The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

At the outset OF the chapter emhodying the
authors conclusions II il pointed ont that the
study OF domestic service demonstrates that
household cmployments do not occupy an
Isolated position in the social economy. They
may appear. at any given time, TO be unaffected
by the political. industrial and social changes
necessarily occurring, but they cannot remain
so. Tho Inventions OF the past hundred years
havo reyolutionized even household employ
mcnts. and, consequently, tho present genera
ton must adapt itself to the new conditions. This
will be manifest when we bear in nina that do
nestle service Il century ago had, considered as
an occupation for women, no competitors, where
rs 1t now has hundreds; its personnel has been
transformed through industrial. political. and
social mutations; it has been influenced by the
democratic tendencies of the age and by the
commercial and educational development OF tho
country. The result of tho changes in tho many
conditions surrounding domestic service is that
both employer and employee are encompassed ny
difficulties which no person, single handed and
alone, can hope successfully 10 overcome.
Many OF these diiicultics arise from the fail
uro 10 recognize domestic service as inscp.
arably connected with tho great industrial
questions OF the day. 1t is not so rccog-
niZcd, because economic writers have not. AZ
yet, discussed the subject. and because those
who come in daily contact with IL overlook its
economic sidc. The housckocper who completes
her round of morning shopping by n visit to an
employment bureau, where she engages n new
cook, regards that performance as indistinguish-
able from her other business transactions; both
IN shopping and in securing u cook She has been
guided solely by her taste, her necessities, and
her bank account. The economist will have TO
include domestic service In his discussions Of
the labor question. and the housckccper will
have to dittcrcnliaic the various duties hrper-
tnining la her housekeeping before Improvement
Is possible.
Another difficulty encountered in tho read.
iuslmnnt ~ the relations OF employer and en-
ploycc To the changed conditions 10 attributed to
ihr natural conservatism OF many women, q
conservatism due 10 tho isolated home centred
lives which many housewives load. and which
prevents that intellectual hospitality winch
woulhNbc the forcrInncr of progress. In the
authors opinion the typical houschccpcr Is a
born fatalist; because things are as they are, they
must always have been so, and must continue 50
to be-. Many women, We Hrn told, take pride in
being "old-timo housckccpC:s," and look with
disfavor on any change. THAT plan might sur
coed in some families, hui Il would not in mine
IL for many others the final settlement of tho
question. Tho lack OF mCntal elasticity and ,he
dislike OF taking the initiative In any movement
constitute serious obstacles in the way Of i'm
mediate Improvement. II has been shown in
the book before us that there are still other oh
structions to the amolioration of domestic srr,
vice; these are the love Of case and pleasure, the
attempt To keep up appearances, the fondncss
for n protentious mode Of living, the desire OF
both employers and employees to get every
thing for nothing, the willingness of mis-,
trcsscs TO find maids who will do their work
half right, and Of maids TO had mistrcsscs who
will treat them half right, the cndcavor 10 get
the largest expenditure of wOmHn for the
smallest expenditure of money, and, finally. ~
natural tendency among women toward uris-
tocracy and n dislike Of everything savoring OF
social democracy. II is also true that n part OF
tho difficulty encountered in tho rcRdJustmcnt
Of domestic service is traceanlc to certain special
conditions characteristic Of a country compare