El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-03-28


out of keeping with American ideas cf
democracy although others still hold
that they are more in keeping with
the relations which the two hold to
! each other than the more modern des-
, lgnation of employer and emplOye.
While the many conditions bearing
upon domestic service and its relation
to the American home are recognized
as so important that a government in
yestigatiOn is under consideration. it
must he borne in mind that they DO
not affect the whole nation. More than
two thirds of the housewives OF
America attend to the comfort and
necessities of their families without
any hired help Yet the mistrcsses Of
the country are a class worthy OF con-
slderation because of the social in
Iluence they exert upon women less
fortunately situated Those who are
studying domestic conditions divide
! mistresses into two classes-those who
keep only one servant and those who
keep two OF more.
Change FavOrs Mistress.
A great change has taken place IN
the relations of mistress and maid in
the past half century This change Is
almost entirely to the ADVANTAGE of the
mistress The modern maid resenJs
this fact
In. the earlier period the girl en-
plOyed as a helper in the home was
treated nearly. if not quite as q social
p
side by side and in most instances she
received as much consideration as a
daughter in the family She was cared
for in illness and her leisure was apt
to be spent largely with the family.
The kitchen in which she performed
her work, or most of it, was a CHEEKY,
hOmelke place used extensively as g
family sitting room and differing IN
every way from the cherries kitchen
of the modern home. even though the
latter be equipped with the latest con-
veniences and be kept with laboratory
like neatnesS.
Kitchens Not HOmeIiIze.
Despite its white sink, polished
spigOts and shining range, the average
modern kitchen is not a hOmelike
place, and yet it is the only sitting
room the average mistress provides
for a lonely girl in which to spend her
scant leisure The servant of half a
century ago worked harder for a frac-
ton of the modern wage, but she re-
ceived cOnsideratiOn-that most i'm
portant but somewhat elusive quality
too often found TO be lacking among
the mistresses of today In return the
girl gave faithful and honest service
and usually showed herself absolutely
loyal TO the interests Of her employer.
The changed social conditions make Il
harder for both women today. but il is
the mistress who first should adapt
herself to the new order of things, AMI
this so far she has failed to do save in
exceptional instances.
Women Try 10 Solve Problem.
a number Of WOmen's organizations
throughout the country are giving at
tentiOn to providing some means OF
ent domestic servant problem The
most influential Of these Is the House
keepers Alliance, which has branches
in most of the larger cities The Al
lance opened an employment bureau
in Philadelphia a few years ago with
the idea that the rights and privileges
of the emplOye tthe Alliance objects
to the word Servant" were to be as
carefully guarded as were those of
the employer They even went so FAR
as to attempt a training school for
miStreSses. although this last was a
rather unsuccessful experiment
A member OF the alliance went to
the bureau in quest OF a maid. She
was received by a Gignified woman
who made many inquiries as to the
kind of room provided for the girl
the number Of hours off duty the
privileges Of receiving company and
other matters upon which the pros
pectlVe employer gave satisfactory as
surances- Then the agent said; Now
you say you want a maid What is IL
that you want her to dO2 Is she to be
expected TO act as waitress as well as
to cook; to do the work of a laundreSs
as well as that Of a chambermaid, and
to be at the beck and call of her en-
ployer for any odd unstipulated ser
vice which may come up at any time2"
The woman naturally was EN- EMBARRASSED
at having her wants stated so badly,
but admitted that she practically ex-
pected those services from the girl she
employed.
Urgent Demands Of Employers.
Then answered the agent, ''yOI
are asking a great deal more than
you have any right to expect and .re
behind the times in your demands. This
is an age of specialization and this
idea should apply to homework as
well as to other industries. Until
mistresses cease to make unjust de-
mands there will be no better domes-
tic conditions. II you cannot afford
to pay waitress, you should not eX-
pect your cook to act in that capacity
but should be satisfied to have her
place your food neatly upon the table
so that you can serve yourself. II
you cannot afford to have a chamber
maid, you should be willing to make
your own bed every day and be
thankful if your cook is willing to do
your heavy sweeping once "A week
You have no right to expect her to
dust and arrange your rooms if she
IS also to be burdened with laundry
work. I can supply you with a good
honest girl who can do a reasonable (
amount OF homework and plain cook
ing, but L cannot undertake to have
her perform the duties of three per
sons"
Inadequate Quarters For Maids.
A large proportion of the mis- resses !
of the present are only a singl gen
GRAFTON removed from abject poverty !
and, therefore. are ever upon the alert
to impress others with their ideas !
of proper living standards Most of /
these have been gained from novels |
and a slight social contact with those
who have been accustomed to live coEI-
fortably and employ servants for gem
eratiOns. 1t is the newly arrived mis-
tress who has done most to make do
nestle service hard for everyone She /
is so anxious to have SNOWY furniture !
and elaborate bric-a-brac in her par /
lor that she will spend nothing TO /
make comfortable and attractive the /
rooms which are occupied by her en-
plOyes. IN some houses. which seem
to possess every comfort to the So
cial visitor. the accommodations Tor I
the servants are worse than in some 4
of the cheapest tenements in the /
slums.
Compelled TO Sleep In Damp Room.
A victim Of tuberculosis. who ap-
piled to charitable organization for /
treatment told that she had con-
tracted the disease from sleeping in a Z
damp cellar while in domestic service I
for a woman whose name frequently /
appears in the society columns The /
physician making the examination or
dered an Investigation by the board Of 4
health. 1t was found that the two
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