Evening star., 1943-05-02
CREE INDIANS HELP TURN OUT REVOLT GUNS
Sten Machine Corbine Built for Guerrilla Use in Europe
By John Ferris,
Associated Press Writer.

IoA>Nd O4e1A4>SAAB OAAtoA -OlAAS4dAS,
the Sten gun Is machine carbine,
light, small, easy to operate. Unoff-
cially, workers at the Small Arms, Ltd,
plant here call it the "Woolworth" or
the invasion" gun, and talk about the
day when the enslaved peoples of Europe
will use it in revolt against Nazidom.
Consignments of Stems, they say, al
ready have been dropped by parachute
In Norway, France and Holland. They
speak with satisfaction of this growing
underground arsenal-a threat to the
Nazis' rear, as the menace of invasion is
a threat to their front. The workers are
as proud of the Stem as of the Lee
Enfield rifles which also go out of this
factory.
The Sten is toy-like, almost unbe-
lievably simple. 1t weighs only 6L
pounds, has barrel only 9 inches long
1t can be taken apart in 80 seconds and
has little to it besides the four major
parts: Butt, body, 32-bullet magazine and
barrel.
1t is effective up to 100 yards and is
therefore eXcellently adapted for guer-
rilla work. When packed for normal de-
livery to the armed forces, the gun is
accompanied by eight magazines.
The manufacturing costs of the Sten
Is put at more than $40 and less than
SIS" That's why it got the name
of "Woolworth."
The plant where it is produced, about
u miles from Toronto, was established
in August, 1910. Production has been
speeded SO much that officials declare
their factory is the largest rifle plant in
the world.
Sixty-five per cent of the 46OO en-
ployes are women, many of them Cree
Indians and most of them never worked
before. The operations are simplifed,
however, to such an extent that any
normal unskilled person can easily &C
quire the knack of working at most of
the machines.
The presence of Cree Indian women
and girls from the western plains is
result of Canada's labor shortage. The
jobs had to be filled, so the government
sent agents north and west to hire girls
with guarantee of three months of
employment and longer if they made
good. Nearly 200 came from the Sas-
katcheWan area, some 1000 miles away.
The housing was settled by the con-
struction of hostel which houses 410
girls and contains six modern bowling
alleys, game room, nezzanine lounge
and writing rooms, laundries with tubs,
drying racks and electric irons, and
cafeteria.
There are 48 single rooms and 1877
double rooms. Each girl has her own
bed, maple armchair, dressing table
and stool, her own mirror, individual rug
and wardrobe. Some of the girls had
no idea such luxury existed. Each girl
in double room pays $3.50 a week
which also entities her to 81 meals
week, while girls in single rooms pay
$780,
Their wages run from 35 to so cents
an hour, plus incentive bonuses. They
work six eight-hour days per week, but
half-hour lunch periods are not deducted,
so that girl actually works As hours and
is paid for 48. The top gross salary is
about $28 week.
Among the women in the factory are
10 grandmothers, a Canadian born
Polish baroness, mother of three chill
dren whose husband was killed overseas,
and a little old lady named Aggie San
tary, who, as girl in England, went to
work in a factory during the Boer War.
She worked In Toronto war plant dur
ing the last war filling shells.
Now 63, she works the small arms
night shift and has one startling habit.
About am. when workers begin to feel
tired Aggie suddenly rises and crows like
a rooster. She thinks it gives the others
pep.
There is little absenteeism, and vast
deal of pride and loyalty. In Canadas
third victory loan the employees pledged
themselves to buy 100000 worth of
bonds.
Most of the workers have relatives in
the armed forces, some as many as FIVE
and six. Some have lost relatives in
action overseas.
That is another reason why they enjoy
making that little invasion gun"