WOMEN'S WORK.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Three weeks ago you published a sympathetic article on Women's Work which encourages me to bring to your notice an advertisement—not the first of its kind—which appeared in the columns of last Saturday's Daily Telegraph. It is obviously the result of the long-continued references in the London Press to "Whitehall flappers," and their supposed preoccupation with tea-drinking, knitting, and flirtation. I hold no brief for Whitehall employees, as I know nothing uf their work personally, but I have intimate knowledge of the work done in Government offices in the provinces by women clerks, and that from four years' experience as Lady Super- intendent in the Army Pay Office, Shrewsbury. In the two offices here as many as a thousand girls have been employed, and of these at least a couple of hundred must have worked under my direct supervision, and it would be difficult for me. to speak too highly of the spirit in which they have tackled and carried out the exceedingly difficult and complicated work of an Army Pay Office. The hours have always been long— from 8.45 a.m. to 6 p.m. with one and a quarter hours for lunch and a quarter of an hour's break for tea—and in times of pressure, which have been very frequent, they have worked
long hours of overtime- cheerfully and even enthusiastically. The amount of urgent work to be done made " slacking " of the kind described in the Press impossible here, and I have felt convinced that such accounts must have been grossly exaggerated.
Now these girls are being released, and, dependent on their earnings, are face to face with the refusal of employers even to consider their applications. In the long run the employers must be the losers, but what a cruel return for years of conscientious, self-denying work! I may add that the opinion of the officials of the Army Pay Department would not be that of the Press—many would confess that these years of war have caused them to modify their former opinions on the relative value of the work of men and women. If you can find space for this letter it may perhaps give pause to some employers who would otherwise accept the adverse comments of the Press.—I am, Sir, &c., Lucy SEALY,
Lady Supt. A.P.D.
Member of the Society of Oxford 'Home Students, Oxford Hons. School of Modern History.
The Lawn, Port Hill Gardens, Shrewsbury.
COPY OF ADVERTISEMENT IN " DAILY TELEGRAPH " OF NOVEMBER 29TH.
"Lady Typist and Shorthand, able also to do a little simple book-keeping. West-end Office. Must be experienced and capable. No ex-Government tea-tasters need apply. State salary required. Box 60276, Clark's, 58, Great Portland Street. W. 1."
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