The W.A.A.C.'s in France

From Home Notes, January 5th 1918.

THE W.A.A.C.'s IN FRANCE.

The amusements available for the W.A.A.C.’s are many, owing- to their enormous personal popularity and tho act that they are all what the men call “nice girls.”  They get passes like the men for special absences from camp, but they only go out in parties of two or more, and have to be back to roll-call in the evening.  This is not irksome, as their men friends usually have the same rules and hours.

Men-Friends.
There are few girls who do not quickly acquire men-friends, and as there are thousands more men than women there is a wide field of selection, and no excuse for choosing Sergeant or Private Wrong instead of Sergeant; or Private Right.  Pretty and plain, all have an equal chance, but they must remember that though they may get engaged, if they marry they have to return and take home service, as a soldier in France is not allowed to have his wife there.  That happens to be an army regulation, and an irritating one.
I asked one girl how she knew whether her sweetheart was not already married, and she replied promptly: “I looked in his pay-book to see to whom he was making allotments!”  It would be well if all W.A.A.C.'s making new friendships did the same; then there could be no broken hearts.  Invitations to regimental concerts and parties pour in on the girls, and they in their turn give dances and concerts, with refreshments of a homely kind made by themselves.

Irksome Rules.
There are two irksome things for the W.A.A.C.'s to put up with —- one is that there is only a fortnight's leave once a year, and the other that all letters are censored.  The first, however, does not bold if you have a sick father or mother, or other urgent, reasons for being needed at home; the second is lessened by the fact that a green envelope, similar to that given to a soldier, is issued once a fortnight, its contents are not censored, as the writer gives a signed undertaking on the outside that no military matter is dealt with within.  The censoring of letters is not confined to the rank and file — a general at headquarters told me he had had his opened frequently.
The list of fines and punishments in the booklet issued about the W.A.A.C. is very terrifying, but when 1 asked how it worked out, I found that a good scolding was the most terrib!e yet inflicted, and that any officer of the W.A.A.C. who wished to fine a girl would have to go to extraordinary trouble to do so, and get authority from the base commandant.  Of course, thoroughly unsuitable women are sent back, but out of the thousands who have gone there have only been four or five sent home.  The W.A.A.C. officers, from the Chief Controller downwards, are all fine women, and they know how to treat their rank and file.

A New Life. 
There are many advantages for an intelligent woman “soldiering” in France for the period of the war.  She can learn a new language with great ease, taking the free lessons that are available, and letting her ear do her good service for pronunciation and vocabulary.  Already some of the cooks who cater for the officers' mess can do so in French, and bargain with the fishwives and greengrocers. Business girls will have plenty or opportunities, if they join up as warehousewomen, of seeing French business life in the towns and comparing it with their own.  The country girl will be surprised at the French agriculture, and nearly all the women will be interested in noting the attention to detail that French girls of the better class give to their person, and their great skill in making the best of themselves.