Paris Temps

[maddox]

Paris, januari 1918.

Minister Lebrun, I cannot accept you peddling away my modern cruisers.

Admiral Geon, I can, and have done so. On requist by Parliament, 2 of the Demarce III cruisers will be transferred to Egypt, and you will provide crews that are capable and willing to teach the Egyptians to use those ships to the fullest extend.
In exchange for these 2, you'll get 6 Volcano's this year.  If you strongly object, it still is possible to scrap 2 of those 6 in the docks, and start to build the originals Egypt wanted, smaller cruisers with Italian guns. It's up to you, trade 2 cruisers for 2 faster and better armed ones.

A few days later, Admiral Geon adressing the crews of the  Ci Nghiem and  Diep Nguyen at Brest.

Men, I ask for volunteers. Your beautifull ships will go to Egypt, and I need a crew that is willing to stay there for a while, teaching the Egyptians how to use them as well as we do. I myself will travel with you, to meet my counterpart.
After this task, we will have to man 2 brandnew Volcano's, and you're the best we have to do that.

A murmur starts, when 1 midshipman steps forward, the rest reacts as one, the 2 complete crews stand at ready volunteering. "At your Command Admiral": is the reply of captain Battet, commanding officer of Diep Nguyen.

(on the background, a venerable army of yardworkers is removing the ERADe equipment)

[maddox]

Related to this and this

Michael, I have been summoned by Le Tribunal de Droit du Travail in a case of several young ladies that suffer the same illness.

Oh, that means you're being recognized as an expert by court, meaning a well paying job, even if you're still studying. Congratulations Mademoiselle l'expert.

I didn't think about it that way. I'm concerned about the girls. The illness has some sympthomes simular to the Maladi Luciferette, the matchstick disease. That ain't seen since the late 1890's

Care to explain that, not familiar to that disease.

It's a disease caused by bad hygiëne working with white phosphorus, it cases jawnecrosis and bone brittleness. Problem is, those girls don't work with phosphorus, but they paint dials.

I'm sure you'll find the cause. I just hope the illness isn't contagious.

Thanks for the confidence Michael.

Later, after a lot of medical examinations in consultation with other physicians Caroline has contradicting  information.

Facts. Most , but not all of the dial painting girls suffer from the "phossy Jaw" ,  but also anemia and bone brittleness.
Their job doesn't have anything to do with white phosphorus, and working conditions are extremely clean.

Only the girls painting the dials, mainly used by the L'usine des Diregibles, suffer from it in more or less degree, non of the other workers at the dial painting plant show any sympthomes. Not even the paint mixers.

The doctors appointed by L'usine de Lumiére Froid claim the disease is late stage atypical syphilis as a result of the promiscue behavoir of money hungry girls. The atypical part is the rapid onset.  The firm is ready to pay for a full Salvarsan treatment of the condition and a 6 month severance fee if the girls drop the charges. The pink slip issue is set by the firm, claiming that the trust between employer and amployee in this case is irreparably damaged.
The unions involved crow victory over this possible settlement. In later cases the promised 6 month severance will be used to force other firms to pay that.



Michael, I don't feel comfortable with the case of the dial painter girls.

Why not? As far as I have followed it in the newspapers, the employer is playing it rather fair.

I can't find no proof these girls have any disease like syphilis. I cannot find any syphilic bacteria, nor spore in their blood, what is pretty thin. Red and white bloodcels are low in count and misschapen, just like your blood during your Congo Radium illness.

Whoa, radium was never mentioned in the newspapers, but it stands logic that radium is used to make glow in the dark dials. Are those girls working with radium?

Yes of course, L'usine de Lumiére Froid is specialised in painting dials for the military, for gauges and clocks, and it's convenient for the military to have readable dials in darkness.

That can explain the sores , like those of syphilis, and the anemia, but the phossy jaw and the bone brittleness that's another matter. Do you know how the phossy jaw works?

Not really, the theory is that the phosporus seeps into the bones, and the jawbone is the most used  as well the easiest to infect by the teeth. Also, parts of the infected jawbone faintly glow in the dark for a while after extraction.* But it takes serious exposure to white phosphorus fumes before this condition is noticable. The working conditions of the girls ain't so that they can breath a lot of radium. It's bound to the glue, as they don't paint it with paint in se, but with a glue mixture that needs curing in an oven.

I know, Radium does not have the same chemical properties as phosphorus. But could it be that it is absorbed in the bone? I'll have to conduct tests. When is the next part of the trial?

In 2 weeks, with the employer so "generous" and the Union in agreement, I fear those girls are tainted for life as Syphilic whores, and  at least 2 of'm are still virgin... What is actualy half a miracle in their situation.

to be concluded.

[maddox]

Continued

Caroline, 2 weeks is too short to get any realistic result on radium absorbtion in bones, how long is that factory doing that kind of work?

I don't know, I can ask.

Would it be possible for me to have a tour there?

I'll have to ask. But can't you ask yourself? You're a radium expert and engineer to be, your credentials could carry you further than the inquiry of a noisy young medical student. I don't even understand why I was asked. My professors are puzzled too after I asked.

I do have an idea about that. I'll ask somebody in the governments employ.



Hello Michael, what a surprise to hear from you at this time. Welcome to my humble adobe.
Bonjour Monsieur Grange. It is a nice home you have now, a lot lighter but smaller than the old townhouse you lived in. And exquisitly arranged.

I sold the townhouse, it was too big for me alone, and this new appartment fitted me like a glove. With all the modern comforts, even an elevator, and electricity in every room. But why the timing? Only a few months before your graduation, and subsequent marriage.

You probably have read about the labor saftey case concerning the strange illness suffered by some dial painters at a military factory.

Yes, as most  newspaper reading bureaucrats.

Maybe you're aware that Caroline is asked as expert, actualy, assistent medical expert to conduct tests and testify for court, even her student status.

Of course, I recommended her to the court. It's concerning a radium factory, and I know, by having Caroline on the case, your knowledge would be tapped too. It's a matter of national security to keep the case as close as possible. It took you a while to realise it isn't normal for a young lady as your fiancé gets such an important assignment. I get several good things done by doing so. 1) Your finances get a boost by honnest work. 2) We keep the knowledge close at hand. 3) It will establish a good reputation for Caroline.
But why did you come here? I doubt it's just asking I know something about the case.

Yes monsieur Grange, I'm here to ask that question, but also to ask you to help me getting acces to that factory. I want to learn how the working conditions are at the factory, so I can share Caroline the right information.

I'm afraid I can't assist in that, getting Caroline on the case was close enough. I don't want to taint your competence this early by goverment nepotism.  (thinking, me asking Timbre such a thing, that would blackball you my boy.).  But why don't you ask yourself, your credentials should open doors. Oh well, join me for a light snack? My housekeeper just prepared some pasteries.



Jeune Maître, be welcome at L'usine de Lumiére Froid. I hope we can satisfy your curiosity.

I hope that too monsieur, I'm want to see how the work of my mentor, madame Curie, is used to benefit Glorious France.

We do very important work, our most interesting job is to adapt gauges and dials so they can be read in total darkness, a thing very important for the military, especialy our budding airforce. All the dirigibles have our product. Just to give an example, and the newer ships will be equipped with our gauges too.

Yes, I learned that you use radium because the glowing properties, you're an end user of radium, so, how is the flow of that expensive material through the factory?

It's pretty simple. Most of the radium comes from the Netherlands, from the Union Miniere de Haute Katanga refenery in Olen, the rest comes from the pitchbend mines at Jáchymov.
(talking during the guided tour, a lead lined apron, and a dust mask is supplied before entering the clearly marked "radium zone")
It arrives here in lead lined small barrels escorted like a gold transport.  (Walking past a train wagon that looks like a rolling vault and a portal)

Here the radium gets mixed with a hot curing glue, avoiding the expensive radium from ecaping with the easier evaporating low temperature curing glues we could use, it also reduces volatility and firehazard.  (men with lead aprons dust mask and long tongs are seen handling the radium)

Here the painters apply the paint to the dials. (In a well lit,well ventilated spotlessly clean large room a few dozen women, with lead aprons, but without dust masks are seen diligently painting small dials with fine brushes. One of the woman is pointing the brush with her lips. another is using a sponge to achieve the same effect.)

When marked, the dials will go to the curing oven for 1.5 hours. (passing a heat radiating mass of bricks and steel doors) , and from there to the workshop to be finished.

(this tour took about an hour to pass through all the different stadia.)

to be continued

[maddox]

Continued

After the visit of the factory,
Michael is at the lab of Dr Curie, experimenting with radium suspended in different glues to see how good it binds ,and by using a little Curie (portable Xray machine) to follow the progress in the body of rabits.
With these experients he learns that some glues unbind in the stomache and the radium will migrate all over the body. Some will be lost in the stool and urine, but some retains in the body. The poor rabits don't survive the experiments,due acute poisoning. This too is dutifully noted.



Caroline, I think I know what is happening with the dial painter girls. They ingested tiny bits of glue and radium when sharpening the brushes. In the complete factory, dust masks and lead aprons are mandated, but the painters don't wear those masks. Some point the brushes with their lips, others use a sponge or so. I had to conferm my theory, but tests do show that radium can stay in a living body, but , unfortunatly, I cannot ,yet, prove that Radium will do the same as white phosphorus, with the jaw. I just didn't have the time. But whatever radium does in the body, it cannot be good in large amounts, if skin can burn by exposure, the soft tissues in the body won't like it either. Can you ask for re-examination of those girls? I could try to see how much radium there is in a bone sample.

Michael, darling, how would I get a bone sample? I'm no surgeon, and I doubt the girls would like to be carved up, as one did say earlier. But the information you gave us is very interesting, as nothing in the reports, nor testemonies mention about the paint/oral possibility.

I will add a series of questions to be asked when the girls are called forth as witness.



To be continued

[maddox]

continued
(the lawyer of the girls has recieved a series of questions and a request to call in another witness from Caroline. And agreed to ask those)

Merci.
Monsieur Herneaut, as your job as supervisor in the dial painting department of L'usine de Lumiere Froide, part of your job is making sure all the safety precautions are followed, I understand not following the mandated procedures is an infraction that can lead to immediate loss of job.

Oui monsieur l'avocat.

As mademoiselle Giselle just  testified, the painters need to keep the tips of their brushes very sharp to have a good clear dial, and also, that they could ask for a new brush at any time, but that the time involved to get a new brush would be noticable in the paycheck.  Can you explain that to us?
Of course. When I have to hand out a new brush, procedure states that I get that from the supply locker, that is locked at any time, fill in time and reason of opening, open the locker, get the brush and close the locker down. Then the requester has to sign for the recieval of the supply, a brush in this situation. And that takes a few minutes. The paycheck explanation is also simple. The girls get a monthly wage, but per clearly readable dial they paint, they get a bonus. It promotes diligent work. And yes, for the faster working girls, a few minutes a brush, can run up to a lot of dials a month.

So, it seems that the painters need a steady hand, good caligraphy or at least the capacity to copy the examples to a fault, and fast work is rewarded. How do the girls keep the brushes in good condition when getting a new one would keep their wage down? After all, nobody likes that and inventivity sneaks in.
(Monsieur Herneaut is uncomfortable with this question)
Some girls use a slightly wet sponge as a kind of sharpening block to remove excess paint and point the brush. But it's not recommended, and the sponges need to be hand in after work, the tiny amount of paint gets reprocessed. A few of the very fast girls bring their own brushes with them, as that avoids the procedure to get a new one from the supply locker and losing time.

Are those the only methodes?
Those are santioned methodes.

Meaning there are unsanctioned methodes?
Of course, and those , as you point out will be born from the inherent creativity, deviousness and inventivity of the girls, if seen will be corrected.

1 last question, dust masks and lead lined aprons are mandated in the designated radium zone in the factory. The paint dialing area is in that radium zone?
Mes oui, every area where radium comes outside the enclosed dial and gauge cases has that safety precaution. I was given to understand that it was a recommendation for the Laboratoire Curie.

Thank you for your time,

(the lawyers from the factory ask a series of questions, so monsieur Herneaut sounds like the ideal supervisor)


A young woman is in the witness stand, pale, dark circles around her eyes, very thin hair, but the most horrifying feature is her mouth, toothless. An oozing sore on the lower lip is obvious by the stained dressing on her chin.

Mademoiselle Giselle.
How do you point your dial painting brush?

I do like Sarah did explain it, with my lips.

Who is Sarah?

She was one of my collegues, untill she fell ill and died a year ago.

Do you know what illness?

The same as I suffer from now. That is why we came to court.

How can you point your brush with your lips as you need to wear a mask over nose and mouth?

Nobody wears the mask in the dial painting area. There is no dust at all, it's part of our job to keep the workspaces spottless clean. So why wear it? We only were asked to done it when an inspection was approaching.

Thank you. How much time can you save with the lip-pointing technique? Is it worth the bad taste?

What bad taste? The paint tastes sweet with a tinge of metal, like licking a sugarcoated cent. And if I would ask a brush every time I pointed the brush I would lose a quart of my bonus. Also, asking to much brushes makes for some annoyance.

Ah, what kind of annoyance?
(now this young lady gets uncomfortable, but mans herself)
You can get more than one brush at a time, a day supply, in exchange for a quicky. And no thanks, for 16 cents on paintbrushes.

Thank you for that explanation. I do not have more questions for now.



A few days later, in Le Monde.

" The Radium Girls case closed.

The Timbre owned factory of l'usine de Lumiere Froide is not guilty of willingly casing harm to the factory workers, but, as the direction feels responsible in part, the firm will pay for the treatment, and a lifelong pension to the sick girls.
More on page 5"

3 weeks later

Page 15, a small article

Paris Temps.
George Herneaut was the victim of a street robbery, his widow and 3 children get our utmost sympathies.

At the hospital designated by court to treat the sick radium girls.

Mademoiselle Giselle is being X-rayed to see how bad the jaw is compromised by what is now called Radium Jaw.

Behind the lead screen that protects the doctor for the Xrays, the nurse asks

"Docteur, these girls almost impose images on the photographic plates. Won't the extra Xrays they get be harmfull?"

Nurse, we have to know what we're dealing with, and how else can you look at a jawbone without cutting open the young ladies lovey face?

A few days later, the doctor recieves an unmarked padded envolope with a large amount of cash.



Half a year later.

Dearly beloved, here we gather to say farewell to mademoiselle .....

[maddox]

A jump back in time, Somewere halfway 1917.

An informal meeting of ministrial department heads, of course in luxurious surroundings, this time those of the palace Luxembourg.

Messieurs, our industrial might is getting stale. With the cancelation of the In ga dam project in Congo, by the dutch and the subcequent Gran Colombian takeover we went looking for other options.  But for now, our explorers do not have found any location in Africa for such a Grand project. The latest  news we got is from the expedition that is traveling upstream on the Ogooué River in French Gabon. No suitable location for a large scale dam found yet.

Why bother with projects in that disease riddled jungle? Is the alpine project not large enough?

The Alpine project  is about a 20th of the scale we envisioned for the Inga project. It would have unlocked the mineral wealth in Central Africa.
And, the South Afrikaners are demonstrationg how it should be done with their Cahora Bassa dam.

Messieurs, most of our projects are being stalled by our limitation in base material production. We're running into concrete shortages, steel shortages, even cloth shortages for all the projects that are running atm. We cannot divert more resources, or the social security will suffer.And there is no convenient war to keep the population satisfied.
We have, according to the calculations only a few options.
1) reduce the social security
2) reduce military spending
3) increase income

Forget 1, that could cause more situations like Indochina. Or worse, a new revolution.
2 is another fickle matter, Kolkatta has shown Glorious France is vurnable.
3 unless we divert spending on matters 1 and 2 to increase our heavy industry, forget it. And that's a problem in itself.

Why can't our military pay for itself?

Oh, that is an idea....  we should contemplate that option.

[Borys]

OOC

Why can't our military pay for itself?
Oh, that is an idea....  we should contemplate that option.

This can be headed towards all sorts of dangerous directions ...
Borys

[TexanCowboy]

"Hey, I'll sell you my bullets and rifle for $20."
"Deal"
hands over the rifle and is shot
"Ha...now I don't have to pay you the $20"


Or piracy...

[Kaiser Kirk]

Nice series on radium. Successfully inflicted knowledge on me. For shame !

OOC

Why can't our military pay for itself?
Oh, that is an idea....  we should contemplate that option.

This can be headed towards all sorts of dangerous directions ...
Borys

Indeed...

[maddox]

Somewere 1918.   Pilot Fonck is contemplating his training flights over the canal, with the emphasis on counting rivets on Dutch ships.

hmmm, what we're doing now it  flying over, past, and in some cases, almost under the ships, but non of our airplanes have any armament capable of denting even a tramp. We can try to shoot the decks clean of crew, but that's about it. Dropping the small bombs is also futile.

What can we do? Our aircraft can't carry any load big enough to be a danger for a good ship. But our airships can. Hmm, with Le Magnificent repaired again from torpedo damage it stands reason to use torpedo's.



Fonck, are you out of your mind? Using a recon airship for a torpedo attack?

No sir, and yes sir. I propose to use a large airship to carry 4 of those older 20" torpedos,  the airship can carry those easely enough and launch them from a torpedo tube setup just like on the destroyers.  The speed of the airship isn't much faster than a Leopard on full speed, and the drop hight can be determined with tests.

Again, you have spend some tought on this, and it doesn't require sacrificing aircraft. But before you lay hands on anything of this idea I want you to have a full worked out plan, on paper, with a team that understands airships. I suggest you talk to the people that build those airships. Santos company des Diregibles.

At your orders Sir.

[maddox]

FONCK, next time I listen to one of your idea's, and agree to it, you should call in the camp doctor, as I would need heavy sedation.

First time you did destroy 2 of our frontline aircraft, but now YOU SUCCEEDED in destroying 1 airship, 1 target, and sink a merchant vessel.
Unfortunatly, it proves that your airship idea could work against undefended , unmanoevring targets.
But as the test shows, the altitude needed to get it working is suicide for the airship.
I hope you're satisfied now. GET OUT, go buzz some fishermen, and make sure you know what kind of fish they are catching.

Yes commander

8 hours laters. Fonck is developing a series of pictures, the best is this.



FONCK, you cannot have made this picture in flight.

I didn't sir. I landed on the beach, and took that photo up close, on foot.

Where was that, wait, don't tell me, the Netherlands.... Est-dunkerque. YOU landed in the Netherlands?   You're trying to provoke a war on your own?

No sir, I was following your orders. As you can read in the report, those 3 fishers. Louis, Mark and Jan are catching shrimps , with the aid of their trusty steeds, Grote Jan,  Bierke and Wim.

GET OUT, GET OUT!

[ctwaterman]

Yikes and away...

Charles

[maddox]

HY02 1918.

Halifax, a workmans wedding. The 2 fathers , well boiled are bragging about their job. Both are working at the naval yard. The brides father a foreman working on Le Magnificent, the grooms father a boiler specialist working on Napoleon the Great.

Man, those new oil fired boilers we're installing are huge, they will deliver so much steam ,the original turbines would overspeed and destroy themselfs. Luckely those are replaced to.

Le Magnificent ain't getting bigger boilers, just oil fired, but the old turbines are ripped out, as they weren't balanced well. The new ones will give her the maximal use of the power she could develop.

Garçon, can we get a refill...


Djibouti.

Admiral Geon is overlooking the 4 Demarce IIIb's in the later stages of build, and 1 of the Italian developed Grand Contre Torpilleurs. Thinking.
2 more of those cruisers, and 2 of those GDD, my fleet is getting a good mix. Unfortunatly, I'll have to let go of the Dantons soon enough. Admiral Jarré won't like it.


Marseilles, Dock master Jean muses

The huge ship, Montmedie is well advanced, the raw power already exuding.  Her sister Mont Bruyere, being build in Brest is less far in the build. Those 2 steel mobile fortresses gobble up a load of resources, but alas, Glorious France needs those, as stern warning to the other nations that build Battleships and battlecruisers that France cannot be outbuild.

[maddox]

HY 02 1918

"Comme au Campagne", evening, private dining room

The merry tinkling of silver cutlery against porcelain, the sweet silvery sound of a bottle touching a crystal glass and various aural impressions of mastication being thoroughly practiced, interspersed with words and laughter... the Maître d'Hotêl was rubbing his hands with glee: another gastronomic get-together of the movers and shakers, another night of wages well earned. He quietly directed his garçons to re-fill the glasses, take away the spent plates, bring the next excellent course. Well-spoiled palates needed tickling, well-stocked wallets needed emptying.

"Ahhh... Bertrand..." nodded one of the guests, rotund face beaming, "Your Chef de Cuisine has overdone himself tonight. My compliments."
"Hear ! Hear !" shouted the others.
The Maître d'Hotêl bowed with becoming but false humility. "I will leave You Gentlemen to your further entertainment then ? The Café and libations are on the table, as are the Blanc-mange, the Charlotte, the Flan and the Sabayon..."
"Excellent."

After the servants left some of the guests discreetly loosened cravattes, buttons. It was time to relax and talk shop.
"So," one mused, "the past few years have been good to us, no ? Marcel, I am glad you talked me into this investment of yours."
Marcel Desmarais took a sip of coffee and Cognac and smiled: "Yes. I must humbly admit it was stroke of genius. You were looking for more use of your increased steel output, and here I was with the perfect solution ! Try to use those 2000 tons Improved Heroult Cemented alloy steel a year!"
Another guest waved his hands about. "Do not forget I got you the engineer who could design the proper machines ! Those mills are rather specialised...15" thick plates ain't easely rolled"
His neighbour, not to be outdone, added: "And I knew where to find the men who could work these mills... well trained and cheap !"
"Yeah," muttered yet another guest, "des noirs... black ones."
"I heard that. It does not matter that they were born in Kolkota, they are French, they speak French. They work hard too."
"And they ask mightily lower wages..."
This had the entire assembly snickering. It was not easy these days to find affordable labour cattl-euh-employees. But in the fast-growing new industries they (and their fathers) had created during the last 3 decennia the native workforce has equally been growing... demanding higher wages, better living conditions (of all things !), less hours... crazy !
Marcel Desmarais, founder of Marais Mettalurge; spoke up again: "But with the new orders that have come rolling in lately, I think we can get by, non ? With every turret built, every armour plate rolled out we are strengthening La Glorieuse Patrie, and showing the rest of the world our magnificent handiwork. I for one, feel my heart beating with pride everytime I visit the Naval Docks. Glory is floating there."
"Yes," smiled Gaetan LeBlanc of LeBlanc Fonderies, "And a lot of money too."
This provoked a boisterous laughter from all. Each and every man present was a big shot in the steel industry, but what set them apart from mere "Steel Barons" was that they had had the bright and lucrative idea to branch out into naval steel works. All six of them had grown more prosperous with every order coming from the Ministry of Defense. Armour mills have been sprouting hither and yon and the money had come rolling in. They had reason to celebrate.


With thanks to Phoenix

[maddox]

Late HY 02 1918

Guernsey, Port Saint Peter. The new type 0 drydock is almost finished, the stone masons mortaring the last of the granite quay stones in. The workers from L'usine ferro des Trois Points finishing the 2 cranes able to service the drydock and the port.

The new workshop looks impressive, next the tiny island fishing port. On the other hand, the background shows the huge Blimp hangar and landing field a mile inland.

This scene repeats itself another 13 times all over the French coast line, and the ones at the costal fortresses of Port Saïd and Port Suez, Suez Canal.