A History of the Ministry of Information, 1939-46
VIII. RAGS
9.3% of the housewives in the sample collect rags regularly and 13.3% occasionally. No age differences were found but a difference between social groups was noted.
No special national appeal was made for rags during the months before the inquiry, nor could evidence of special local campaigns be found, but in all general salvage campaigns, national as well as local, rags were mentioned.
The reasons why rags are not salvaged are:-
| % | ||
|---|---|---|
| Don’t have much | 174 | 37.3 |
| Give or sell to rag-man | 818 | 35.3 |
| Use it for household purposes | 443 | 19.3 |
| Nobody collects them | 53 | 2.3 |
| Did not know that they were wanted | 72 | 3.2 |
| Miscellaneous | 22 | 1.0 |
“Use it as polishing dusters and for washing up.” “Sell to rag-man.”
“Use for patching children’s clothes.” “Used for mending and dusters.”
“Have not many, make rugs with them.” “Give them to the rag-man for sweets, matches and cigarettes.” “Father takes them to some-one.” “General rubbish bin.” “Don’t have any.”
A certain amount of rag material must occur in a household; therefore the statement of housewives that they have no rags cannot be true, especially as the dustmen are eloquent on the subject of housewives putting their rags into refuse bins.
The habit of giving or selling rags to the rag-man serves the purpose of salvage as well as direct salvaging, and though the women do no consider their action in this light, their number could be added to the number of collectors.