The Washington herald., 1907-09-15
DOMESTIC SERVICE GRAFT
Unfortunate Rich People Are Held
Up in Their Households.
Lady's Maid, Chauffeur, Butler, and
All Are Taking Commissions
Wherever They Can.

Household graft and waste are costing
the millionaire and the unfortunate near
rich IN New York millions Of dollars
each year, says the New York Tribune.
In single houses where the bills run more
than S10,cC0 a month the p!ckiugs Of serv-
ants and tradespeopls run into many
thousands a year. Commissions" is the
cry and my lady's maid" expects her
percentage for favorius the hairdresser,
the butler demands his understanding
with florist and wine merchant, the chef
favors the supplies of those who favor
him, the groOms know something about
harness dealers, and the chauffeur is
friendly in a quiet way with repair shop
and automobile accessories firms. and
the more that IS used up the larger the
bills. and the larger the bills the greater
the commissions.
AS an instance Of how this system
works may be cited the case Of a chauf-
feur who needed $40 az once. He had
Just had a profitable and elaborate re-
pair Job. so that another accident would
not do. So he calmly went 10 a supply
house and ordered enough tires and took
four 80 bills and went his Way rejoicing
/ II also works the other way. Suppose
the florist does not see the grasping
/ butler. His flowers are sure to wither
/ before dinner is over. or wines fail to
| please IL the vintner be reniss. And il
/ is even a question whether special milk
at l5 cents q quart may not sour unless
there be an overflow of golden cream for
some one.
These leaks in home expenditures have
| long been known to exist, but were gen
orally regarded as petty and unavoidable
| One day, however, an expert accountant
/ who had been employed by a manufac-
turer 20 detect waste I'm q branch which
did about 5000 Of business a year sug-
gested that there was probably mope
! undetected waste in the owners home
/ than in his whole business. The manu-
/ faoturer told the accountant 10 60 ahead
/ on the household end. AT the end Of
/ fortnight the expert showed that he was
| losing in his city home alone, through
/ bad business systems such as no hotel
would use. between S9.000 and Sll.001
/ year. Since then II has developed that
I the same condition prevails in many
/ homes And when the domestic estab-
! lishment has branches in Newport coun-
/ try estates hunting preserves. and pos.
1 sibly q foreign. chateau and a Yacht OF
/ two, # at once takes on the proportion
/ Of great business and unless modern
! business systems are used offers IN its
! purchases. use, and disposal of material
/ vast opportunity for serious loss.
/ As a result OF these conditions there has
come from the rich a demand for a new
/ class Of experts-hOusehold actuaries
! And as these experts have 20 be associat-
taH T~1ff w vrff a rio ...TF.
and also have 10 have q natural aptitude
/ for domestic details, women are preferred.
/ though there are many cases where men
/ who are masters Of business systems get
/ large salaries 10 run the financial side Of
| q S250,000 q year household on the same
principles that they have supervised some
/ great manufacturing or purchasing
plant. To Go this work successfully,
! however, II is not enough that the aDpli-
/ cant possess some ability as a book
/ keeper and shrewdness as a household
| executive, Tho domestic actuary must
be able to devise systems which viii de-
tect loss in any OF the many operations
Of the home, just as in the buying, re-
ceiving. manufacturing, selling, packing.
or Shipping department OF a shoe OF -four
factory or department store. Payrolls.
| orders, bills, paynents-au must come
! NlaGeI lAAo iiSL u q DuSliicSS system, and
II viii be q poor domestic actuary who
does not save double or triple the large
salary paid
In order to fit themselves for these
places as executive secretaries in wealthy
| homes, or for the similar positions Of
scientific alnOners or charity secretaries
for those who wish 10 give largely, but
always wisely, many women, often col
/ lege graduates are making q specia !
study OF higher accounting and business
methods. Many others find that for
women OF brains and ability the same
knowledge brings them large returns in
the business world as expert account
ants or business organizers. Other wom-
en- find that this knowledge is very use
| ful in keeping track Of their own estates
and in guiding them in making invest
ments, and combine with the study Of
accountancy courses IN business, law, and
| investments.