The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-15
SERVANT GIRL QUESTION
WoMANFULLY 0RAPPLED M TINE
HI USFRL n TEREIN.

HAS IA Say -Prcmiums FOR Long serv zee.
inc Doutscher llaustrauen Verein met on
wednesday afternoon in tho assembly hall of
the care Logeling, 237 East Ffty-seyenth
street. About forty of the Pa members were
present The afternoon was spent in hearing the
report OF tho Secretary Treasurer. Mr.. sam
sanders. n young man who works In n bank
every day until Q nad then COOS to the office of
the Nerein at 10Y East Fifty.ninth street. and
spends two hours Strengthening out tho fem.
lhlhc tangics there accumulated during tho
morning. BY the constitutional provision there
Is only ono man in the society,
Der Deutscher Hausfraucn Verein, or. in the
language Of It's English constitution, THE Ger
man Housewives' Society" was organized in
1895 by Mrs. Leo Rosenberg, n physicians wife
ana four or Ave of her friends. 1t has been said
on authority that was masculine, and therefore
doubtful, that the original ulan was an insuir..
ton OF Dr. Rosenberg. At any rate, tho society
was incorporated In September of this year,
Inc ooJect OF the society, says tho English
translation OF the constitution, is Ito guard tho
interests of tho employer as well as of the en-
pioyee.' Inc present practical application of this
general statement is an effort to secure good
servants for members of tho society and to in
sure good treatment to servants hired through
the society. This quotation from section 4 OF
the constitution is solf.explanatory:
The institution Is conducted by a President,
Observation-Disclosures. four Directors, and
ono male Secretary Treasurer receiving a
salary"
Mr.. Sanders, however, denies that he accepts
n salary. 1T Is the part Of u man who is to
charity at all inclined" no says. ito keep tho
ladies apart from their annoyances."
Mrs. Rosenberg, who IS the President, sat at
the table at the head OF the hall at Wednesdays
meeting, and the ice-Presiden int Director and
| the four other directors Hat on either si1n NJ
her. In front OF them in a semicirclo OF three
rows. sat the rest Of the society. Mr.. Sanders
sat at q little table at Mrs. Rosenberg's right.
German is the official language of the society.
In seasons OF great diversity OF opinion when
twelve or thirteen members were expressing
their views with simultaneous volubility, some
times AN ingenious person resorted to English
and thereby monopolized the bewlldered atten-
ton OF the company.
The report o: Mr.. Sanders showed that since
the society opened its office In September tho
membership has grown from So to 234. The
treasury, which is filled by the initiation fees OF
81 and the semi-annual dues of 81. has n surplus
of S'Os."s. The society has expended u little
more than $500 during its existence for clerk
hire, rent, and incidental expenses.
Mrs. Rosenberg Is ar unassuming, attractive
young woman who is very fluent and deter
mined while she is speaking German, and de-
NiotoiS IAihii oht iILlAC III tApItSSlls
herself in English. In addressing the verein
she fairly dubbed over with pleasure in the way
her scheme was working itself out. Her audi
ence shared her joyousness. Spectacled grand
mothers and anxious. inexperienced young
matrons smiled and laughed aloud md smiled
again while she recounted the simple objects
and methods of the society and tho success that
seemed to come to them SO easily. With cheer
!uluess that was almost hilarious she exhibited
II letter That showed how nicely the benevolent
end OF the scheme worked. Section ID of the
constitution reads as follows:
Servants WHO have been placed in positions through
this society will receive assistance in cas-, OF ncsi
case OF sickness they win RECEIVE frn. MEDICAL aid
as they cannot be placed in a hospital, p oviaei. how,
ever, the SER ant is already in the. employ OF a mem.
sSi nor sG aurt 1aSt tbs ,lme weeks and has contracted "
On Tuesday. for the first time in the history of
the society, a servant in the household OF one OF
Its members desired medical atteutton. Where
upon her N stress wrote a letter to the Secretary !
crosse M0digkct und klein Appetit des Mad.
chens," aud gave 1t to the sick servant to take
provided. must always certify to the symptoms
of the beneficiary. The servant took the letter
with the s%ociety''s stamp. and with inc
stamped letter IN hand as a voucher
her medicine without charge to the society. |
Mrs. Rosenberg READ the housewives letter and
exhibited the society stamp on Its back. and tho
assembly bcamed on Itself in mcrlted self-ap- |
probation.
1t was decided not TO limit the benefits of the |
orEaniZation TO Germans. but :hai die Amor!-
kanische Aausfraucn sOlien auCh wahlbahr |
sein. The only point causing ditference OF opin-
ion during tho meeting concerned sections 10,
Il. and Is OF the Constitution. rs follows:
Ii. Servants viii receive from the suclety's funds
the following premiums:
Nl on ten years uninterrupted service In a
O) on nve years Uninterrupted service in The
r) on three years Uninterrupted service in the ="
ID On Two years uninterrupted service IL The :"
same family .'.,.,..........,. ...a..... 20 |
These premiums viii be paid Immediately upon
wLert WIN 10 pay sad premiums, an equal assess.
is. oniy those servants are entitled to the premiums
tue soci,ty $ BOOKS AS members and VINO oan prove
niem"et Of the society and uGGar the iatt"r,s pro oiS a
ton i9r one or the other term as specthedlu Sec.
Mrs. senner,, wife of the Commissioner Of
lmmigratton, did not at all or in any way ap-
prove OF the sixteenth section. Why, she asked.
should II member who had kept bad servants,
one after another, for snort Intervals, be re-
Servants OF Others Who have &C csU @a'q for 70 d ime
satisfaction TO show Ia brief. she argued thus:
NJ hIre ineompe,ent 6.undSrlng servants
and much expense. The Frau poktorin has n
servant, who is faithful, careful, and efficient.
After all my troubles aud ,srlets | must pay
money out because she has had no troubles. Ii
is not just! II is not reasonable!,'
Mrs. Rosenberg pointed out that tho posi-
bility Of assessment was most remote. There
was money in plenty in the treasury now, aud
the membership was growlng. Under the most
circumstances II servant could with
draw only SlO5 from the treasury in twenty
years. In that time her own employer alone
would have contributed Ss3 To the general fund.
VITA the most rncRrre allowance FOR failures
and deaths, there was ample promise of plenty
OF money in the treasury TO meet all possible
demands upon It. The assessment was only an
emergency provision.
Mrs. ScnHer WAS not in tho least convinced.
Always smiling, and tipping her head ono side
or the other with. engaging emphasis. she trip
pingly discoursed on the broad human princi-
pies Of equity and common deceucy, {" lis
suhickL SIGH gar nicnt'D. A gentle crescendo
chorus Ginning in n steadily growing undcr-
tone showed that sIe was gaining the approval
OF the Nerein. ono after another dropped into
the discussion in IL whisper, and gradually
raised her voice AZ she became sure of her words.
The yice-Prcsldent Director, and the l., H.,
H., ana ". directors stated their faith in the
In the same general tone of voice.
but always goOdnatured and rather rs If please
that a discussion had been started than AS If
under any stTa!n of contention. Mr.. Sanders