New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-13
II DOMESTIC EVIL.
Miss Grace Dodge Tells Some
Reasons for SerOant Problem.

Speaking at a meeting Of the Murray Hill branch
OF the woman's Municipal League yesterday, at
the house of Mrs. Thomas P Fowler, No. 80 East
sixtyeghth-st, -aiss Grace H. Dodge declared that
the moral conditions of many of the intelligence
bureaus in this city were such that she did not
like describe them. II deeply inter
esng story that she told the women of the league
Investigations
We found woman detective" she said. who
regular female Sherlock Holmes. We also
found college woman who wanted TO investigate
the conditions attending the finding of employment
who willing 20 register and go into places
herself to get at the truth. and who had mind
for figures. First they took up the so-called
licensed bureaus OF which there about four
hundred. and in doing this they found a number
One hundred. perhaps-which not licensed
The revelations which they made OF the things they
found almost impossible TO believe.
along Fourth-ave. and Sxth-ave. and the cross
streets. there was not much that was evil. but on
the far East and West sides. especially below
Fourteenth-st. the East Side. where so many
employment bureaus are run in connection with
saloons. worse, unspeakable things go
ing
''0ne of the worst features they encountered was
the lodging house. which connected with many
OF the agencies. woman who registered
expected TO live in the lodging house till she got
place She would be kept waiting till her money
gone before work was found for her. and then
she would be influenced leave it under
promise Of higher wages. that she could pay
other registration fee and live in the bu
reaus lodging house
Again and again the investigators heard the
proprietor say TO girl We can't do anything for
you-you stay too long in place and they came
to the conclusion that one great reason for the
unsettled state OF domestic servants was the con-
tinued melting Of the bureaus TO leave places. so
that more money could he turned into the agency
TIL.
Hygiene and social conditions in these lodging
houses about bad they could be.
y thought ] was willing 10 do almost anything,
said the college day. but yesterday
they asked me 10 do something I really couldn't
At the intelligence Office where I had just regis
tered they asked ne go into the lodging house
until they found something. and / consented
/ found my closet with bed in it,
which four Of expected 10 share The
other three women were Of a very low grade.
stood the association with them till midnight; then
under pretext. got UP and left the house
In many, many CT those places women are ex-
pected 10 sleep three in bed anG in practically
all. two In 2 bed.
zone Of our Investigators" continued Miss Dodge
registered at q well known office Fourth-ave
But have 70 references she said. What shall
do? oh, you come around tomorrow morning. and
We'll make that ali right the reply. The
next morning she found some references already
As for the saloons. OF the investigators
the lower East Side that she did not nave to get
10 II either through saloon or over saloon; ..,
be able by and by TO make out white list or en-
pioyment bureaus. like the Consumers Leagues
white list. very great deal be done to rec
tfy the terrible conditions by getting the legis-
lsture 10 pass bill. which Mr. Reynolds is going
10 propose, regulating the intelligence bureaus
James B. Reynolds. at whose recommendation We
undertook the investigation calculates that or the
four hundred licensed bureaus in the city only one
hundred needed. He thinks the license fee
should be raised from s25 TO 500 and that the pro-
OF from $1,000 TO sIOO00-an act which would have
The eject OF throwing out some Of The worst or
the AGENCIES just IL weeded out the pawn
brokers who were weakest financially when SINH
lar law went effect time A severe
penalty should be attached in the bill TO those VINO
send women girls TO places where they should
he sent We do believe that these women
who have recourse 10 the agencies-most OF whom
are poor-should be protected against the loss or
their money and that IL should be made a mis-
cerneanor send them 10 places known or sus-
pectec be improper morally. OF course, there
Will be strong opposition the bill. especially
from the quor dealers, whose interests are closely
connected with the intelligence bureau. When
men keep a bureau this connection Is generally a
very close The more q man applicant drinks
IN the saloon. the easier IL is find him posi-
ton- Having acquired the habit of drink, he IS
not likely TO retain place long but VIII arirt
hack the agency after little while, TO regis
again, and 20 drinking IN the agency saloon
snd so al infnitum "
Not satisfied with the way IN which IL is reach
Ing The and girls OF the great East SIDE
tematic effort organize clubs and branches
among them. Miss Emily Sargent is leader In
this department OF the work. and yesterday she