Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-25

Servant Girls, Wages.
soME OF THE CHANGES PROPOSED IN cHIoAG

tFrom tie Chicago Tribune.l
nfeCed reforming altogether for several years
past is something that is patent to everybody
who. in the capacity Of employer, has rubbed
against it. The evil has been growing worse in
lave no one but themselves to thank for it. 1t
is gratifying TO state however. that the long
CONT mplated reform Is about to be tried by some
OF the most prominent ladies in the community
who have the nerve and the determine
tiCn to lead. They have the co-opera-
ton of the leadingc employment agency
for the practical suggestions which they propose
TO put in practice. In talking with the lady who
manages this agency yesterday reporter got
OF the present system is the glaring inequality
IN wages There are families OF three in this
city who pay their girls s. a week, and again
there are families Of seven who pay $3.50 per
week for precisely the same service. There have
Teen well authenticated cases again, where
ladies' have employed girls at So a week and,
hhaving go found them phenominally good ones
me next house, doing precisely the same work
was getting much less The result can easily
be imagined. The low-priced servant, hear
ing OF thiS-for they hear Of everything that
happens - naturally becomes demoralized
ara particularly so when her employer
falls to grant the desired raise. 1t would be
vastly better, where an employer experiences
any Such attack OF magnanimity, to wait until
the end OF the year, or some given time, and re-
wald her girl with present-in money or some
thing equally proper-thuS avoiding the demon
aliziDg effect upon the girls in her block which
flows from the present inequality In wages.
Better than this would be a combination be-
tween employers to pay uniform rates. and right
here Is one of the uniform measures at present
contemplated. There is no reason why the
wives OF our business men should not emplog
their help on the same common-SenSe, bust
ness principle as their husbands employ their
clerls. Instead OF saying, as now, How
much do you gu, WANT" the new departure
III pay you so much, and, If you wish
to, you can come" When it is remem-
bered that the one agency alluded to has sup
piled places for at least 20 600 girls within the
r:st rive years, 1t will be readily seen that the
supply is always in advance of the demand. 1t
may be deficient in quality. but that is the re-
suit, largely, of the present system. The scale
OF wages to be adopted under the new plan will
most likely be something of this sort: In fami.
lies which entertain largely first-class cook
families 50 week is a fair average price for
general work. In small families OF three or
four, where the ladies of The house assist or
superintend. $3.50 is reasonable pay. General
assistants should be put on 81 so or 50, where
they now get So for doing nothing except an i'm
mense amount Of standing around.
But this reform movement has more than one
phase to it. The system of weekly payments Is
altogether wrong. Under it girls have been
known not infrequently to work week, earn
enough to buy party rig" and coolly inform
then mlStreSSes that they propose to quit then
and there. The new system proposes monthly
payments. Under it contracts between employer
ard employe viii be made in black and white, at
so much month-and SIP is fair average rate
with the stipulation that each party is to give
the other at least a weeks notice in case either
desires to make change. The contract and wage
account will be kept in a little blank-boo6.
Then, when the employe does leave, the en-
ployer should give her a recommendation, pro-
V1ded she had rendered suitable service that Will
point out her specific eXcellences, and not be as
vague, general and utterly worthless as the av-
eraSe recommendation now Is. The employe
takes the book, with this record of her service,
re1olm system will shut down on the vicious and
dangerous practice Of furnishing servants with
nlght--keys, and Will require them to be housed
and in bed at reasonable hours. Another re-
qufrement will be that girl shall remain in
her place until another supplies it, or forfeit
at least weeks wages In case she refuses and
leaves.