Employment  of  women  at  night  gained  gradual  favcr
from  1914  to  the  end  of  1917,  and  the  months  of  1918  con.-
prised  between  January  and  November,  saw  its  greatest
growth  with  the  contemplation  of  making  it  a  still  more  im-
portant factor.  Plans  were  underway  for  a  large  increase
of  this  sort  of  labor  and  the  Department  of  Labor  and  Fac-
tory Inspection  received  many  inquiries  from  manufacturers
asking  for  rulings  on  the  matter.  These  inquiries  were
made  under  the  impression  that  the  war  would  continue
for  at  least  two  more  years  and  men  would  be  drawn  from
industry  in  such  large  numbers  as  to  make  the  utilization  of
women's  labor  at  night  an  absolute  need.  Yet,  even  then,
there  was  perception  of  the  grave  danger  underlying  sich
employment  and  certain  to  be  the  result.  France,  in  the
hour  of  her  most  extreme  need  of  production,  had  become  so
assured  of  the  evils  of  night  work  for  women  that  it  took
measures  to  curtail  it  with  the  intent  of  speedy  abolishment.
