The purpose and the plan

Again, if the workers are to be directed to employment, and if their right to leave that employment is to be severely questioned, then any glimmer of social justice, to say nothing of any sensible consideration of war-time morale, suggests that the conditions under which they work should be reasonably satisfactory.

Therefore the Ministry decided that it would not exercise its powers to direct men and women to employment away from home unless proper arrangements for them exist. This policy is not confined to welfare arrangements inside the factory but also extends to welfare outside the factory, including arrangements for housing, traveling and feeding.

Such arrangements could hardly be perfected during a period when millions were called for national services, when invasion was round the corner and the country was being heavily bombed; we are considering now a rapidly expanding and overworked State department, co-operating with a host of official and unofficial bodies and individuals under war-time handicaps, and not angelic legion of miracle workers; but the purpose was there, the plans were there, and very soon a large welfare organization was functioning to carry out that purpose and those plans.

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