A. THE UNIFORM

There is an objection to A.T.S. uniform and all its accessories. Men who object to their womenfolk being in uniform object more to an ugly uniform.

Uniform unpopular, ugly, drab, depressing, monotonous. It is thought to be uncomfortable as well as unbecoming.

Khaki is said to be unflattering to female complexion. (Male comment); the stockings “disgusting”, especially after washing; skirt “awful” to girls’ figures.

Constructive suggestions, especially from Shoreditch .

A.T.S. girls all declare that they would be satisfied with uniform cut like W.A.A.F. If uniform must be khaki, Miss Sheehan of Shoreditch Labour Exchange, suggests a scarlet tie, at least for walking out, with scarlet or other coloured silk tassels on shoulder and whatever distinguishing mark of rank or unit you can give. “Men love these devices; so would women.”

1. Cut skirt differently;

2. See that the fastening of jacket aligns properly and does not gape;

3. Shirt with detachable collar;

4. Dark tie or of contrasting colour;

5. Improve the quality of stockings.

(Sources of Comment: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 15, 16, 17, 19)

B. OBJECTION TO LEAVING HOME

Girls will not leave home. The unskilled working girl is not mobile - is born, works, marries, has a child, amuses herself, all within radius of a few streets of a London district, or her industrial town. As the class of girl improves religious and social objections to leaving home are added; the lower middle-class of this country still having the ideal of the “sheltered” woman.

Real, as distinct from, partly imagined objections to the Services come from the fact that most working girls contribute towards the family budget more than their own subsistence. Their presence in the home helps to keep up the standard of living even when they are not the main wage-earners. They give services to the home, and in return are enabled to live better than on their own.

Therefore, the reiteration, when registering at Labour Exchanges, of such phrases as: “I want to come home to my dinner”, or “ My mother goes to the hospital”, mean more than is apparent on the surface. Labour Exchange officials accept this as the expression of a definite economic relationship.

A widespread basis of resistance has been the girls idea that employment in, say, the clothing trade, which makes uniforms for the Forces, is already work vital to the national effort, “When disabused of this idea 50% are willing to co-operate.”

A small number (usually religious sectarian) are conscientious objectors.

Many girls object to being taken from work and home when professional women are largely reserved. They feel that their class is being exploited.

“C” and “D” Class women are vital bread-winners, not pin-money workers; and when the menfolk of a family have been called up, the going of one woman to a Service is a severe blow to the family even when these are not positively supporting parents or younger children.

Unspecified objection to the A.T.S. is frequently the result of fashions in likes and antipathies, which spread like wildfire among working girls everywhere. Quite a lot of hostility to the A.T.S. has been passed from girl to girl simply as an unreasoned fashion.

The conservatism of the young skilled workman makes him dislike the thought of his wife seeking employment without necessity. Many such men are in reserved occupations, well-paid, - and it is the wives of such who, even when childless, are obstinately determined not to leave home.

The above attitude on the part of married Women of “C” and “D” Class is very strong in certain districts where married women normally do not go to work, e.g. the town. of Derby, and the East Ham district of London.

This class, whether the girl in question has a child or not, is very serious in its attitude to women as representing the Home. Sometimes religion strengthens their dislike of taking a woman from her home, but in any case the idea of Woman and Home is joint, and indivisible.

“This is a home-loving population.”

“Our girls love their homes.”

“ The family is still the most important unit of our national life. Anything which tends to break it up is resented. Sentimental love of home has been intensified by war risks, such as air raids.”

This “home complex” accounts for much of the opposition to the A.T.S.(or W.A.A.F., or W.R.N.S.) on the part of husbands other than those in the Forces.

“Girls in good jobs can get no assurance that should they leave (to join the Services) their Jobs would, still be open to them after the War.”

Thus, for home-keeping and financial reasons, and also through fear of leaving familiar work for the unfamiliar environment of a Service, girls prefer munition work which offers higher pay and also the chance of remaining at home or near home.

“90% of girls’ definitely prefer factory work.”

“A good deal of the trouble comes from employers who cannot understand that their interests should not come first.” These employers stress to their girls the undesirability of the Services, and completely turn them against them

(Sources of Comment : 0, 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 14, 16, 19).

C. BAD REPUTATION OF THE A.T.S.

The A.T.S. appears to have been from the beginning the drab and unglamourous Service, the legion of Cinderellas, domestic workers of low degree among whom one expected, and got, a low degree of morality. Even the uniform seems to have helped this idea, men contemptuously calling them “female Tommies” and “scum of the earth,” (Camberwell). When girls register at Labour Exchanges, and allow themselves to be indicated for a Service, their first stipulation is: “Not the A.T.S” This is often the objection when girls say they “don’t like it,” and when pressed for reasons they find fault with the uniform.

In industrial towns objections to A.T.S, are undefined, but Ministry of Labour officials incline to believe that the A.T.S. bad reputation contains traces of the obloquy attached to W.A.A.Cs. of the last War.

“The nicer type of girl will not look at the A.T.S.”

“There is definite mention that they are a bad type.”

“Those that volunteered for A.T.S. I am ashamed to have registered - a type dissatisfied with their present jobs and not worth better ones.”

The morality of the A.T.S, is attacked universally, but this condemnation appears to originate almost wholly with members ‘of the Forces, especially Army men.

An intelligent parlourmaid joining the A.T.S., said: “Army men talk against the A.T.S. Airmen talk against the W.A.A.Fs. Naval men talk against the W.R.N.S. But I have my own opinion of the Service I want.”

This supports the contention of a detached male observer that the vast body of hostile gossip emanating from the Forces is much inspired by the men’s preoccupation with their own or comrades’ lack of morals.

Characteristic of the attitude of soldiers, etc., towards the Women’s Services, is the fact that many advise their friends that the “W.R.N.S. is the best Service" because “they believe the girls work in depots ashore and have little opportunity of mixing with the men.” On the other hand, another man condemns W.R.N.S. on the score that “naval men are notoriously immoral.”

Experienced Ministry of Labour officials blame, not the ranks of H.M. Forces but male Commanding Officers for failing to feel themselves responsible for the repute of the A.T.S. as part of the Army, and inculcating into the men respect for girls who were coming to do their duty by their sides.

Such male criticism, however, is the foundation of the antagonistic attitude of mothers which greatly influences the girls.

“Oh, I could not join the A.T.S. All my friends would think I was one of ‘those’.”

“They’re Just the odds and ends in the A.T.S,”

Ministry of Labour officials find much adverse press publicity - as stories of Minister stating A.T.S. to be successors of camp followers of old - very damaging to recruiting.

Young men in Forces write to Labour Exchange managers asking them, when wives or fiancées register, to forbid them to join A.T.S.

A lecture on the radio by an A.T.S. officer advising girls how to make up shocked girls and their parents and fiancés in East London, confirming the men in their low opinion of the A.T.S. moral tone.

In one district husbands’ hostility to A.T.S. due to fears of wife forming new attachment, was soothed by the good impression made on him by the sensible admonition of the interviewing officer to the girl.

“I said to a doctor I would join the A.T.S. He said ‘Don’t you dare!’. He had seen an A.T.S. camp. Spent their time in the bar with the men. One of our girls went up to the same camp to a dance, and would not recommend any girl joining.” .

“A mother said her daughter had resigned, from the A.T.S. She said there was a terrible lot of immorality. Told at York they have a maternity home for A.T.S. babies.”

CONSTRUCTIVE NOTE,

Best recruiting is done by A.T.S. girls on leave, smartly turned out, well-behaved and proud of their service.