The sun., 1917-09-30

war conditions wsre unfavorabis to
them. For example. in the clothing
trades the number Of women workers
showed great reduction for . long
time. simply because people were wear
ing their old clothes and less clothing
was true In many other occupations.
nut 10 far ~ industrial activity IL con.
cerned Britain has been distinctly more
prosperous since about the beginning
of 1917 than at any previous time.
The country has gots It's business and
Industries readJusted to the war basis,
pricse have gone up even faster than
wages - that profits are possible. the
immense numbers Of new workers with
unaocustomed wages to spend have been
spending and thus feed the Industries
anew; % It is found that. although the
national wealth is Of course being
drawn upon at much more rapid rate
than II can be replaced, there IL a tire.
mendous industrial and commercial nc
ivity. This activity being coincident
with the progressive withdrawa Of men
Tor military service, the labor Of women
70 more and more required to carry II
along. In the coming months and per-
h4ps years OF the war there is every
reason to expect still greater and ever
increasing proportion OF women to be
employed.
a study Of these figures on the en-
pioyment OF women seems to point to
the rather unexpected fact that as the
war lengthens industrial and commercial
conditions tend to return nearer to the
normal rather than to depart further
from It. In fact the Industrial expan-
sion OF 1917 is stated by the Ministry
to have been caused chiefly by the re-
sumption Of something like normal ac-
ttvities and prosperity In industries
which during the earlier periods OF tho
war had suffere1 great depression.
Textiles Tndustry Affected.
Among these industries that Of textiles
is worthy Of particular consideration. It
is the greatest single industry in the
Kingdom. In the textile trades there
had been decrease OF 5000 in the num-
ber OF women employed between October
1915. and January. 1917. The decrease
In the number Of men employed was
probably even larger. But at the begin
ming Of 1917 there waa q distinct revival.
Since that time the high price of cotton
has again exercised a depressing infiu-
| ence. but despite everything the number
OF people employed In the textile In
dustries has shown very little reduction
since the beginning Of the present year
There are to-day $4,000 more women in
the textile trades than there we're at
the beginning of the war.
The group Of industries in which en-
ployment of women has recently de-
clined most include the food. drink and
| tobacco trades. IN which the number Of
women employees showed . reduction Of
5000 In the first quarter Of the present
year: whereas the last quarter Of 1916
there was a reduction Of only 1000. This
| Is largely due Of course TO the restric-
tions on the manufacture and sale Of
liquors. and to the vigorous and measur-
! ably successful efforts At economy Of
food.
One more testimony II brought BY
this report to the readiness with which
! women have responded to tho national
demand. 1t is shown that there has
been a distinct Improvement in the sup.
ply Of female labor for industry In reia-
tion to the demand. the percentage Of
firms reporting shortage having fdIien
to per cent. since October. whereas In
January and October there had been a
slight increase over the preceding quar-
ter.
Commercial Work Augneuted.
The increase in the number of women
workers Is no guide to the number Of
women who have taken the places OF
men. On this point the report says:
It Is common to find a firm working
with a reduced STAFF. replacing men
with some Of its existing female staff
without engaging fresh women, while
on the other hand firm with p pres
sure of work on hand may be employing
a large number Of extra women without
using any Of them as substitutes for
men.
According 70 the returns received
about 1.3ss.00o are practically replacing
| men. The largest number are to be
! found In industrial and commercial oc-
| cupations. Compared. however. with
the numbers usually employed the re-
| placements have been most In Govern
ment establishments. civil service, bank.
| finance and transport. In Industrial oc.
cupations In every group OF trades there
has been an increase In the numbers Of
women reported by employers to b
/ replacing men, the increase for all In.
dustriee being $4,000 since January.
| against an increase Of 1000 IN the pro-
ceding quarter. In the metal and chsr,l-
ical trades requirements seem to havs
received . considerable impetuA. the
numbers Of replacing women having In
creased by $4,000 In the first quarter
of 1917. as against an increase Of $4,000
In the last quarter OF 1915.