New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-24
Women in War Work
Official Statistics of the Great Shx
in English Industries

men in industry in Great Britain dur,.
the war, the operations which they ar. :,
qurea to perform in factories and OIL,
lines Of endesvor, periods Of employmes
arrangements for rest and meals. a.,
the physical condition OF women work.,.
together with q discussion Of matter, :.
fectiDg the employment. Of juveniles, |,
GLIDING hours Of labor and supervision =,
health and welfare. are set forth in BulI.s.
223, recently issued by the Bureau Of Lsh,,
Statistics of the United States Departn..,
OF Labor
This bulletin, entitled Employment a,
Women and Juveniles in Great Britain pv,.
ing the War" is the third one mad. IN 4,
reprints of Official and quasi-oficial as,,-
ment., giving the experience Of Gres, BIZ.
ain ard other foreign countries in de.I;,,
with labor conditions resulting from u.
war. It embraces reprints Of two memo.
randa issued by the Health Of Muritis.
Workcrs' Committee, and summary A.
comprehensive statement relating 10 %.
placement of men By women in industry a,
published by the British Association "a,
the Advancement Of Science in its book
Labor, Finance and the War" There IL.
supplementary statement respecting ii. q.
tension of the employment OF women dur
ing 1916; collection Of orders relating |.
Employment and remuneration o. women; a
report of the mission appointed 70 study
outrui of munitions in France, and state
ment OF the migration of women's labo,
through employment exchanges.
The Replacing Of Men
II is estimated that, since the war beyaa
and down 10 October, 1915, e95,5O0 women.
or 306 per cent of the number employed IN
July, 1914, had been drawn into The ysrou,
governmental. industrial and commercial
activities, and that in October. 1916, e33,oo0
women had directly replaced men in inds.
try Many OF these women are performing
operations never before considered possible
for them to do.
In seeking 70 conserve the health, al
thus promote the efficiency 81 these won.
ers, the Health of Munition Workers Con-
mttee reached the conclusion that long
hours. particularly at night are perhaps
the chief factors in fatigue. and that IN
the interest of output and health, they
should be restricted There should be suit.
able pauses for rest during the working
period and adequate cessation from work q.
each week end in addition to periodic holi.
days. The system of three shifts Of eirh.
hours each appears to yield better result,
than one shift OF thirteen to fourteen hours
or two shifts Of twelve hours each, because
"the strain of night work. indeed the strain
generally, is sensibly diminished. greater
vgor Of work is maintained throughout the
shift, less time is lost By unpunctuality or
! illness, and there Is less liability to acci.
den.." Employers are increasingly reeog-
/ MIXING the disadvantages Of overtins
/ system. Well managed industrial can.eens,
facilities for rest at night and high
standard Of sanitary conditions are essen
I. tial, for cleanliness and good order cor
tribute to increased output, as well Is 10
the discipline and morale OF the factory"
Wise and suitable arrangements for the
management and supervision OF women,
labor are extremely important
During 1914 the number OF women who
obtained employment in other districts
through the employment exchanges was 32.-
9sS; in 1915. 1896: in 1916. l6o,oo3; ind.
eating the increasing mobility OF womens
| labor due to war conditions.
The Care Of Children
| To maintain the physical wellbeng o.
children, opportunities for recreation, lime
for plenty of sleep, canteen facilities ana
the efforts Of welfare supervisors are r.
garded as highly important. Sunday won
should be eliminated and children should Dc
employed at night only when other labor
cannot be obtained. Employment OF boys
under sixteen should be restricted to sixty
hours week. It should be borne in mind
that this limit recommended by the con-
mitteo expresses their opinion OF the maxi
mum which may be permitted to meet me
imperative need Of necessary military ana
other supplies in time of great emersene!
From all that is known OF the effects OF ID.
dustral employment upon the health Oh
young persons. it is evident that sky
hour week for boys under sixteen years -
the absolute maximum TO be permitted only
in case OF the drest necessity TO secure
the PRODUCTION of indispensable supplies sra
munitions. It Is estimated that 4oV'vV0
children at or about the age OF fourteen
normally leave the elementary schools an
nually. and that in 1915 this number wA'
exceeded b. about $4,000. with the prcoa'
bility that il is now much greater.