The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-12-15
Ladies' Literary.

Ladies' Literary.
Mistress and Maid-the Domestic
Problem" a subject which is beginning
20 be recognized as one of S6e leading
economic questions Of the day, than
which no other, perhaps, has been
more widely discussed and whose So
luton as yet has yielded the least pos
sible satisfaction. held the closest at
tsntion Of the ladies' Of the Literary
club for three hour on Friday after
noon. Various sides Of the problem
were presented by Mrs. Nelden, Mrs.
Rood Mrs. Bailey and Mrs. Rose, while
Mr.. Joel L. Priest attempted to throw
some light on the question by an inter
view Of the employment agency. The
papers were bright and often inter
speTsed with spicy remarks and anec-
dotes, which created considerable
amusement and laughter among the
listeners. The interest was unf1agging
throughout That ''the maid mas her
friends and sympathizCrs among the
nistresses was unmistakable.
Mrs. Nelden, from the mistress
standpoint. said in effect thai, invOlv-
ing as it does one and One-half mil
lions Of people with al average wage
Of over SZ.00O,O00, the question has be
come as important as that Of labor and
capital 1t has been called "the great
American problem" as here more than
elsewhere IT has presented aspects diff
fiCIlt of solution The mistake has
been in treating with domestic service
through the individuals instead OF con-
sidering it as an occupation.
Mrs. Rood, speaking for the maid,
viewed the subject from the practical
standpoint of average domestic service
in Salt Lake City. The maid is ex-
pected to be dish washer. chef, Iaun-
dry woman, stOIler in the furnace room,
professional waitress. chambernaaid
and door opener, all in one, and for
this, though She contributes most to
the general comfort and happiness Of
the household, she bears no part in
the distribution Of its rewards. Often
the kitchen is her only abiding place.
the back stairs her exit, and a Door
room. lily lighted and furnished, her
only rest. These limitations create a
condition. She finds always an I'M
Changeable law Of social inferi0rity
Does it not follow that she gives q
quality of domestic service CORE
spending to her condition Of servi-
tude?
Mrs. Bailey followed with "The Mis-
tresS' solution She said the greatest
question of the day is how TO free
N.A- eD--e- - EAEllA AAAlll AlAE LEl JUS
strain of relations between mistress
and mr. 20" 1t needs devoted, intelI-
gent STUDY. One cannot solve the prob
lem but LOCO i'm unison can.
She spoke for a more thorough
knowledge of housekeeping on the part
o. the mistress. In her jealous efforts
for Intellectual development, the
American woman is prone to forget the
more sturdy emplOyments.
THE Maids Solution" was given by
Mrs. Rose. She said that household
service has been based on the prin-
ciple of isolation. Repeated attempts
have been made by domestics to or
ganiZe, to get into the trend and TO
be recognized as a social force. The
maid has a right TO ask more than
the application of the Golden Rule.
She asks for help to become the equal
0I factory and shop girls and to be
judged from the same Intellectual
STANDARD "The hired girl is the last
surviving relic of slavery" said Mrs.
Rose. She asked the wOnen's clubs
60 adopt some standard Of labor and
pleaded for the removal Of the social
stigma. the nOn-use Of the word ''serv-
ant and the Introduction of depart
ments of household science in the pub
lie schools
A fitting supplement to the preceding
papers was an interview from an en- !
pl0yment agency by Joel I. Priest, /
who cited, in beginning the text, He
that is despised and hath a servant is
better than he that hOnoreth himself
and lacketh bread" With mis- -four
ishing colony of wives. it must have
kept old Solomon hustling to supply
servant girls How weak and puny
must seem our efforts to solve this
great problem when Solomon gave it
up This application caused much
laughter. The speaker said that in the
view OF the agent. good times and bad
girls 60 hand in hand. During the de-
preston Of 81 and '9S the necessity
of assisting fathers and brothers in
earning a livelihood forced many girls
into domestic service and the supply
was greater than the demand.
Mr.. Priests paper was followed by
EN- animated discussion, introduced by
Mrs. Arthur Browns advocacy Of con-
tract labor. and many ladies' advanced
interesting solutions. Mrs. McVicker
asked for the support of the educa-
ticnal committee If the G.. T. w . to
found domestic training school in
Salt Lake City.
The tourist section Of the Ladies'
Literary club meets Monday morning
PIT 10 O'Clock at the home of Mrs.
Woodruff and Miss Kimbau 1858 south
Main street. IL viii be a morning with
Wagner and the opera. The first topic
is The Life of Wagner" by Mrs. Hal
Brown. The Operas" is the title of
Mrs. Franken 5 paper. Music will be
furnished by Mrs. Alva Lewis, Mrs.
LOOMS, Mrs. Jack Keith and Mrs.
Charles G. Plummer.
g q .
The Browning section viii meet with /
On Tuesday evening.
. o . -----.--
The regular meeting OF the music T.
section yin be postponed until Thurs l
Eay morning Jan. 2 1902
Reviewers, Club.