The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-19
MUNITIONS WORK
HARD FOR WOMEN
Conditions Of Labor in Eng.
land. Including Night
Work. Condemned.
MAKE FOR TNEFFICIENCY
sn,c,oi corr,,po,d,pce 70 Tux sry

Special Correspondence To Tux SrN
IoSDoN. Fen. 2S.-The extent, TO which
women arc beinv employed in munition
factories in England Is described In de-
tail IN a memorandum Just issued by the
Munition Workers Committee.
The inunition workers of to-day are
stated n include dressmakers, laundry
workers. textile workers. domestic ser
wants, clerical workers, shop assistants,
university and art studcn,s-womcn and
girls. In fact, OF every social grade. many
Of them Of no previous wage earning ex-
per,erre, especially wives and Widow Of
soldiers. many married women who had
retired altogether from Industrial life.
md many again who had never entered
Il. Conditions OF work have been ac-
copied without question and without ON
plaint which are Immediately detrimental
TO output. and would. II continued. be ul-
timately disastrous to health.
In the largest section Of the memo
randum. which deals with periods of en-
ploymcnt. IL is stated that the expert
eNce Of the past shows that night work
results In deterioration in health caused
by the difficulty in a workiiG class home
81 securing sufficient resi- bN7 day dis
turbancc of horne life. with It's injuriour
effects upon the children, aud diminished
value of the work done. Though FORBID
den 10y law in ordinary times. the en-
ploymcut Of womcn AT night j. for a
ttme inevitable.
Hours Of work.
Evidence is highly conflicting as 10 the
merits of continuous night work az
Against thos" of a weekly, fortnightly or
monthly change OF shift. and although
the committee are fully alive TO the dis
advantages of a constantly recurring al
formation between day and night shifts.
they consider that the matter II one
which must bc largely dealt with locally
OIL social considerations
1t haze been stated by some manag ets
n forcmcN that the last few hours of
a twelve hour night shift yield little out
put. The greater Influence Of fatiguc at
night Is partly due to the fact that tn
rours between . a. VI. AND s A. VI. and
4 \. VI and : A.. ". coincide with the
period when, apart from industrial IA
tiguc, Vitality Is low. and partly to the
fact that night workers lack tine slim
illus of u satisfactory meal. There seems
little appetite for the meal which occurs
between | \. VI, and 3 \. NJ. and IL Is
often of a m,~t unsatisfactory character.
The committee are satisfied that the en-
ploy mcut of Nou"n at night calls for
particular care and supervision. and that
adequate pausos for rest aiu meals are
Indispensable.
destruction greatly improved conditions
Of transit aurl housing mus, he secured
as well as the best possible hours OF
work by night and day. II Is far
from uncommon now 10 Nnd some two
Or three hours spout on the journey each
way. generally under the fatiguing con
ditions Of an oycrcrow'lcd train o,
tram, often with long waits and a
severe struggle before even STANDING
room van hc obtained. often FAR from
OFFERING Il rest from the fatigue Of IN.
DAY the nom" coiritions off.r but Crest
a"ggraVaiinu. \ day begun al 4. or ever
$50 \ NJ. for work at i 4. NJ, fol.
lowcl hy fourteen hours in the factory
and another two OF two and a halt
horrs on the Journey back. may end al
10 or 10 30 T.. NJ. IL a home or lodging
wrerc tho prevailing degree OF over,
GROWING precludcs all possibility OF
comfortable rest. Reds are never empty
and rooms are never aired. for in a
badly crowded district the beds. ike the
occupants, are organized In day and
night shifts. In such conditions Of con
fusion, pressure and overcrowdiug. hom'
a have no existence.
Efficiency impaired.
Wours Of woinen's labor are also re
frrrcd 10 in this memorandum. Othel
sections Of the memorandum treat Of:
90 Arrangements for rest and meals
T1'is section refers largely TO question!
already considered.
i2l The sanitary condition OF TN
factor,. u Is stated that the cffec
upon the health and energy OF womei
md girls which results from clean
bright aud airy workrooms, well warmed
~ winter, can hardly he exaggerated
The refreshing effect OF washing a;d it.
influence on solf-rcspcct has also bee,
dwclt upon by many witnesses |
washing facilities are easily accessible
and sufficient 20 enable workers I
wash without undue encroachment upo'
sheir annual times. experience shows tina
th,v are much appreciated and full.
used.
90 The physical condition of womc'
workers. The committee are satlshe'
that there j. a significant AMOUNT o
physical disability among women in fac
tories which calls for prevention am
treatment. This arises from the fac
tNn many women now entering upo'
employment in the factory are vi
accustomed to It's conditions. The natur
OF thcir work, therefore. should be de-
tcrInin,d with due regard 20 It's effect oil
thcir immediate AMI future health.
,N Management AL supervision,
In ~pr"lusion IN" memorandum state
tuAt If the present long hours. me lacl
Of helpful and sympathetic oversight
the Inability 10 obtain good, Wholesom