The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-22
Is It Peace?

before the National Civic Federation,
New York, made statement, IN his
summing up Of peaceful industrial con-
ditions, which indicated that he had
not given the subject his usual careful
scrutiny. The statement was as fol-
lows:
In domestic service, comprising 5,5So,e57,
all is peace Perhaps in this department.
| the relations of employer and employed
are most satisfactory OF all.
Mr.. Carnegie may be Influenced by
peaceful conditions of domestic service
in Skibo castle, but it was recently
widely rumored that there was some
trouble even there, on account OF the
excessive extortion Of "tips' from the
numerous guests of the family by the
domestics. Mr.. Carnegie made his
sweeping statement as to domestic SER
vice unadvisedly. So far as this coun-
trv is concerned, it cannot be affirmed
as to that service that "all is peace.
If it were, the strenuous movement by
MANY groups Of American women to
remove the prejudices Of young Amerl-
can women against domestic service
that they may increase the supply OF
efficient house domestics, and make
them feel at home and furnish trust
{ worthy service. which may not be sud-
denly stopped thru the power OF chan
cling WITNESSES Of the maids-this Wor-
thy and commendable work would not
be undertaken.
The problem is far from being new
one or peculiar to this country. Over
in England the problem forced itself
upon employers forty years ago or
more. and at that period employers
were laughing at the picturesque de-
scriptions by the excellent Hannah
More of docile Marys and Susans In
pretty muslins, people Of a past day.
The situation here is affected strong
" by the great increase Of apartment
buildings, where the labors Of house
n keeping are concentrated in the small
n space Of fat, and any woman in fair
ly good health can entirely dispense
with maids and, by having laundry
look after the family washing, cal
, be fairly independent and free from
=. the customary tyranny Of the cook o.
. housemaid. She does not dread sud
den halt in the necessary work of tn
- household; she does not experience tn
I" chagrin Of sudden leave-taking OF he
maid on the very verge Of a Dime
l party or dainty afternoon tea. Sh
does not have to complain of heartles
l. human ingratitude when the mai
q leaves to get higher wages elsewhere
l. after learning from her everything sh
70 knows of the culinary art, the routln
h Of chamber work, and even is indebte
=. TO her for all she knows Of the spoke
IS English tongue.
9r The tempers Of many women hav
le been ruined by the vicissitudes Of hell
10 less dependence upon the services Q
O. the dictatorial and exacting moder
IS domestic. The latter rather reverses oil
TO practices. She seems to expect the en-
n ployer to give her a certificate of cha
IL acter, and is insulted if such certifcat
~ is demanded Of her. She enters
house where employment is offere
t. with the view Of asking questions, an
at scouts the bare notion that. it, is il
es cumbent upon her to answer question
I'd about herself. She establishes an e.
,g acting inquisition herself. She offe!
1g terms, and turns on her high heels an
in resumes the sidewalk if they are nj
IS. accepted. If accepted by the victi1
es she conducts herself as if she we
lis comforting a very great favor by abb
ch ing even temporarily under her roo
of Inordinate demands, without the Sigh
he est reference to real qualifications (
of the part Of very many, is a distinguis
We ling feature Of the candidates for d
Is, mestic service; and, SO long as the ri
Of employers bull the market and pay t
top prices for maids whose services a
ed really intrinsically valuable, and g
on the. best, the rest Of the world Of 81
it |ployers have to take their chances wi
,ut the inferior residue and try to mai
M tain peace which is but a partly su
by pressed struggle against bondage til
We is, in many Of its phases, weH-nigh
if tolerable.
in Women, entangled In the meshes
ac- the problem Of domestic service, 9