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essentially sex point of view. We cannot afford to ignore that very 

 important and difficult part of the subject, and I think all of us feel 

 that in trying to tackle this part of industrial reconstruction we want 

 to avoid as far as possible anything which will even have a tendency 

 towards creating sex antagonism. If we do not avoid this we shall 

 simply be playing into the hands of the employing classes, and we 

 cannot afford to do that. While it may be an advantage that women's 

 wages should show an actual upward tendency, I very much doubt 

 whether it is an ultimate advantage to secure that at too high a price. 

 I think we shall pay too high a price for it in the period of reconstruction 

 unless the question of the employment of women is considered in a 

 thoroughly scientific manner, because we have had sufficient experience 

 during the war to make some estimate of the social dangers that will 

 possibly arise as a result of the employment of women in particular 

 forms of industrial life. There is not only the difficulty of physical 

 strain, but also of mental strain, upon women ; there is also the equally 

 important problem of the effect upon children. According to all 

 accounts there has been a marked increase of late of juvenile crime. 

 Reports all over the country are showing that the absence of the mother 

 in employment is reflecting itself in the actions of the children. That 

 state of affairs is extremely dangerous. 



Whatever we may hold about the present position and its probable 

 effects, there can be absolutely no doubt that the experience of the 

 war will increase the proportion of women to men in the community, 

 and from that a number of very important sociological effects follow. 

 The increase in disproportion of the sexes must have a fundamental 

 effect, not only upon marriage, but also upon other matters which arise 

 out of that state for instance, upon family life, the growth of the 

 population, the relations between the sexes from an economic stand- 

 point. Also the experience of the war will mean that at its conclusion 

 there will be an increase in the number of women requiring work for 

 wages. It is very difficult to say, even approximately, what the 

 number may be, but personally I rather doubt Dr. Phillips' estimate. 

 I should not imagine that the number of extra women working for 

 wages, based on experience up to date, will be anything like one million. 

 We have to decide what I think are three very important questions : 

 (1) the basis of suitable occupations for women's employment ; (2) 

 the type of suitable women for those employments ; and (3) the 

 basis of payment for the work which has to be done. 



As to the basis of suitable occupations. My own view, for what 

 it is worth, is that this problem could be solved with very little trouble. 

 I think a careful study of the census returns for the last 50 years would 

 help to solve the problem of the basis of suitability. We could safely 

 conclude that the occupations which, according to the census, show a 

 steady and persistent increase in the number of women employed are 

 suitable occupations for the extension of women's labour. As to the 

 second point suitable women for such employments. I am treading 



