Part 17 (1/2)

She switched on the electric light and as though by magic a soft white radiance flooded the room.

”Would they want to go back to candles?” she asked.

CHAPTER XVII

Later, the thing which Mary always thought of first was the ease with which the change was accomplished.

First of all she called in Archey Forbes and told him her plan.

”I'm going to make you chief of staff,” she said; ”that is--if you'd care for the place.”

He coloured with pleasure--not quite as gorgeously as he once did--but quite enough to be noticeable.

”Anything I can do for you, Miss Mary?” he said.

”Then first we must find a place to train the women workers. One of those empty buildings would be best, I think. I'll give you a list of machines to be set in place.”

The ”school” was ready the following Monday morning. For ”teachers” Mary had selected a number of elderly men whom she had picked for their quiet voices and obvious good nature. They were all expert machinists and had families.

On Sat.u.r.day the following advertis.e.m.e.nt had appeared in the local paper:

A CALL FOR WOMEN

Women wanted in machine-shop to do men's work at men's wages for the duration of the war.

No experience necessary. Easier than was.h.i.+ng, ironing, scrubbing or sewing. $21 a week and up.

Apply Monday morning, 8 o'clock.

JOSIAH SPENCER & SON, INC.

As you have guessed, Mary composed that advertis.e.m.e.nt. It hadn't pa.s.sed without criticism.

”I don't think it's necessary to pay them as much as the men,” Mac had suggested. ”To say the least it's vera generous and vera unusual.”

”Why shouldn't they get as much as the men if they are going to do men's work?” asked Mary. ”Besides, I'm doing it for the men's sake, even more than for the women's.”

Mac stared at that and b.u.t.toned his mouth very tightly.

”They have been all through that in Europe,” she explained. ”Don't you see? If a woman can do a man's work, and do it for less money, it brings down men's wages. Because who would hire a man at $21 a week after the war if they could get a woman to do the same work for $15?”

”You're richt,” said Mac after a thoughtful pause. ”I must pa.s.s that along. I know from myself that the men will grumble when they think the women are going to make as much money as themselves. But when they richtly understand it's for their own sake, too, they'll hush their noise.”

Mary was one of the first at the factory on Monday.

”Won't I look silly, if n.o.body comes!” she had thought every time she woke in the night. But she needn't have worried. There was an argument in that advertis.e.m.e.nt, ”Easier than was.h.i.+ng, ironing, scrubbing or sewing,”