The Academy of Medicine, as might be expected, rather stresses the doctor's part in this program, recommending that the factory physician should supervise the work of women of both these classes, having the right to enforce such changes from one occupation to another, or such modifications in hours and kind of work done as he may consider desirable from the standpoint of the baby's health, even to the point of excluding the mother from factory work altogether. The academy also strongly recommends the creation in every establishment in which women are employed of a position corresponding to that of the welfare worker in English factories, filled by a woman specially charged with the duty of seeing that the peculiar needs of women workers are not overlooked or neglected. Both bodies unite in recommending that the women who, either in view of approaching motherhood or because they are nursing their babies, receive these special modifications or reductions of work should not suffer any reduction of wages as a consequence. If they do actually suffer such a reduction, as, for instance, would be the case with women working on piece rates, the difference should be made up to them by a bonus for nursing their baby, or a maternity benefit or some other form of indemnity. This point is specially emphasized by the minister of munitions in a circular of January 4, 1917, recommending the adoption of these measures: The woman who is about to become a mother has a right to special consideration, and ought not, as a consequence of her motherhood, to suffer any detriment. Many employers fully appreciate this, and have already adopted regulations which guarantee to their workers in this situation either their usual wages or a maternity benefit which will keep their income up to its usual figure. I believe that the general adoption of such measures is an imperative duty for all employers. The minister further urges that special care should be taken to guard the health of all women workers, and since the individual employer may well hesitate to take up a line of work like this with which he is wholly unfamiliar, he recommends the formation of associations of employers to study the subject, to decide upon the most promising lines of effort, and to put the results of their investigations at the disposal of all their members. Such an association has been formed, he says, among some of the employers of Paris with very beneficial results: Such an association will promote the fitting up of nursing rooms (chambres d'allaitment) in the establishments of its members. It will establish crèches and day nurseries to be used by several factories in common. It will supervise the drawing up of uniform rules regulating the work of expectant mothers and mothers with young babies. Perhaps, most important of all, it will enter into relation with other societies especially qualified to advise in these undertakings to secure for it the necessary personnel and to assure proper medical control. LODGING OF ARTILLERY AND MUNITION WORKERS IN FRANCE. A circular was issued by the secretary of state (artillery and munitions bureau) on July 19, 1916, relative to the lodging of workers in establishments engaged in the manufacture of artillery and munitions.1 The following is a condensed translation of the principal betterments directed to be installed. Because of the considerable increase in the number of employees great difficulty has been encountered in securing lodgings in the immediate vicinity of the establishments and many of them have been compelled to provide temporary lodgings for their employees. Whatever care may have been exercised in the provisional measures installed in the cantonments, the authorities are satisfied that many improvements may be instituted, and attention is called to the following requirements: Compliance with the decree of August 13, 1913, enumerating the conditions which are satisfactory in regard to the dormitories for employees, but there are other provisions which are to be considered as imperative, and employers must conform to these instructions or report to the department why such installations are impossible. Dormitories occupied by employees must have a capacity of at least 14 cubic meters (494.4 cubic feet) per person lodged. Rooms less than 2.6 meters (8 feet 6 inches) in height must be thoroughly ventilated by means of windows or other movable sash openings to the outside air. A continuous ventilation must be assured, which may be obtained by means of openings in the roof. In all cantonments it is advisable to provide ceilings separated from the roof, when the roof and ceiling form one structure it should be impermeable and provided with an air space between the inside and outside walls, or with a material resisting sudden atmospheric changes, and have a cover without cracks. Floors must be impermeable or surfaced with an impermeable layer, easily washed. When possible the floor should be so arranged as to permit constant ventilation below it and to isolate completely the dormitory from the ground. The distance between beds must not be less than 80 centimeters (2 feet 7 inches). Each person must be furnished with bedding for his exclusive use as follows: A frame separating the couch from the floor by at least 30 centimeters (11.8 inches), a straw mattress, a pillow, pair of sheets, a blanket, and for his clothing a rack or ventilated closet. Cleanliness and proper repairs must be maintained. 1 France. Bulletin du Ministère du Travail et de la Prévoyance Sociale, December, Sheets must be laundered at least once each month and changed with each occupant. Sleeping quarters must be unencumbered and kept in a state of constant cleanliness either by washing, scrubbing, or by using damp cloths every day and all soiled clothing and bedding removed. Beds must be made up each day, and when necessary precautionary measures must be taken for destruction of insects. Washbowls must be furnished, one for each six persons lodged, and shower baths are recommended. Drinking water must be provided. It is desirable that barracks laundries be established and precautions be taken to provide for the disposal of refuse and used water. Notice is given in this circular that plans have been prepared suitable for proposed constructions showing approved types which may be adopted according to the varying needs of establishments. These are the improvements which you are required to install in the barracks established by you. Not only should you be interested in this subject with a view to securing lodgment for laborers unable to find lodging in the locality, but that you may investigate the conditions in which laborers from distant localities are lodged in private lodgings. It is believed that in many cases lodgings are quite defective, and you are requested to lend aid to the proper authorities in recommending such measures as are calculated to remedy insanitary conditions. If it is impossible to find sanitary lodgings you will proceed to build new and comfortable barracks in which laborers will find their welfare provided for as well as all possible liberty, and so compel private enterprise to maintain sanitary lodging conditions. FRENCH OCCUPATIONAL CENSUS OF 1911. In connection with the general population census of March 5, 1911, the French statistical office has also taken an occupational census the results of which have recently been published. In compiling the present occupational census the statistical office adopted a method different from that used in the compilation of the censuses of 1896, 1901, and 1906. In the latter three censuses the gainfully employed population (population active) was classified by collective industries. This method of classification had also been recommended in the resolutions adopted in 1905 by the International Statistical Institute on the occasion of its convention in London. Although admitting that more accurate results are obtained by this method the French statistical office in the present occupational census has 1 France. la France. Mars 1911. Ministère du Travail et de la Prévoyance Sociale. Statistique Générale de adopted classification by individual occupations. It is stated that, notwithstanding its imperfections, classification by this latter method was necessary for certain statistical studies, such as comparisons of the data of the occupational census with occupational statistics obtained from the civil registers of the communes, statistics relating to depositors in savings banks, licensed occupations, bankruptcies, criminals, etc. The individual schedules were classified in accordance with a list giving the nomenclature of about 180 different occupations and professions, and to make possible a comparison of the results with those of preceding censuses the various occupations were also grouped into collective industries and professions. In addition the schedules were classified according to the position occupied on the date of the census by each person enumerated, i. e., as employer (owner of an establishment), salaried employee, workman, or temporarily unemployed, and by sex, age, conjugal condition, nationality, and literacy. A brief summary of the principal results of the above census is given below. TOTAL GAINFULLY EMPLOYED POPULATION Of the total French population on March 5, 1911, of 39,192,133 persons, 20,931,221, or 53.4 per cent, were gainfully employed. The corresponding percentage for 1906 and 1901 was 53.3 and 50.6, respectively. The classification by sex shows that of the above 20,931,221 persons, 13,212,207 were males, i. e., 68.6 per cent of the total male population (19,254,444), and 7,719,014 were females, i. e., 38.7 per cent of the total female population (19,937,689). In 1906 the respective percentages were 68.2 and 39. It should be noted. that the data relating to gainfully employed persons do not include French citizens sojourning abroad on the date of the census, or aliens, who, although residing in foreign countries, come daily to France to work there.1 Persons living exclusively on their incomes, women attending only to their household duties, inmates of penal institutions and hospitals, and travelers without occupation were likewise not included. The following table shows by sex and large collective industry groups the distribution of the gainfully employed population for the years 1866, 1881, 1906, and 1911: This applies especially to persons residing in localities on the Belgian frontier. 1906 it was estimated that 28,000 of these came daily to France to earn their living. In GAINFULLY EMPLOYED POPULATION OF FRANCE BY COLLECTIVE OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS AND SEX, 1866, 1881, 1906, AND 1911 (IN THOUSANDS OF POPULATION). Total.. Army, navy, merchant marine, fishing. Not specified... Gainfully employed.. Without occupation... 10, 037 4, 626 14, 663 10, 613 5, 356 15, 969 12, 330 7, 687 20,017 12, 494 7, 716 20, 210 10, 500 4,643 15, 143 11, 196 5, 485 16, 681 13,027 7,694 20, 721 13, 212 7, 719 20,931 8, 514 14, 41022, 924 7, 460 13, 264 20, 724 6,073 12,051 18, 124 6,042 12, 219 18, 261 Total population..... 19,014 19, 053 38, 067 18, 656 18, 749 37, 405 19, 100 19, 745 38, 845 19, 254 19, 938 39, 192 According to the preceding table the gainfully employed population has increased from 15,143,000 in 1866 to 20,931,000 in 1911. This increase is, however, in a considerable measure due to omissions in the census of 1866. In 1911, for instance, the number of females employed in agriculture is given as 3,238,000 and in 1866 as 1,868,000. In 1866, however, the wives of agriculturists were generally not considered as exercising a gainful occupation. a gainful occupation. Agricultural male and female laborers, on the other hand, were classified as domestic servants in 1866, while in 1911 they were classified as persons employed in agriculture. In industry, inclusive of transportation, there were employed 7,486,000 persons in 1911, as compared with 4,594,000 in 1866, the increase being nearly two-thirds. Commerce shows a still larger increase, the number of persons employed in commercial occupations having increased from 973,000 in 1866 to 2,053,000 in 1911. The increase in the number of persons employed in liberal professions and public service is nearly as large as that in the number of those engaged in commerce. These increases are largely due to the development of industry and commerce, partly, however, to omissions in the census of 1866. In order to remove the influence of these omisions the French statistical office has compiled a table, which shows the distribution. per 1,000 gainfully employed persons among the principal occupational groups with omission of domestic service, army, navy, and fishing. This table shows the following results: |