result, metal so
welded you feel it is impossible it ever could have been two pieces,
is still more fascinating.

The first welders triumphantly passed their tests and gave every
satisfaction in the factory, and the training went on and the School
was enlarged.

The oxy-acetylene welders turned out by this School have gone all
over the country and 220 were trained and placed in the first year.
Those selected were, with few exceptions, educated women, which was
undoubtedly a material factor in the success of their work. This
School opened training to women and welding is now taught to women in
many of our Technical Schools. A class in Elementary Engineering has
also been carried on by Women's Service with great success and the
women placed in workshops.

The Ministry of Munitions has also arranged, in conjunction with the
London County Council and other Educational Authorities, to have
free munition training for women at every centre in the Kingdom. The
courses vary from six to nine weeks and maintenance grants are paid
during the period of training.

In October, 1915, the Central Labour Supply Committee which dealt
with women's and men's conditions, issued certain recommendations
in Circular L.2. These dealt with the conditions and rates of pay
of women and fully skilled and unskilled men. The provision of this
much-discussed circular that affected women doing skilled work was
in Clause 1, which provides that "Women employed on work customarily
done by fully skilled tradesmen shall be paid the time rates of the
tradesman whose work they undertake."

These provisions were then only binding on the Government
establishments, and could not be enforced by the Ministry of Munitions
in controlled establishments. On December 31, 1915, a conference
was held between the Prime Minister, the Minister of Munitions and
representatives of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, when an
agreement in regard to "dilution" was arranged. Circular L. 2 was
adopted at this conference as the basis of the undertaking given by
the Ministry in regard to dilution of labor. An employer under it can
be punished as contravening the Munitions Act if he fails to carry out
the direction of the Minister. The power of enforcing the provisions
of L. 2 were acquired in January, 1916, and it is quite obvious that
in this circular a principle of the greatest importance to men and
women is laid down. Women were wholly averse to being "blacklegs" in
ind