The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-25
MEN AS HOUSE SERVANTS.
Thye Might Help to Solve Great
 Domestic Problem.

| It ia A long lane that has no turn | ing. Women have driven men out oi a large number of employments whicf | until within recent years were eXclus' | ively theirs. Even young citizens ol l Chicago recall the time when only mer | measured the ribbons and curled the feathers in the leading dry goods stores The middle aged remember when only men were principals of schools and | only men were deemed competent tc teach the high classes. 1t is but re- | gently that women invaded many pur- suits in which they are now numerous | photography, for example.
 That men should supplant women as house serva its would be only a mild retaliation. There are families which | would welcome the change. In the old | world men are as common as house ser wants as women as field hands during harvest. The idea of labor of any sort is more generally accepted in Europe by men and women not born of. idle class than by any class in this country. In Europe any labor is honorable which is honest In this country an artificial distinction has been created by which labor away from home is "genteel'' provided it be not labor in the home of others. It is a spurious distinction which has wrought incal- culable harm to all ages and both sexes. It has wrecked families. It has de- stroyed the hopes and blocked the wor- thy ambition of a large proportion of every generation of Americans for two centuries.
 It has persisted until housekeepers are eager for any change which will promise stability. regularity and skill in home mana ge4nant
 If experienced men servants could be imported in adequate numbers from Europe, the servant problem would be solved in the United States. In no European country is any portion of do- mestic work unfamiliar to men. They are quicker stronger. more systematic and more versatile than the correspond ing class of female labor.
 In the best managed living establish ments of the old world women are not employed at all or only in the lowest capacit .es. Men exclusively are cooks, walters, chambes servants as well as porters and cashiers. This is true of public as well as private living places.
 But this sort of qualified domestic labor does not emgrate numerously, or, if it does it secures butlershps, head -waiterships, high wages as valets, chief cooks and other fortunate em- ployment with much liberty and little hard toll.
 Native American men do not incline to labor of tn s nature and do not have the chance to become proficient in it. The problem of domestic service in homes of moderate means is not to be solved by substitution of men for Wo- men. Competent men cannot be found to take the pay which such employ ment an afford to give.
 The question comes back to the wo- men of the household. Their grand mothers d.d not pore over the encyclO- pedia grubbing out stale facts to be tlt- cred upon members of women's clubs. where any other woman can go to the same encyclopedia and grub for her self. Their grandmothers spent the same time in the sweeter anI more profitable duty of aiding in the dome.- tic cares and were better for it, physi- cally, mentally and socially. The