The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-25
DOMESTIC PROBLEM
DEMANDS SCIENTIFIC STUDY
Mrs. LINDEN Evans Declares That Nothing Can Be Done Except by
Concerted EAort-OficiaI Scientific Investigation of
Problem by Minnesota Labor Department.

Mrs Lynden Evans, Of Chicago, a close
student of the question Of employment for
women, whose views on the problem of
self support for women in professions, Of
flee and business life were given recently,
regards the problem OF the stores and OF
domestic service as altogether different,
on account of their lack OF creative work
that tends to develop the workers.
Mrs. Evans considers store work as the
most dangerous in the business world, De
cause 1t is almost entirely routine work
that does not occupy the mind and a good
address, good appearance and attractive
clothes are required. With all OF these
dangerous elements, it Is the first occu-
patton sought by women, because 1t re-
quires no particular training In large
stores the moral conditions are made as
safe as possible and Mrs. Evans discred-
tied most of the stories in constant c1rcu-
lation about the conditions in such stores
but still she told the club women that it
is true that there are establishments ID
which the scale Of wages is based upon
the opportunities afforded for the wages
of sin.
In considering factory work, Mrs. Evans
found the chief objections in the long
hours and the deadening monotony OF the
work She cited Illustrations Of the
wellknoWn fact that night workers are
employed during day hours and urged that
women should stand united in opposition
to such work for women.
The condition of domestic service, Mrs.
Evans described as chaos, as law unto
itself. She assigned causes or the
lowering percentage of women entering
domestic employment the prolonged hours
of labor most unfortunate contempt for
housework, and unframed employers. Do
nestle workers sacrifice much liberty and,
while having certain sort OF protection,
their position is not as safe as that of the
girl living among her own friends. At
present all that Is being done to solve
the domestic problem Is by individual eff
fort and nothing worth while can be done
until women come together to study the
question from its Industrial point OF view.
In her own extensive Investigations Of
the subject of domestic service, Mrs.
Evans has found little that has been
squared to system. On the contrary, she
has found set of employers with ignorant
contempt for their calling and workers
with contemptuous ignorance of their
work.
In considering all questions Of employ
ment. Mrs. Evans proposed the test of
the development Of women in their rela-
tion to the home. If the home cannot
supply training in systematic thought and
living, some other power will it Is bet
ter to get this in the factory or office than
not to get it at all If housewives as
mothers cannot train their daughters
they must yield to other discipline; if
housewives as employers cannot be taught
methods more advanced than the feudal
ages, except by having Intelligent en-
ployes leave them. the hand of God will
rest heavily upon them.
If the exodus of women into self-sup-
porting occupations Is ordered Of Cod it
can have no other meaning than as a
training school for systematic, Intelligent
labor in her own field.