The Raymer enterprise., 1917-08-16
WOMEN REPLACE MEN.
One Million So Employed, In Eng.
land, Uncle Sam Finds
oesps Ar Being Taken 70 ehsrtsk
Hours Of Work and b Protect
Health Of ths WsfksfA

The extent to which women have re-
placed men in industry In Great Brit
ain during the war, the operations
which they are required to perform In
factories and other lines Of endeavor,
periods Of employment, arrangements
for rest and meals, and the physical
condition Of woman workers. together
with a discussion Of matters affecting
the employment Of Juveniles, Including
hours Of labor, and supervision Of
health and welfare. are set forth in a
bulletin issued by Uncle Sans bureau
Of labor statistics.
II Is estimated that since the war
began and down to October. 1915, $685..
800 women or 300 per cent Of the
number employed In July. 1914. had
been drawn into the various govern
mental, Industrial and commercial ac-
tivities, and that In October. 1915, esq.,
600 women had directly replaced men
IN industry. Many Of these women
are performing operations heretofore
considered impossible for them to do.
In seeking to conserve the health
and thus promote the e6icency Of
these workers, the health Of munihon
workers committee reached the con-
clusion that long hours, particularly
at night. are perhaps the chief fac
tors In fatigue and that In the interest
Of output and health they should be
restricted. There should be suitable
pauses for rest during the working Pc
Rod and adequate cessation from work
at each week end In addition to pc
riodic holidays. The system Of three
shifts Of eight hours appears to yield
better results than one shift Of 1S to
IA or two shifts Of II hours each, be-
cause ''the strain Of night work. in
deed the strain generally, u senablly
diminished. greater vigor Of work lis
maintained throughout the shift, less
time is lost BY unpunctuality or ILL.,
ness, and there u less liability to ac-
sident." Employers are increasingly
recognising the Disadvantages Of an
overtime system. Well managed In
dustFial canteens, facilities for rest at
night, and q high standard Of sanitary
conditions are essential. for "cleanli-
ness and good order contribute to In
creased output az well as to the dis
eipline and morale Of Nthe factory"
Wise and suitable arrangements for
the management and supervision Of
women's labor are regarded as i'm
portant.
During 1914 the number Of women
who obtained employment In other dis
tricts through the employment ex-
changes was S2.068; In 1915, bS.~6; !;
In 1915. 160,008; indicating the In
creasing mobility Of women's labor
due to war conditions.
To maintain the physical well-bslns
Of children, opportunities for recrea-
tion, time for plenty Of sleep, canteen
facilities and the efforts Of welfare
supervisors Ore regarded a. highly i'm
portant. Sunday work should be elm
mated and children should be en-
ployed at night only when other labor
cannot be obtained. Employment Of
boys under sixteen should be restrict
ed to 90 hours per week, 1t is urged.
II should be borne In mind that this
limit recommended BY the committee
expresses their opinion Of the maxi.
mum which may be permitted to meet
the imperative need Of necessary mill
tary and other supplies In q time Of
great emergency. It is estimated that
10000 children at or about'the age Of
fourteen, normally leave the elemen-
tafy schools annually, and that In 1916
this number was exceeded by about
1900 with the probability that Il u
now much greater.