The problem of soldiers' wives is a difüieült one, and often a sad if not tragic one. A French private, unless he is in the "battle zone," where he receives 10 francs a day, is scarcely paid at all. The soldier's wife with two children receives from the State 21 francs a day in Paris (about 2s. 6d.) and 16 francs 50 cents in the country (about 2s.) Although she lives rent free, it is not much to feed a family on. She may, however, take work and does not forfeit her allowances unless her income is above a certain figure—a point over which there is still some controversy.
In Paris one comes across some sad cases—Particularly those of women whose husbands have been mobilized, whose children have been evacuated (while their upkeep absorbs most of the military allowances), and who thus find themselves in a position little better than that of any unemployed person. Eventually work is found for them, but it often takes time and a great deal of adaptation io new conditions—and with their husband and children away such women are apt to get depressed. But generally speaking the women of France are facing this war with courage and fortitude as an inevitable ordeal, though there is, Raturally, some grumbling, as there always in France, especially over the small size of the military family allowances.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.