CIVILIAN DEFENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 12 June 1939, Page 5

CIVILIAN DEFENCE

ATTITUDE OF WOMEN PROBLEMS FOR BRITAIN LONDON, 30th May. The unwillingness of working-class mothers to agree to the dispersal of their families is likely to lead to a fundamental change in the Government’s plan to evacuate 3,000,000 women and children from London in war time. This appears to have been a psychological factor which the Government entirely overlooked. Mothers of children under five years of age should have regitsered for the evacu ation scheme by 20th May, but very few did so, although the Government had counted on two-thirds of them accepting the invitation. Inquiries reveal that working-class wives, although impressed with the need for safety away from the congested areas, are far more concerned about the possible fate of their deserted homes and husbands, who would be forced to do their own housework. Many mothers are objecting even lo sending their children over five years of age to the homes of strangers, whose willingness to receive them has already been questioned. Complaints that women would be treated as doormats and exploited as cheap labour, were made by delegates to the British Commonwealth League’s Conference. The league demands equal pay and compensation for women assuming civilian defence duty, which is equally dangerous to them as to men in war time. A delegate said that women volunteers had been treated scurvily. Mrs Littlejohn, of Sydney, related the case of a capable woman who was discouraged from taking a responsible position under the Air Raid Precautions Department because she had been educated at a board school instead of at a so-called superior school.

Two Scots went to a friend’s house on a special occasion and were hospitably entertained. So hospitably, in fact, that on their way back one of them sat by the side of the road and began to weep. “1 canna remember the bride’s face,’’ he wailed. “I canna remember the bride’s bonnie wee face.” “Hold your tongue, ye fule,” growled the other. “It was a funeral.”