The times., 1899-07-20

ish-EviIs of Had Surroundings.
London, July lO.-The paper on The
Housing OF Educated Working Women of
which the following is an abstract. was
written by Mr.. Gilbert Parker, and de-
livered before the International Congress
of Women recently held in London. 1t is
stated that considerable sum has al
ready been subscribed toward erecting the
system of hotels for self-supporting wom-
en- projected by Mr.. Parker.
In considering the position of the edu-
Gated working women he holds we cannot
escape from the fact that where, and how
and at what price she lives and works af-
feet her physical health. her mental abil-
ity, and her contribution to the civic and
social welfare.
Now is the manner in which she lives
out Of business hours such as fits her for
producing the best effort in them, so that
she may take her right place in the great
scheme OF national economy? What the
nation needs is to get the best work out
of the best brains the nation produces,
whether those brains are in male or fe-
male heads.
In America the question is probably quite
as acute as in England, but the conditions
there are rather different. The educated
working women of England scarcely move
upon the same plane as do those of the
same class in the United States. chiefly be-
cause salaries there are higher. and also
because, on the whole, educated women are
better provided for in America by the
boarding house. Perhaps in the long run
they have TO work harder, and fare little
better as TO ease and comfort; but they
have more independence, higher CONNER
cial status. and better climatic conditions.
They get, too, fairly good room 10 live in;
whereas of all the great centres of Eu-
rope. London has perhaps the most sordid
and gloomy boarding house system.
Housing in London is becoming serious
problem for all who have not assured in
comes; but undoubtedly it is most serious
for the educated woman living on pit
tance gained by her own exertions. 1t is
most serious for her. not only because the
economic conditions of women's labor are
still unsatisfactory; because the nature of
her work involves close indoor atmos-
phere, an unbroken concentration of
thought, irregular hours. and more or
less mental strain; but also because, in
most cases, the professional women re-
ferred TO are, as Miss Frances Low has
put il lately, those whose birth and
breeding have been such as to make a
certain standard of comfort and refine
ment necessity of life. and who cannot
sink to the level of the daughter of the
artisan, or even of the small tradesman,
without undergoing real hardships of mind
and body
Professional Women.
The number of women now engaged pro-
fessionally is probably not far short of half
million, of whom by far the larger pro-
portion are in London. This is exclusive
OF those in commercial and industrial life
and those who are not wholly dependent on
their own efforts for a livelihood. The
majority of these earn from $3.50 to 500
year. or in most cases from s6.25 to $3.50
week. The Government sets a standard
much below this, well educated women be-
ing expected to do satisfactory work in
Government position for from $3.50 to 81
q week with annual rises of % or 81 cents.
That is, after eight years of hard work
much Of it unpaid overtime-the educated
woman receives the salary OF the parish
scavenger One pities the ragged poor but
more painful than the cry OF the children
is the bitter silence OF the educated work
ing woman, who must keep up an appear
ance while getting little more actual COM
fort in life than Elizabeth Barrett Brown
ing's ragged child.
From the words of one such woman, We
can see what the working day Of the wo-
man who gets 25s ($6.25) a week is like: 1T
begins with a hasty breakfast taken from
a tray in her bedroom before rushing to the
bus or train. After a long day, perhaps
made longer by overtime work, she re-
turns TO seyen-hy-nine room in a lodg-
ing or boarding house. where a poor din
ner awaits her. In addition TO the physical
and mental degradation that poverty
brings, she has the CALLING sense of giving
her best efforts and the fruits Of an expen-
sive schooling for about half what is paid
junior clerk OF no education beyond the
mastery OF the three RS. She knows. too.
that women's labor is cheap, and that a
hundred others are ready TO step into her
shoes. The present monotony OF her life
leaves her nothing to look forward to: and
no hope through frugality of saving out OF
bare living wage. She has the knowledge
too. that each year will make it harder
for her to continue in keen competition
with the younger, entertained women,
owing TO the decentralization OF her mind
from sordid and meagre surroundings,
scanty and badly cooked food, and an utter
absence OF recreation"
A Womnn's Expenses.
For room and fare such as this in a de-
cent neighborhood and within reasonable
distance Of her business. the London wom-
ans expenses are about as follows: For
her room, SIS Sd (s2,12); los (S2.50l for
food, with 2s (50 cents) a week for lunches
bought outside; light and coal, on an ave-
rage the year round. about Is Cd (37
cents)- Extra charges and fares easily
bring the weekly expenditure up to 27s
(s6.75, or 2ss $50. leaving little or moth
ing for clothes, recreation, postage stamps,
books. OF an occasional Doctors bill.
There are, Of course, other ways OF liv-
ing; the cheap boarding house at 4 guinea
week. chambers, which are. however
out OF reach Of the class referred TO;
boarding in family. which gives too lit
tie Independence TO worker who cannot
always have regular Office hours and
lodging in the suburbs. This last is toll
erably cheap, but, on account of weather
and the inconvenienees Of travel, usually
impractieable. Some women have tried
the plan OF renting fats intended for the
artisan class but in most eases they have