South Bend news-times., 1915-09-27
Why Women Prefer
To Work tor Men
BY Lucille Caine

The servant problem is 10 be ac-
counted for 10 large extent by the
reluctance of women to work Tor
women And as it is in domestic
service so il is in other spheres OF
women's work.
The reason for this feeling is not
altogether attributable 10 a desire for
male society. Mans service carries
with il certain privileges, a certain
freedom, and an undoubted position,
which cannot always be said of the
other kind.
Fortunately for women, mans
sense of chivalry is not dead, what
ever may be said to the contrary; and
however much he may regard his
stenOgrapher as part of the machin-
cry of the office, in reality he does not
forget that she is a woman, and in
his heart Of hearts he is sorry for it.
There are few men really. who like
to see a woman working hard, and if
by any means they can tighten her
load, they do so. The most selfish of
employers will do more for a woman
employer than for a man, unless of
course he is a brute and a coward
and takes the opportunity of oppress-
ing one who is weaker than himself
this kind fortunately does not
abound.
And sometimes a girl takes advan-
tage of an employers leniency, but it
it rare occurrence. She knows he
is decent" to her. and she tries TO
be the same to him. Good qualities,
as a rule, beget good qualities.
The woman employer wants the ut
termOst penny out of her subordinate.
You see she knows exactly how much
, the woman has TO give, and she wants
Iit-because she has paid for it. Man,
il must be confessed. is more gener-
Gus; he will not make work" for the
girl. If she does his bit, he does not
mind how She occupies herself aft
! erwards. Hospital nurses are wom-
en- who do yards and yards of GRO
chet" said one woman employer of
professional service. "and why not?"
was the mans reply. "She comes to
nurse you. doesn't she? If you don't
happen TO need her for the moment
surely she is free to do what she
likes" That is just the point.
Woman seems to think she is en-
gaging a woman body and soul when
she pays her SO much per week: any
time she has to herself is a privilege
q gracious concession on the part of
the employer. Man, being a worker
himself knows that he is only pay
| ing for the work, not for the worker
The girl can still call her soul her
own.
Domestic service is Il case in point
1t is simply, because the mistress
expects the servant to give up her
life to her that the girls will not go
to service-they want TO be their
own mistress" And small blame to
them
The woman employer has uncon-
sciOusly much of the slave-driviNg
element in her. She does not believe
in independence. If a girl has got
to earn her own living she must
"knuckle under'-as if one should
sell ones soul for a mess of pottage.
And in the process of bending to
the will Of another, woman, in wom-
ans eyes, alasl loses position. The
very act Of being subservient stamps
her az class beneath. Man looks
upon his worker as his helper;
women never forget that they are
dependents"
Woman, in mans employ, to a GER
tain extent makes her own position
Is she a lady; she is treated as such;
If she shows herself equal to respOn-
sibility, she is given il. Far from
thinking her socially inferior, mans
respect for her gains in proportion to
the abilities she exhibits.
The woman employer allows no un-
conscious ascent. The girl remains
what she was engaged TO be, and will
do so until a new position is found
for her. She takes her status from
her place in the office, the home, or
the wOrkrOom. as the case may be.