WOMEN IN DEFENSE

yesterday the Pioneer Woman helped to win a continent today with the same spirit of determination American women are working to save this way of life working to save the nation from the impact of total war working to build a sure defense American women are alert to the dangers which threaten our democracy today women trained in science are testing and observing and working to discover new ways to meet this threat other women skilled and unskilled are asking what can I do to help this film will show what women are doing and what they can do every woman has an important place in the National Defense program in science in industry and in the home Silke is vital to national defense its most important use is for parachutes and powder bags new substitutes are being perfected in the laboratory to meet the growing demand normal wear is hard on clothes but not so hard as a machine like this and there is a direct relation between an abrasion tester clothing and national defense durability and economy are important to American consumers called on to make sacrifices in this emergency defense is more than military equipment and Armed Forces defense is keeping the nation strong and healthy in this important work of Defense our scientists are experimenting with small animals to find out things about vitamins a complete report of their reaction and growth is recorded after they are given experimental food formulas during which they are carefully checked and weighed new and health-giving diets are being developed through this research this woman is a modern pioneer a scientist she symbolizes the tremendously important work of women in chemistry in bacteriology in physics in nutrition in medicine in hundreds of hospitals and laboratories throughout our country men and women who work on the production of our defense weapons must be well nourished good nutrition is not entirely a question of income thousands of women are attending free lectures on how to buy food and prepare meals which are nutritious and economical women working in industrial plants need costumes which are comfortable and safe around machinery uniforms which meet these needs have been designed two-thirds of the jobs in defense industries can be done by women today and officials of the defense program are advocating more extensive job training for women and girls these girls already trained in our new defense program are able to turn out small machine parts more women are being trained in mechanical trades to meet the shortage of skilled labor for drill presses turret lathes milling machines planers and welding equipment women are being recruited daily to help make planes for the nation's air force's three million women in factories all over the country are making things sewing strong fabrics sewing control surfaces for our fighter planes in a war in which so many machines and tools and so much metal is required it is strange how much sewing there is women are bringing a natural skill to an important job they're efficient contribution is helping us to speed up production of bombers and fighting ships one parachute takes 65 yards of silk only silk has the lightness and strength essential in making parachutes women who have had special training in the manufacture of this product are the only ones who can be employed in these factories a man's life depends on every parachute so there is no margin for error the nimble fingers of these women are capable of turning out perfect workmanship on unbelievably fast running machines these highly specialized industries are finding women extraordinarily efficient and are using them more and more in the making of precision instruments which are so essential in war today all of these instruments require ball bearings or roller bearings bearing so precise that experts must use a microscope for assembly this is work in which women excel giving it constant care and alertness woman's hands thousands of them skillful patient and accurate are assembling parts precisely dimension without which no bomber could fly and without which no mechanized land unit could move every ship that glides down the waves must have electrical switches women today are assembling gauging fitting together riveting drilling and making them this work requires fingers that move with lightning speed every defense worker doing her job well that's the battle of production and the essence of defense women are working side by side with men on the assembly lines and in inspection units of munition factories millions of shells are moving off the production lines in our rate plants from coast to coast shells for tanks and naval guns shells for Coast and field artillery shells for anti-aircraft defense women are skillful in gauging and checking for minut imperfections mass production is important when you realize that a single machine gun can fire 1,400 rounds a minute again we turn to the women who are asking what can I do for defense the American women's voluntary Services provides instruction in many basic skills to over 80,000 women soon the office of civilian defense will cooperate not only with the aw vs but with all other private and public agencies to aid volunteers in obtaining the training they want a training indispensable in war valuable in peace the Red Cross today is the culmination of the work of a woman who pioneered under the duress of a war Clara Barton its founder determined that the care of the wounded should not be left to the unskilled today true to its tradition the American Red Cross volunteers are responding to the needs of war distressed people's twenty-five million and more surgical dressings have already been sent to Europe Medical Sciences newest weapon against death is the blood bank thousands of women today are giving their blood giving the essence of life to save life our history is full of the inspiration which our pioneer women left us as a proud heritage and again today American women are stirred by that heritage serving their country in the laboratory on defense production lines in the civilian defense services and in the home which is after all the first line of defense women have always been the guardians of the home and the children the future of our country and they are determined that our democracy shall survive and that our precious freedoms shall be preserved