HOME INTELLIGENCE
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APPENDIX
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PUBLIC OPINION AND THE A.T.S.
SECRET
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(
FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY
.)
An abstract of a report of an Investigation by THE WARTIME SOCIAL SURVEY for the General Productions Division, Ministry of Information.
1.
Introduction
This survey was not concerned with the A.T.S. Advertising Campaign as such, but rather with public feeling on the subject of the A.T.S. and A.T.S. recruitment, particularly as contrasted with other forms of war work.
The following brief extract covers only a small number of the questions asked and results obtained. They have, however, been selected as being the most significant. A copy of the full report may be seen on application to Home Intelligence.
Interviews were carried out with:
1,031 girls of potentially recruitable age;
546 members of the public other than potential recruits;
611 members of the A.T.S. at camps and barracks.
2.
Potential Entrants
.
i. All potential entrants were asked:
“What do you feel about joining a Service or doing other War Work?”
Willingness was highest in the N. and N.E. and lowest in the S. and S.E. It will be noticed that the full range of women's war work was given as the field of choice.
Result
:
Willing.
67%.
686.
Unwilling.
32%.
332.
Don't know.
1%
13
100%
1,031.
ii. Those who were unwilling were asked to indicate their objections, if any. Objections vary with age. For the older age groups, domestic responsibility is the gravest objection.
Objections
.
Total
.
No.
%.
Would not like leaving home
208
25
Have dependants.
128
15
My family would object
100
12
Have young children to care for
89
11
Already in War Work.
51
6
Do not want to leave a good or promising job
71
8
Not physically fit.
47
6
Feel I am already doing useful work.
42
5
I don't think I am as much needed as all that.
20
2
I would be unable to leave uncongenial job.
16
7
Others
3
iii. Those without objections were asked to note their preference for any of the possible forms of war work. In some cases more than one choice was made,
and the table below is based on the total mentions of Services.
Choices
.
No.
%.
War work in Office or Factory
259
32
W.A.A.F.
204
25
Nursing (C.N.R., V.A.D., B.A.M.S., St. Johns, etc.)
43
17
Women's Land Army.
55
A.F.S., N.F.S.
9
Civil Defence (A.R.P.)
3
F.A.N.Y.S.
5
N.A.A.F.I.
10
W.V.S.
3
Policewoman
2
Ministries or Government Clerical
5
M.T.C.
3
Others (including “Any”)
22
W.R.N.S.
130
16
A. T. S.
82
10
Total
835
100
War Work in Factory or Office
.
The chief reasons for this preference were:
53%
Because I want to stay at home, etc.
11%
This work suits me better, etc.
17%
Don't fancy life in the Services.
A.T.S.
The chief reasons for this preference were:
22%
My husband is in the Army.
18%
More chance of promotion.
The number expressing a preference for the A.T.S. was, however, quite small, and these figures are, therefore, subject to a wide margin of possible error.
W.A.A.F.
The chief reasons for this preference were:
22%
I like the uniform.
20%
The work is interesting. I could learn more.
9%
My qualifications fit me for the job.
W.R.N.S.
The chief reasons here were:
27%
I like the sea. Am interested in the Navy.
21%
I prefer the type of girl in the W.R.N.S.
9%
The work is interesting.
iv. With a view to eliciting the possible resistances to joining individual Women's Services, the following question was asked of all potential entrants:-
“If you have any objection to the Women's Services, what is it?”. More than one objection was made in many cases, but percentages are on a common base, so that comparison is valid.
Objections
.
W.A.A.F.
A.T.S.
W.R.N.S.
OTHERS
.
No.
%
No
.
%
No
.
%
No
.
%
Because of the type of person I would have to live with.
61
11
126
23
44
8
28
5
I would not like the living conditions.
48
14
63
20
44
13
27
8
Surroundings would not be congenial.
32
49
28
17
My friends and relatives would not like me to be in this service.
84
15
110
20
72
13
49
9
The uniform is bad.
36
6
91
16
40
7
19
3
Too much drilling and discipline.
53
10
64
12
49
9
28
5
This service has a bad name; adverse criticism of friends & relatives; cases of “unmarried mothers”.
32
6
60
11
26
5
20
4
Pay and allowances would not be enough.
51
9
55
10
48
9
23
4
I might get a job I did not like or which is uninteresting.
36
6
52
9
33
6
19
3
I might get a job which did not give me full opportunities.
23
4
31
6
21
4
12
2
I don't wish to leave home: I would miss my home comforts.
28
5
28
5
28
5
16
3
Too much “herding”; not enough privacy.
27
5
27
5
27
5
21
4
I might be asked to do a job beyond me physically and mentally.
21
4
25
5
22
4
19
3
Not enough leave or spare time.
22
4
22
4
19
3
9
2
The type of men I would meet.
12
2
19
3
9
2
4
-
Dislike of any uniform.
18
3
19
3
18
3
14
3
Improbability of promotion.
11
2
15
3
11
2
3
-
I would not like the Officers.
11
2
14
3
10
2
4
-
Might be sent anywhere; don't want to go abroad.
14
3
14
3
15
3
4
-
I might have to learn a job of no use to me when the war is over.
14
3
12
2
10
2
6
1
It will be seen that 63% of the objections to the A.T.S. referred to the type of person or conditions of life in the A.T.S. (c.f. 40% for the W.A.A.F. and 34% in the case of the W.R.N.S.). The other striking figure for the A.T.S. is the greater objection to the uniform.
An attempt was made to trace the source of these criticisms:
56%
Had heard others make the criticisms mentioned above.
44%
Had not heard them from others.
Of those who had heard the criticisms from others, the following identification was established:-
15%
From relatives.
40%
From friends.
22%
From friends in the forces.
23%
from others.
v. It seemed important to find out what women who, willing to join but had not done so (the great majority), would do if in fact compulsion were introduced.
Of those willing to join a Service, if compulsion were introduced:
68%
Would go willingly.
17%
Would not mind.
15%
Would resent it.
An analysis of response to this possibility from the whole sample showed not much variation from this picture. Resentment for all potential recruits amounted to 24%.
3.
Opinions of Relatives, Friends and Acquaintances
.
An attempt was made to size up feeling amongst those members of the public likely to influence potential recruits. The question was asked:
“From your knowledge of these Services, would you advise any relative or acquaintance to join, or advise them not to join?”
Result
:
W.A.A.F.
A.T.S.
W.R.N.S.
Others.
Would advise joining.
56%
52%
56%
53%
Would advise against joining.
14%
19%
12%
12%
Don't know.
27%
26%
29%
33%
Would not influence either way.
3%
3%
3%
3%
Not answered. (numbers, not %)
21%
23%
22%
41%
Total interviews.
546
546
546
546
It will be seen that no unduly large antagonism exists to any particular Service. An analysis of replies by sex indicates that men are more biased against the A.T.S. than women. This tendency common to all Services is more marked in the case of the A.T.S. than other Services.
4.
The A.T.S. themselves
.
Members of the A.T.S. were interviewed at camps and barracks. No third persons were present at interviews:
(i) They were asked why they joined the Service:
Result
:
49%
The country needed my services, or previous connections with the forces.
16%
For a more interesting job.
4%
Attracted by advertisements, etc.
4%
I fancied the life, etc.
15%
Relatives or friends had joined up.
12%
Other reasons, including a small percentage who were unhappy at home.
These reasons apply to those now in the A.T.S. and may of course have a different relevance when those still unrecruited are considered.
ii) Members of the A.T.S. were asked what they liked or disliked about life in the Service.
Things liked:
32%
Companionship, mixing with people, etc.
20%
Like the job, it is interesting or useful.
12%
I like everything.
9%
There are no worries, like rationing or clothes.
27%
Miscellaneous.
The things disliked in the Service were varied, and such as might be found in any organised Service, No comment totalled more than 10% with one significant exception.
21%
of those disliking something in the Service complained of the uniform and accessories.
iii) A.T.S. personnel were asked what in their opinion was the public estimate of the Service:
Result
:
59%
Not high. They seem to look down on us.
16.5%
Its very mixed.
17%
Public think well of us.
7.5%
Others.
Only 7% of the A.T.S. when asked, however, wanted to leave the Service. A small proportion stated spontaneously that public opinion of the A.T.S. was improving. On the other hand, no one stated that public opinion was changing for the worse.
5.
Conclusions
.
(1) The strongest single reason working against recruitment for the women's services is dislike of leaving home. If family objections are added, the total is 37%.
(2) The next strongest reason is the care of dependants and young children, which together amount to 26%.
(3) It is, therefore, not surprising that war work in factory or office is the most popular single choice, and that the main reason given for this choice is that it enables one to stay at home.
(4) Of the services, the W.A.A.F. is the most popular choice; it is significant that the uniform is the main reason for this choice, with, however, the interest of the work a close second.
(5) In view of the small size of the W.R.N.S., its position as second choice is more important than might appear. Further, it is the only service where the type of girl in it is mentioned as a significant source of attraction.
(6) It is interesting that, in spite of the low opinion which Service men are stated to have for the A.T.S., the most potent reason for wishing to join was a husband in the Army.
(7) Among the resistances to joining individual women's services, the most striking features are the objections, in the case of the A.T.S., to the type of girl, the living conditions, the general reputation (as reflected by the opinions of relatives and friends), and the uniform.
(8) A high proportion of criticisms of the women's services had been heard from members of the forces.
(9) If compulsion were introduced, only 24% of potential recruits would resent it. It must be remembered that no effort was made to exclude married women from the sample of potential recruits.
(10) Over 50% of friends and relatives would advise joining a woman's service. Relatives take far less exception to the A.T.S. than might be anticipated from the replies of potential recruits and members of the A.T.S. itself. Men are, however, more biased against the A.T.S. than women.
(11) Among the reasons given by the A.T.S. themselves for joining up, the most striking figures are the high percentage who joined from patriotic motives (as would be expected in a volunteer service), and the low percentage who said they were attracted by advertisements. This low figure may be misleading, since successful advertisement is often that which produces action without people realising that they have been influenced by advertisement.
(12) Among likes and dislikes inside the A.T.S., the dislike of the uniform is the most striking single feature.
(13) The most interesting result was the very low opinion which the A.T.S. thought the public had of them. Nearly 60% thought that they were looked down on. In this, they were in fact wrong, as evidenced by the views of friends and relatives of potential recruits. It appears, therefore, that the A.T.S. is suffering from a severe feeling of inferiority, and needs teaching to think well of itself. The commercial maxim “when advertising won't sell a product, look at the product” - appears to hold good in this problem as well.
