Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-11-11
SOLVES THE
DOMESTIC PROBLEM
Three Thousand Men Are Nov
Employed in That City
as Maidservants.
ARE BETTER THAN GIRLS
Testimony From Titled Ladies' Proven
That They Are a success-Work
Harder Than Girls and Re-
quire Few Evenings on.

London Mail: The London domestic
problem is being solved-by men. the
ever-growing scarcity of landmarks
due mainly 10 the multiplication OF tea
rooms and cheap restaurants. where
the greater freedom and Increased
matrimonial facilities attract girls, is
bringing over to this country large
numbers OF men from Switzerland,
Germany. France and Italy. who do ex-
actly the same kind of housework as
girls for the same money They are
I'M short, male "domestics."
The season for engaging the conti-
mental. man "maidservant' has just SET
In. | will be at Its height in about
a fortnight's time. All the little res
taurants in the popular resorts on the
continent will be then reducing their
staff of walters, cleaners and assistant
cooks. Formerly these people sought
similar employment for the winter In
the larger towns of their own countries.
but work was not always obtainable.
Then a batch of the unemployed heard
from the British and foreign domestic
bureau, IS Harst street, Bloomsbury,
that there was a great dearth OF fe-
male servants in England, and that
possibly they might fill some of the
vacancies.
The suggestion was acted upon.
Within the past twelve months this
establishment has placed 400 foreign
men as domestic servants in the homes
of well-to-do English people. Other
agencies are also booking" male gem
erals" parlor maids and h~ousernaids,
and iii authority estimated that
there are now in London alone 5000
men who daily WELD the broom and
duster for a livelihood.
In some of the large houses, three
male "domestics" are kept a parlor
maid, a house maid and a cook. They
discharge all the duties appertaining
to their several positions just as girls
were wont to do. The house maid
the word might be changed to house
man"-makes the beds, sweeps the bed
rooms. cleans the windows and dusts
the furniture. The "parlorman's" par
ticular province is the dining room. He
keeps that apartment clean and tidy,
polishes the plate, and at meal times
waits at the table. In the intervals he
opens the door to callers.
II have abundant testimony from
titled ladies and others that the male
domestics are a great success" said the
principal of the domestic bureau.
They work harder than girls. they do
not require so many evenings off,
they rise earlier. they look heater. and,
of course. do not have followers The
only stipulation they make Is that they
shall have half an hours rest In the
afternoon for a smoke"
The male domestic, 1t further ap-
pears, receives as a rule s shillings a
week and his laundry, while his most
~serviceable age is between nineteen
and twenty-three. In the MORNING
the 'pariorman" and 'houseman" don
aprons. which they subsequently re-
move to assume dress clothes. The
men servants are more amenable than
female" added the above quoted au-
thority. They do not object to UNDER
take a little washing, and they do 1t
remarkably well. The reason of their
hardness is hat most, III not all OF
them, have served In the army.