Evening journal., 1916-08-28
BUILD SMALL TOWN
FOR WAR WORKERS
British Government Provides
Shelter for Extra Hands
in Sheffield Plants
ACCOMMODATION
FOR 1000 PERSONS

LuNDON, aug. l6.--Ihe housing
problem was acute in Sheffield almost
before the war broke out Then. when
there was a great extension Of plant
and new works we're established. II
became a positive mystery where the
workers put themselves. Now a new
town of huts and hostels has arisen
on high ground midway between the
moors and a valley studded with
chimneys belching smoke and flame
in the midst OF which the costly toys
Of war are being fabricated
This Petre street settlement, built
under the corporation with Govern
mont grants. provides accommodate
ton for r thousand workers The huts
are giving shelter m 1870 families.
and the balance is made up OF hos
tells for the single men. For the mo-
ment the married quarters are the
more popular, though both are excel
lent. The family man has five
roomed house al his disposal for SIS Sd
S1.6O) The boaallng Is thin, and
when there are children in clogs next
door the quletness Is broken. But
there are solid advantages. such as
the bath and heater fitted in the soul
lery, where cold water is laid on,
and an economical stove with oven
in the front room. There are three
bedrooms. and gas-httings are in
cluded IN the rent The women who
occupy the huts ere not insensihle 10
the charm Of living on the ground
-. -, 81
Prices Defy Competition.
The four blocks OF hotels vary
slightly IN type. but In each the prin-
ciple IL the same. There Is cubicle
for the ledger. and common dining
room is outside the block, and run
by local cooperative society at
prices which defy competition. The
lodger may either pay an inclusive
tSs Cd week (s46O) which gives
him his tiny bedroom with It's fit
tlngs) and full board. or else pay Is
Cd 900 cents). for the cubicle and
buy his own food Probably the lat
ter arrangement. though attractive to
many young men, Is less satisfactory
in the end, for n costs more than the
inclusive charge. These wooden
structures are admirably built, and
the furniture and fixtures are thor
oughly modern and convenient.
one Of the interesting features OF
the scheme Is large recreation
room 10 seat 400 people, with billiard
tables and stage II Is managed by
a committee including Church OF
England. Free Church and Roman
Catholic members. The church is
represented bv the Bishop and Vicar
Of Sheffield Nonconformity by the
Deputy-Lord and Roman Catholic by
the local priest Each will have the
use OF the hall all day every third
Sunday, and In this way religious
brotherhood Is promoted IN the great
steel city.
Amid the changing and banging Of
munition works. the benevolent still
find time and opportunity for social
welfare Even in the busiest firms
a band of voluntary workers minis
ters TO the needs OF the men and wo-
men. Canteens are open where cake
and bread and butter, sandwiches,
fruit and pastry are provided with
the usual nonalcoholic drinks. These
canteens just pay their expense, but
no profit Is expected. In a typical
case examined there is no dining
room at the works. hut one is now
being built on land belonging to the
firm 70 will be run on ordinary
working-class restaurant lines. Shelf
field workers have a certain prejudice
against the public dining room
Their conservative, and no doubt
rather circumscribed. view is that the
woman at home, should NOT be lefi
with time on her hands And so they
adhere 10 thcOld plan Of having the
. dinner prepared at home and brought
, 20 the gates. The canteen syssem. or
, the other hand, procures sandwiches
! in the middle Of the day These are
: consumed In tho shortest interval. in
the shadow Of the machine, but the
4 other Is the usual way.
r Dining Room for Women.
4 The workeirls IN this particular
+. case are moro deliberately served
% The small dining room which they a
+. present use 20 consume their owl
l. provisions will yield shortly to
r larger apartment seating couple o
% hundred. with kitchen attached. Al
n ambulance station Is under the sam
Il roof Here the woman worker re
ceives first aid in case OF acciden
Y or illness. and some OF hor sex in IN
g factory are trained 10 render thi
II help. In the early stages Of thei
]. work women find the strain severe
Il though il IS minimized as far as pos
q siblc by dividing the "a hours int
O three shifts Of eight hours each. Tn
q heat and the noise, however, are try
ing TO the nerves. and sometimes girl
faint and have 10 be carried away
In the factory under review there /
no factory nurse. but there is a ma
I iron who has gained the sympathy o
: the girls. Some preliminary traininl
was necessary in factory lore. an
this was acquired in the office. 70
i the girls resent the amateur-the be
!. nevoient outsiders" who have nj
+, knowledge of their work
The pleased expression Of the girl
shows their contentment with thei
lot Machines were made for men
but female labor adapts itself wit
!, the intelligence Of the sex. II is gla
n to earn all the money il can. an
Q never seeks to limit output. o
course. inery is still an attraction
and some part OF the wages go tina
way. but increased comforts in IN
home have also resulted from wo
~ ,,,,,- f,ou,.cion fnfo fnduefl-iatisu