In the early part of the war our men and women frequently worked seven days in the week and shifts were very long for women as for men.  Practically no holidays were taken in answer to Lord Kitchener’s appeals.  The regulations preventing women from working on Sunday had been removed in a limited number of cases.  The investigation of the committee in November, 1915, showed that Sunday labor when it meant excessive hours was bad and it did not increase output, that the strain on foremen and managers in particular was very great, and they recommended a modification of the policy.

In a later Memorandum, No. 12, on output in relation to hours of work, very interesting figures were given, practically all showing increased output as a result of shorter hours of labor.

The committee reported in Memorandum No. 5 that it was of the opinion that continuous work by women in excess of the normal legal limit of sixty hours per week ought to be discontinued as soon as practicable, and that the shift system should be used instead of overtime.

A special Memorandum, No. 4, was entirely concerned with the employment of women and dealt with hours, conditions, rest and meals, management and supervision, and it strongly urged every precaution and protection for women.

The Welfare Department meantime had started on its work of securing, training and appointing Welfare Supervisors, Miss Alleyne looking after that branch of the work.

The Department was “charged, with the general responsibility of securing a high standard of conditions” for the workers.

The growth of the work has been enormous.  The Ministry of Munitions today has large numbers of Welfare Supervisors with every Government establishment and the controlled establishments have them also.  In Government shops they are paid by the Ministry, in controlled establishments by the management and their appointment is notified to the Welfare Department.

The Ministry has issued a leaflet on “Duties of Welfare Supervisors for Women,” which is given at the end of this chapter.

It will be seen that the Welfare Worker must be a rather wonderful person.  She must be tactful, know how to handle girls, and be a person of judgment and decision.  We have succeeded in securing a very large number of admirable women and excellent work is being done.  The Welfare Workers are in their turn inspected by Welfare Inspectors and Miss Proud, the Chief Inspector in dangerous factories, who sees the precautions against risk of poisoning from Tri-nitro-toluol, Tetryl, the aeroplane wing dope, etc., are all carried out by the management, has written an admirable textbook on welfare work.  The country for this purpose is divided into nine areas, and two women inspectors work in each.