New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-04
'S-HOUR DAY IN KITCHEN
MAY Come Soon, According to
Employment Bureaus.
GOOD FEMALE LABOR RARE
Competent Ones Always Work,
Be They Stenographers
or Servants.

Hark the day when there will be DO
, nestle servants union and all the r.
Ms" Oxitchen mechanics) and the second
girls will be demanding an eight-hour
day, Such a suggestion might properly
be deduced from the annual report OF
Herman Robinson. Commissioner of Ii
censes, submitted to the Mayor yesterday
Mr.. Robinson, however. is good enough
merely to touch upon such a possibility
and leave 1t. as he says for each indi-
vidual family to solve the servant PROB
lem.
Referring to this subject in the report,
he said:
The establishment OF schools Of domes-
tic science is being advocated to solve
household problems in general; several
are maintained by semi-public institu-
tons. Reports do not indicate that they
are solving the servant problem in d.
rect manner. because servants do not at
tend them. When a servant gets any
time off from her duties she prefers TO
spend II in social recreation. Employers
Of servants are, however learning more
about domestic science. and the servants
may Increase their knowledge indirectly.
But these schools do not furnish the solu-
ton.
THE servant question is one that each
family will have 10 solve individually. IL
It is to be solved. Proper order in the
household. by which servants will have
to work so many hours day and no
more. with a specific number Of hours
nut OF every twenty-four 10 use as they
please. is the best remedy which has yet
been proposed. That is what most of the
employment agents say, and they are
qualified TO speak on the question, for
they have TO look at and listen to both
sides OF it,"
Commissioner Robinson says that the
supply OF servants does not meet the de-
mand II is not so much because women
who are willing to work az servants are
scarce as it is that so many OF them are
incompetent. Every employment agency
/ in New York. the report states. has more
applications for work from wOuld-be
servants than IT can I'll. but there Is not
an agency in the city that would not
place 100 per cent more servants were
the latter competent TO fill the places
The Commissioner expressed the
| opinion. based upon the criticisms OF en-
ployers. that the general education OF the
average girl applicant for the position OF
stenographer is poor. Neither employment
agents nor many employers have. he said
as a rule. a high opinion OF the educa-
tlonal ability Of the average public school
graduate.
Don't send us any more OF thoss
frivolous girls IL what the average en-
ployer says 10 an agent when he wants
a stenographer." according 10 Mr.. Robin
sons report 1--WE want a girl who knows
little about the English language and
understands punctuation How much are
you willing TO pay? queries the agent.
Well, S a week should be enough The
agent replies that there are plenty Of
girls who will work for IS a week and
some for Sc but no guarantee OF educa-
tional qualifications can be given for tina.
amount OF money. OF course. the fact Is
that few competent Office workers are out
OF employment"
Discussing the subject or Immigrant
labor. Commissioner Robinson reported
that while the employment agency law
affords considerable protection to the i'm
migrant laborer. the abuses from which
he suffers most are practised on him in
the labor camps and at the works. where
the employment agency law does not
operate.
"The state law for the regulation OF
labor camps appears TO have accomplished
nothing" the report said. Federal regu-
lation OF labor camps should be effective,
because the abuses which the laborers re-
cruited I'm New York City complain OF are
even more prevalent in adjoining states
than I'm our own"