Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-14
The Dislike of AouseWork.

A movement in California looking TO
the modification of the Chinese eXcli-
sion law, so as to permit of the impor-
tation of 100000 Chinese cooks and do
mestic servants, gives Us an interesting
sidelight on a familiar problem. For
several years in all large cities. as well
as in the suburbs. there have been
complaints of the scarcity of household
help until now it has grown to be a
very serious domestic question. Varl-
Gus things have contributed to this
condition, but the main reason why
girls in this country and those. who
come from abroad do not desire to do
household work is because they pre-
fer employment in stores and factories,
where there is supposed to be more in
dependence and the hours of labor are
shorter. Of
The views of employers on this sub
ject are familiar to the public, but the
opinions of the employed are seldom
printed. The state labor bureau of
Wisconsin has collected data which
gives direct information why girls pre-
fer work in factories and stores to
household service. 1t is easy to COM
prehend that many are irritatei by
their social position, but the following
sample replies to the bureau indicate
other reasons why the service mas be-
come distasteful to thousands of young
women:
If ladies would only give girls better
rooms. kinder treatment and warmer
beds. and let them live Independently,
more girls would do housewOrk.
7 mt hn hpc1nCa
wished to be treated like a human be-
ing.
The reason l won't 10 housework is
because l will not be treated like half
slave and always a nobody.
l love hOusework, but like a host of
other girls, refuse to do it under pres
ent conditions.
l am treated better in the factory in
every way, and, besides, l am no long
err obliged to entertain in the kitchen
or receive my friends at the back door,
since l can live at home with my own
people.
In Boston it is contended that even
where higher wages are paid than
formerly it does not cause an increased
liking for household work or make II
easier to engage first-class maids.
In New York it is said that the COM
pensatior remains about the same as
it has been for years. and there is so
much difficulty in obtaining servants
that many married people prefer hotel
OF apartment house life. In the apart
ment hotels the problem has been
solved by thousands of men and wo-
men, who find the service included with
light. heat and fuel.
In large cities more girls are getting
situations in hotels and restaurants.
Although they must pay for their car
fares and lodgings. many of them club
together and keep their expenses down
to low figure. Numerous employ
| ment agencies report that while they
cannot supply household help. they can
get dozens of girls readily for factories
out of town.
The superintendent of the free en-
ployment bureau Of the state of New
York also reports an inability to sup
ply families with domestics. and he
Furthermore makes these observations:
We have made systematic inquiries
on the other side to see why trained
servants are not forthcoming when the
demand for them in this country is so
tremendous. Many of the Sisters of
Mercy in ireland take young girls and
teach them the rudiments of cooking.
washing. sewing and other domestic re-
quirements. and even carry them along
until they may be described as thor
oughly competent. But we found that
the demand for such servants was SO
keen on the other side that all who did
not particularly desire to come tn
America were snapped up there at
home.
IL girls conclude to abandon house
work for factory employment they can
always find work of one sort or another.
for the demand for female help among
business men is just as imperative as
the wants of their wives. Every day we
are asked to supply girls and women
for ~ different fields of manufacturing
work. The wages are not very seduc-
tive. and Oftentimes the work is much
harder than Homework and more monot-
onous. and yet the idea of day work
only. free evenings, weekly pay and the
removal of the badge of servltude. the
fancied stigma attached to housework,