514 515 2 516 3 517 4

SECRET
APPENDIX
Scottish Women and National Service

The object of this short report is to sketch briefly some, of the factors influencing the attitude of Scottish women, particularly the younger ones, to the various forms of National Service.

The report is based mainly on conversations with individuals and groups who are still undecided as to what National Service, if any, they wish to undertake. It is designed as a preliminary sketch which may open up lines for further enquiry. No comments are offered, for example, on the Land Army, the Nursing Services or the N.A.A.F.I., each of which requires a more detailed investigation. We are greatly indebted to officers of the Ministry of Labour and National Service for information and comments based on their expert knowledge of the situation.

GENERAL

Two general factors influencing younger women are (1) the strong objection to leaving home, and (2) the social standing - or lack of it - attached to the different kinds of National Service.

1. Objection to leaving home

The family is still the most important unit of our national life and anything which tends to break up this unit is resented. Fear always accompanies the idea of a transition from a settled existence to a new and untried way of life. There is a deeply embedded and sentimental love of home and this has been intensified through war risks such as air-raids. Even those who openly resent parental discipline are, “when it comes to the bit”, reluctant to break away. In addition, home comforts are greatly appreciated and the risk of losing them is disliked. This prejudice is strengthened by the attitude of mothers who dislike the idea of their daughters leaving the security of their home circle and fear that they will “get into bad company”.

2. Social standing of National Service

Preferences for or against the various forms of National Service depend primarily on the relative social standing or prestige of the different forms of war work and uniformed services.

Among middle class girls munitions work is looked down on; the W.R.N.S. and, to a lesser degree, the W.A.A.F. are favoured; but, according to experienced observers, in some dormitory towns and suburban areas, many girls of this type prefer jobs in banks and in Government offices which have good working conditions and involve no loss of “caste”.

In industrial districts in and around Glasgow, preference is generally for munitions work as against the uniformed services. This is probably because such work involves the minimum dislocation of ordinary life.

THE VARIOUS SERVICES

1. Munitions . One of the attractions of munition work is undoubtedly the good wages. The W.I.N.S. campaign publicised by one of the Scottish newspapers has been favourably remarked upon. The opportunity to meet members of the opposite sex is another factor. It has been stated that older women doing munition work take a pride in the results of their labours and frequently remark on the “beautiful bombs” they have helped to make.

2. Transport Among girls in towns this kind of war work has a great appeal. The regular hours, the good pay, the “freedom to live their own life” when work is finished are all appreciated. In addition the girls enjoy meeting the general public; they also enjoy the possibility of male companionship. One girl, at present a beauty specialist, said, “It's the 'buses for me. My girl friend is also a beauty specialist and she's having a fine time. Her hours are better than mine, her pay is better and she enjoys the life”.

3. Uniformed services Prejudices against joining the Forces include the small amount of the weekly allowance, dislike of discipline and of barrack life and of special duties alleged to cut into the girls' leisure time.

The three services are regarded very differently in public estimation. In general the W.R.N.S. are the most esteemed. The W.A.A.Fs. come in next with the A.T.S. a long way behind. For this reason fuller details are given in describing attitudes to the A.T.S.

4. The W.R.N.S . The Wrens are held in great esteem. The reasons given for this are that the girls who are members are mostly of a good type - “upper class girls”. It is believed that they are given varied and interesting jobs to perform. It is also thought they have many opportunities of meeting members of the opposite sex and that naval officers as a rule are less stand-offish than army officers. There is in addition a sentimental attachment to the Senior Service. The uniform is generally approved, though there has been some criticism of the hats. The girls say they are often mistaken for schoolgirls.

5. The W.A.A.Fs Here again the uniform is liked - the colour being becoming to most complexions. The jobs which the W.A.A.Fs are given are thought to be interesting, varied and demanding skill. There is also a belief that promotion is more easily obtained than in the other Services. In addition, the W.A.A.Fs bask in the reflected glory of the R.A.F.

6. The A.T.S. This service is more adversely criticised than any of the others. But a good deal of the criticisms seems to be based on ignorance, as girls whose friends are already members admitted that their friends were enjoying their life and had few regrets.

The commonest criticisms were:-

Apart from these criticisms it is very difficult to seize upon definite reasons for likes or dislikes. Most of the girls seemed to have very little real knowledge of actual conditions with the Services.

7. Attitude of Employers

Employers, though naturally sorry to lose girls, seem to be co-operating well. The system in Glasgow, of trying to postpone the calling up of key girls, has found approval among the employers.

8. Views on compulsion .

Among those women who have so far held back from National Service the opinion seems to be gaining ground that compulsory measures should be adopted; “I'll go if my pal has to go” is a common remark. Some employers, too, would welcome compulsion as a means of putting all business competitors on the same footing. It is said that “the Government is toying with the matter. All girls who would join up of their own free will are already in the Forces”. This kind of remark is both untrue and unimaginative. In the first place, the weekly intake by volunteering just now is not unsatisfactory, although it is below the present enormous requirements. In the second place, compulsion is not the only alternative to the voluntary system. A wiser alternative is to improve the methods of voluntary appeal in the light of experience and of careful and accurate field work. This short report is offered not as an example of such field work, but as a brief sketch of some points which might profitably be followed up.

SUGGESTIONS

The main points emerging from brief survey are:-

1. The importance of the home environment, and particularly of the attitude of mothers to the idea of their daughters leaving home.

2. The genuine ignorance of the actual facts about war work and the uniformed Services among many young women.

Both points call for an intensified effort of factual explanation addressed specifically to the people most concerned.

1. Appeal to Mothers .

A special appeal might be made to mothers to let their daughters go.

This appeal should take the form of a simple and homely description of life in industry, in the A.T.S., etc., showing (in the latter case especially) how well the girls are looked after, and that there is no fear of their “getting into bad company”. This last point should be made positively, not necessarily mentioning “bad company” (on the vital principal of not putting, or reinforcing, ideas in people's heads). The new leaflet “Serve to Conquer with Me” contains a “special word for mothers” which should be expanded into another leaflet and specially distributed. Likewise, mothers should be specially invited to the travelling A.T.S. Exhibition, perhaps by having a ‘Mothers' Day’. The co-operation of women's meetings might be got for this.

In addition, wherever possible, arrangements might be made for groups of girls from the same district or the same shop or factory to be sent away together.

2. Service Conditions

Actual working conditions within the services should be more extensively publicised. For example, an estimate of the actual emoluments of service members should be published; that is, board and lodging, uniform, sick benefit and allowance should be “priced” and the total sum thus paid by the State given publicity. This would bring home to unthinking people the actual earnings of the Services, and also help to explain the apparent discrepancy in salary between, say, munitions workers and the A.T.S.

The opportunity of carrying on skilled work or for learning new skilled jobs should also be stressed. This appears to be especially necessary in the case of the A.T.S., since the impression seems to be current that the W.R.N.S. and the W.A.A.Fs have greater opportunities for learning new jobs. The new leaflet, mentioned above, meets this point adequately and should be distributed as widely as possible.

Guarantees of promotion for merit should be emphasised. The encouraging news of the opening of two Staff Colleges should be helpful in overcoming prevalent misconceptions here.

The uniform of the A.T.S. should be improved. One suggestion is that slacks of the Daks pattern should be issued and the present uniform used up as “working clothes”.

Ministry of Information, (Scottish Regional Office) and Public Relations Branch, St. Andrew's House, Edinburgh. 1.

September 22, 1941.