The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-22

question. The worst of it is that Amer
lea is supposed to already be the home
of democracy, where all are endowed
with equal rights so far as life, liberty
and the pursuit of of happiness are con-
cerned We have just sat down and
thought that forever girls would hire
out for SO much a day or so much a
week-for what we are willing to pay
them, but now we, as housekeepers,
have run up against a stone wall. We
see that the girls are beginning to think
for themselves. We see, too, that pay
ing wages does not rid us of the human
obligation to help them to think for
themselves
A Socialists Ideas.
Mrs. A. NJ. Simons is one of the lead
ers of the socialist labor party in Chi
cago. She has ideas unique, but no less
forcible, on the servant girl question.
She sad:
The mere fact of women entering
the industrial field has nothing to do
with the matter Woman is deserving
the domestic field because it is looked
down upon, because the self-interest of
the employing class has made it so dis
agreeable. The servants have been inn
posed upon until it has become unbear-
able Domestic service is so shut off
from the outside view that the abuses
have had a chance to assume a growth
that is alarming when it is understood
because public opinion has not been
brought in to restrain the abuse. 1t has
become so great it has reacted upon
Itself and women have entered other
work because they feel the necessity OF
retaining their self respect. This hue
and cry is being raised just now be-
cause it is beginning to Inconvenience
the employing class. But it is only the
cry of labor going up t. heaven for
protection. The servant girl question
is SO much part Of the great labor
question there is no separate solution
for it apart from the whole fabric. The
solution does not depend upon the en-
ployer. rs many think, hut on the la
borers themselves, servant girls as
much as any other lahorers. And the
solution lies in 'the absolute abolish
ment Of the wage systcr!-in Co-opcra-
ton. Tic socialist labor party never
encourages a quarrel between the la
boring man and the laboring woman.
Any time spent in settling dispute of
that kind IS time lost that could be
more profitably spent The question to
be settled is one of class and the quar-
rel is between the employer and the
employe, between labor and capital"
A Professors Opinions.
why are girls deserving the field of
domestic service for factory work and
Charles Zueblin of the University of
Chicago was asked.
In the first place" was the reply,
they can get more independence in
other fields of work. In spite Of The
fact that there is a great deal of pratt
ing about the Independence of servant
girls there is none, and this feeling of
the lack of independence is what hurts
the self respect of the girls and forces
them into trades where they can retain
their self respect. Specialization and
organization :s the solution of the
problem. Domestic service is still in
the old feudal state and has not prog
ressed toward an ideal state as has
every other industry. This is the most
neglected field of work, A man who
goes in business nowadays must fur
nsh his employees with modern ma
chinery to work with, but the girl in
the kitchen is using the same utensils
that were used centuries ago. bet
ter organization is necessary and the
organization must start with the en-
ployers if the problem Is to be treated
as a labor question. 1t is the lack of
intelligence in regard to the organ1za-
ton of their work on the part OF the
mistress that causes so much confusion.
Take it in ordinary business. If man
has not his industry organized, if there
is a lack on the part of the employer,
it cannot be looked for in the employe.
l repeat, organization and specaliza-
ton is to be the key that unlocks the
door of the servant girl difficulty
An Expert Talks.
"Why are servant girls SO scarce?'
repeated w. H. Phillips. editor of the
Chef. There is a lot involved in that
question. Women are giving their en-
tire attention to matters they consider
of more Importance than the manage
ment of the home. They are neglecting
domestic science entirely. For instance,
at the international convention of wo-
mems clubs which was recently held
in London the only issues considered
were political, and when woman got
I'D on the platform and tried to speak
on woman in the home she was hooted
down by her more advanced sisters.
False pride is to blame. Woman does
not believe in domesticity any more.
She feels that household drudgery is
degrading and cannot be made to see
that the home is her realm. 1t is natu-
raj for the servant girl to initiate her
mistress in dress and manners and
when the employer loses her interest
in domestic affairs and the manage
ment of the home the servant also
grows dissatisfied with her environ
ments and seeks other employment
which she considers more congenial.
The clubwomen have been agitating
the servant girl question: they have
held big meetings and discussed the
remedy for the famine in servants;
they have projected theories wonderful
to behold in regard to schools for serv-
and girls. when the fact of the matter
is the clubwoman is herself to blame.
By starting in to reform herself she
will effect the desired reform in her
servant girl. BY showing herself an
interest in matters concerning the
home the servant will absorb the inter-
est and will work with devotion in the
field she is to-day deserving because
of lack of encouragement and apprecia-
ton on the part of the Mistress
Gone Back to the Old Country.
Miss Viola Erickson has charge of a
large house in Evanston She finds it
absolutely impossible to get servant
girls. Miss Erickson said in reply to a
query as to what she considered the
cause of her trouble in securing a girl:
"Three thousand girls have this year
left America to return to their homes in
Sweden. This accounts to a great ex-
tent for the difficulty in securing good