should be orange blossom and marringe bells; but whether she should marry the owner of the factory or a young Hon of toil who has retumed from the front with the Crols de Guerre the render must decide for himself.
There Arc vast -numbers of Femmes de women in France who are quietly France
of doing obscure and humble tasks of fers them shelter.
which no one will ever hear.
There was a baker who made bread for the whole district and his A woman wife with her handcart delivered opens the it in the surrounding hamlets. door and in-l He was called up, and since he .vites the was the only baker in the neigh- hourhood it would have been a poor weary
sol-
look out for everyone if the wife he dier to come had left behind had not set to work in. He finds to make and bake the bread herself warm at night and deliver it as usual by room ̄ ̄ ̄with day,"
a
IT is grim to see this multi-the cases of big shells. tude of women occupied in mak- It is grim to see them, rows ing all manner of things to kill and rows of them, at a factory and maim the husbands and of explosives making the bas in brothers of other women. In which powder is to be poured, some work, the delicate and and, when they are filled, tying accurate work, for instance, them up into neat parcels or that has to be put into making a packing them into metal cylin
ders.
beds in it, rugs to cover him and And so everywhere the women of There are paper and France, with wonderful patience, There are many more who hot coffee. have given their money and pencils on a table so that he can with their sense of affairs and with write to his family or his girl, fortitude, are in a large part main- their time to the numerous and the fact that in one station taining the prosperity of the coun-. associations that have been alone from 250 to 300 letters
M # * instituted to cope with the are written every night shows
IN rural districts they are manifold difficulties of the that he is glad of the oppor-
tunity.
looking after the horses and Next door is a lavatory where cattle that have not been re- he can wash his feet and put on quisitioned and getting the a clean pair of socks; his own fruitful soil ready for next har-
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"B
ESI
INDIAN TROOPS
4
Cairo, Feb, 28.
With artillery booming, Indian troops went into aetion in the desert to-day in a series of exercises which will last a month. The defending force established lis feld head- quarters under date palms in the ruins of Memphis and Bren guns camouflaged and deld pleees were with palm branches.
maiorised
While the
enemy, columns trying to destroy the canals and bridges of the Nile Valley ad- vanced from the western desert, Jats, Rajputs. Punjabis and Hazarawals, cunningly hidden In the Bandy front. guartled a 15-milo gullies, They had to wait the whole night watching with telescopes and wait- ing for the enemy in a silence broken only by the occasional howl of a Jackal. One Indian was posted with a telephone at the summit. of a pyramid.
The Indians thoroughly entered
into the spirit of the exercises, which
try,
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they treated as the real thing.
32.
132
Tho
and British, New Zealand
Egyptian armles are also carrying are washed and mended and vest; in the towns
they are
out exercises, and Jargo scale passed on to another man. He keeping the shops open and run- manoeuvres Involving the combined gets a good sleep and a kindly ning their mon's business. armies are likely to be staged,
woman wakes him when his Women are taking over the prac- The friendliness of the troops of train is duc. He leaves restedtice of the doctors who have been different nationalities strikingly demonstrates the Empire solidarity, not only in body but in spirit.
Tho
New Zealanders are mixing with the Indians and all are wel-
นา * ☆
mobillaod. In the schools women teachers have taken over the work of men teachers and uncomplain- comed by the Egyptians, In the Cairo FOR months now the Frenchingly added it to their own.
I will finlah my article with one bazaars, The Dominion troops salute soldier has had to stund the trifling observation I have made the Indian officers with enthusiasm. hardest possible trial to 'one of which seems
to mo somewhat
A half hour programme of Indian his ardent temper-he has had curious. music is broadcast every night from to wait; and his spirit craving Since the beginning of the war. Cairo for the benent of the troops for occupation demands reading the hair of many of the women in encamped the desert. A special
club for Indian troops will be inau matter.. gurated on Marchi 4 usder the presidency of Lady Lampson. Reuter.
France, has been growing rapidly darker at the roots.
L'Union dos Temmes de Whether this is due to the an France issued an appeal for this lxiety natural to the circumstances
HIS MASTER'S VOICE
RETURN OF Popular sucCESSES
C2516 Liebestraum
Nocturne in G major. (Chopin). 02813 Funicull-Funicula
La Danza,
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Smilin' through.
C2838 Meditation. "Thals”
Large. (Handel).
€2930 Oriental Prayer
Bell nong, "Lakme", C2284 Madame Butterty. Selection 03075 Bouma on Parade €2035 London Bulle. (Coates) €2894 Balstalka., Beloeilon C8108-0 Aldershot Tattoo. 1939. C2849 Alda, Grand March
Mark Hambourg. Plano,
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.Kenluckey Minstrels.
.Boston Promenado Orch.
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.Marek Weber & Orch. .London Palladium Orch. .New Light Symphony Orch. ..New Mayfair Orch.
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TSANG FOOK PIANO COMPANY
MARINA HOUSE
10 QUEEN'S ROAD C.
or to some more obscure cause, am not compotent to any.
I will, however, hazard the surmise that if the war continues much longer there will be few blondes in France for gentlemen to prefer.
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