EX-SERVICEMEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 32, 6 August 1936, Page 19

EX-SERVICEMEN

LADY JELLICOE "AT HOME"

PRINCESS ROYAL SELLS

{From "The Post's" Representative.)

LONDON, July .1,

Princess Royal attended the "at home" held by Countess Jellicoe at Claridge's, when there was a private view of the "Sasma" exhibition and sale of painted fabrics, the work of British war-disabled men. It' was attended by many well-known people. The Princess, quite recovered from her recent illness, wore a black lace dress over taffetas with transparent sleeves, and a taffetas sash. Her shadybrimmed black straw hat was trimmed with eire black ribbon, and she wore a triple row of pearls. For some time the Princess acted as saleswoman, selling tablecloths, chiffon scarves, handkerchiefs, and cushions, and leather work, bearing patterns designed by the disabled men at their headquarters in Sheffield.

Some of the table cloths were in

checks of blue, red, and green, copied' at King Edward's suggestion, from his Majesty's own teacloths which he brought back from the Basque country. ' ■'.■■'

Countess Jellicoe, Mrs. Stanley Baldwin, Lady Gwendoline Latham, Miss Sybil Kenyon-Slaney, Captain and Mrs. Lionel Scott, were some of the helpers at the Princess Royal's stall.

Her Royal Highness, when not actually selling, was handing parcels and'change to purchasers who had bought from other stalls,' but who wished to have the honour of receiving their purchases from the Princess herself. Very gracious and charming is the Princess Royal, and she is thoroughly happy on occasions of this kind.

The "Sasma" (Sailors' and Soldiers' Mutual .Association) is now self-sup-porting. In various directions it has made gratifying progress, and the men —some without legs, some minus an arm or having half an arm—have become amazingly proficient. They actually make their own dyes, design their own patterns, and arrange their own colour combinations. No skilled worker, with limbs intact, could produce better results. Both the Chinese and the Cezanne Exhibitions have inspired many of the loveliest designs. Filmy silk chiffons painted by ex-ser- , vicemen are guaranteed to wash as i satisfactorily as butterflies' wings, and I these make beautiful dresses.

The men work on fine linen, satin, crepe de chine, and chiffon foundations, and produce luxury goods, such as chiffon dress lengths, satin bedspreads and curtains, and scarves—as well as delightful and colourful needs for more practical uses—overalls, gardening aprons, neckties, handkerchiefs, supper cloths, tea cosies, and a hund-red-and-one other details that make housekeeping a joy.

An important development has to be noted: the wives and daughters of these men make up the linen fabrics into dresses, useful two-piece costumes, dressing-gowns, and overalls. The cutting is done by experts in London. Summer frocks and loose coats are charming when made up from fine open-meshed linen —and they are very reasonably priced. The material for every curtain ordered is specially designed, dyed, and coloured to suit the particular needs of each customer.

So charming arid varied is the work that New Zealanders should make a point of asking for it when they come to England. There is no need to go to Sheffield to buy painted chiffon scarves, for at the depot in Clarges Street, off Piccadilly, there is always an excellent and varied choice. No nicer presents could be taken back for friends and no cause is more worthy of continuous help. Every class of work done by the war-disabled is now of first quality and stands competition with goods made by the 100 per cent, fit. STAR AND GARTER HEROES^ The Duchess of Kent opened the annual exhibition of patients' work at the Star and Garter Home for Disabled Soldiers and Sailors, Richmond, where live 246 broken and withered ex-service-men. Many are crippled, many are afflicted with incurable paralysis, yet they can all do something to occupy their time. Nineteen years ago one of the men was wounded on the top of his spine. He has lain on his back ever since able only to move his neck. Yet he is never idle. He has a reading table set up below his chin, and he spends his time painting little boxes with a brush clenched in his mouth. Another has" spent 1800 hours making a doll's house which is to be presented to Princess Margaret Rose. Receipts from goods sold go to the men who made them, for each article bears his name. Lord Roberts' Memorial Workshops' organisation makes beautiful furniture and beautiful details for the home. It is very encouraging to learn that during the year which ended on December 31, the results constituted a re- ' cord in the history of the society, the " sales having reached the very satisfactory figure of £133,000; and even more • encouraging to hear that 1936 held out 1 considerable promise of equally good. 'if not indeed better, results being at- : tamed. In their factories are about 360 severely disabled men. Nearly

one-fourth have lost an arm or the use of an arm, nearly one-half have lost a leg or the use of a leg, and an appreciable number have lost two limbs. In the Liverpool factory there is one man who has lost both legs and one arm. The disability of each of the disabled men, taken over the whole of the workshops, averages about 65 per cent., a truly formidable handicap.