LAND AND WATER 
November 2 1, 19 14 
THROUGH THE EYES 
OF A WOMAN 
Progress Along the Line 
The Nation's Housekeeping 
THE publication of the ' White Paper," giving the 
new scale of pensions and allowances, has lifted 
a kind of gloom from the community. No 
doubt the scheme is not perfect, and indeed the 
critics are already busy telling us so, yet as long 
as their criticisms are constructive and helpful they are 
welcome, for no new scheme can be brought out which will 
not be the better for wise amendments and the general 
pruning that experience renders necessary. Only those who 
have lived amongst the working classes can appreciate the 
seriousness of the allowance problem. It takes knowledge 
to grasp the fact that minor tragedy may be involved in the 
rise of the price of sugar or the cheapest kind of children's 
boots ; and those who are rich in this world's goods never 
think in terms of pennies or of halfpennies. It is hard for 
them to imagine the terrors that link in the imagination of 
the very poor as to a future which may include the rigours 
of the " house " or the sale of one's bits of furniture. 
The difficulties of a perfect adjustment of allowances are 
very great. In some cases they will seem meagre, and 
hardships will arise ; in others they will be too large, simply 
because the scales of payment cannot be elastic enough to 
meet the varying needs of the different strata of society from 
which a modern army is drawn. The mother who has 
depended upon two good sons for every comfort in life will 
perhaps feel hard done by, and the unskilled labourer's wife, 
accustomed to an income which varies with her husband's 
moods, will find her sudden affluence so startling that she 
will waste her substance in cheerful conviviality at the public- 
house round the comer. 
Some of the slackness in recruiting has been due to 
mistakes and mishaps. Many men have omitted to leave 
their pay-allotment instructions when they left home, and 
other people have been dissatisfied with the old allowances. 
Nobody believes, in these days of high rents and changed 
conditions, that a widow can keep four children upon the 
old allowance of eleven shillings a week, whereas a pound 
will enable her to do so, and the scales for partial disable- 
ment approximate far more to the modern necessities of the 
case, but the whole question of State contribution to mainten- 
ance requires reorganisation. To the female mind it would 
seem to point to the necessity of inter-action between all 
authorities. Poor Law, local pensions. Army, post office, 
and all branches of the public service. The country is 
certainly weary of the uncertain efforts of voluntary measures 
for augmenting the pay of the defenders of the Empire. It 
recognises that it is the whole duty of the State, and the 
softening influence of the voluntary worker can be brought 
to bear upon its administration just as effectively as that of 
the untiring care-committees has supported ^the work of 
the Education Authorities of the cou ry. 
Investments and Dividends 
It is the experience of everybody who has done relief 
work that the plausible person is apt to get more than her 
fair share of this world's good things. She has a dramatic 
manner which brings her position out into prominence, and 
too late we make the painful discovery that her case was not 
nearly so deserving as that of the little grey lady who lives 
next door. Women are more clever than they were about 
their money affairs, but they are still only too apt to put all 
their eggs into one basket or to attempt to improve their 
incomes by over-speculative investments. The difficulties of 
many educated women are considerable just now. There is 
a general financial strain which is pretty widespread, but 
numbers of instances never come to the light of day just 
because English people as a whole keep their feelings neatly 
hidden away and present a brave face to the world at large. 
Hundreds of women live upon the proceeds of making small 
luxuries — bags and cushions, embroideries, and the lesser 
objets d'art — but stern necessities alone command a market, 
and people do without the hundred and one pretty things 
that they buy in times of peace. They put up with a cloth 
binding to a new book, whereas as a rule they would send a 
precious volume to be encased in tooled morocco. They 
make an old lampshade do, instead of ordering one of white 
vellum enriched by Florentine swags of fruit or briUiant 
roses, and so the makers of charming ,and negligible trifles 
(ConMnuW on pag$ M) 
A Ton of Goal for 2/6 
How to save many pounds during the Winter. 
MARVELLOUS RESULTS ACHIEVED 
BY COAL-SAVING SUBSTANCE. 
Remarkable offer to "Land and Water" readers to test 
"Anthranite" in their own homes. 
"Anthranite," the wonderful coal-saving substance which 
cuts in half the coal bill of any house, flat, factory, ho.opital, or 
any other building, can now be obtained by the general public 
at a minimum outlay. Furnace, kitchen, sitting-room, or 
bed-room fires will be brighter, cosier, and warmer, and yet 
they will last twice as long if the coal, coke, or slack has been 
treated with "Anthranite." One scuttle will last as long, and 
will throw out as much heat as two would do in the ordinary 
course. Soot, dirt, and smoke are completely avoided, and 
there is an enormous saving of labour, for "Anthranised " 
coal burns to fine ashes without requiring any attention. 
"Anthranite" is in constant use in some of the largest and 
best houses and institutions in town and country, and has the 
support of the most distinguished names in the kingdom. 
As electricity turns a dull metal filament into living light, so 
"Anthranite ' imparts life, added heat, and lasting power to 
coal. It contains the elements of heat in highly concentrated 
form, and gives these to the coal which is treated with it. 
Its application is perfectly simple, easy, and cleanly, so 
that it is as useful in the smallest flat as it is in the largest 
mansion. According to the figure of your ordinary coal bill, 
it will save you from £2 to £20 during the firing season, and 
with the prospect of a lengthy winter and the present necessity 
to save in all directions this economy is all the more important. 
REMARKABLE TEST OFFER! 
The regular price is 5s. per full-size box, sufficient to treat 
one ton of coal, coke, or slack, but in order to enable every 
reader of " Land and Water " to test the marvellous economy 
effected by "Anthranite," the proprietors have decided to 
supply for a short time only, post free with full directions, one 
full-size hdx on receipt of postal order for only 2/6, or five 
boxes for 1 0/-. The latter offer is specially recommended to 
the attention of readers, as it is not likely to berepeated. Orders 
and remittances should be addressed direct to "ANTHRAN- 
ITE " (Dept. 33). 64 Haymarket. London, S.W. 
Leading institutions, clubs, and factories are delighted at 
the enormous saving obtained, and private persons of all 
classes are loudly singing the praises of the new substance. It 
should be added that "Anthranite " is completely harmless ; 
it is non-explosive and non-smelling, and the directions for use 
are perfectly simple. Apart from the fuel lasting twice as 
long, an additional saving can be effected where "Anthranite " 
is applied, because the cheapest coal can be used where high- 
grade coal was formerly necessary. 
Readers wishing to take advantage of the special test offer 
should fill in the coupon at foot and send remittance for 2/6 
for one box, or 10 - for five boxes, addressing their letters to 
"ANTHRANITE" (Dept. 33), 64 HAYMARKET 
LONDON. S.W. 
SPECIAL TEST COUPON. 
To the Manager, "Anthranite" (Dept. 33), 
64 Haymarket, London, S.W. 
Please send post free with the full directions — 
1 Box of "ANTHRANITE " 2/6 
5 Boxes of "ANTHRANITE " 10/- 
for which I enclose remittance. 
Na 
Address 
Land and Water. 
[Advt. 
90 
