using his familiarity with life in england, and his high profile and status as a cricketer, constantine became responsible for the many west indians who had been recruited to work in factories in the north-west of england for the duration of the war. working mainly from liverpool, he helped these men to adapt to their unfamiliar environment and to deal with the severe racism and discrimination which many of them faced. constantine also worked closely with trade unions in an attempt to ease the fears and suspicions of white workers. he used his influence with the ministry of labour to pressurise companies who refused to employ west indians, but generally preferred negotiation to confrontation, an approach that was often successful. constantine's wartime experiences caused him to increase his involvement in the league of coloured peoples, sometimes referring cases to them. he particularly took up the cause of the children of white women and black overseas servicemen; these children were often abandoned by their parents. however, plans to create a children's home for them came to nothing, leaving constantine frustrated. he remained in his post until the summer of 1946, latterly concerned with the repatriation of the west indian workers at the end of the war. for his wartime work he was appointed a member of the order of the british empire (mbe) in 1947.