Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-02
STEERING THE NEW CLERKS
BY FREDERIC ). :IAsK1N

WASHINGTON. July 1.-The govern
nlent call for women employees brings
scores OF young women TO Washing
ton every day. From all parts OF the
country they arrive at the Union Sta
tion. with determined grip on their
suit cases and n flushed look of awe
tor the towering white dome of the
national capitol There is no mistak-
Ing their mission. They have tho air
OF somewhat insecure confidence that
marks the young woman breadwinne
all over the world. and with 1t a suG-
sestion OF dignifed Importance appro-
pirate to their position. They have
come to work for the governments!
SO the matrons OF the Young Women's
Christian Association always recognize
them as soon rs they come through the
gates. and sec that they set on "a
street car which takes them to the
once or the organization. Here they
are advised as to a suitable boarding
house.
Washington is full of boarding
houses-good. bad and indifferent Rows
or tail, gaunt houses, with front bay
windows: stone steps with iron rail
lngs on which tho boarders sit on trop-
lcaily hot evenings. waving palm lenf
FANS In futile attempt to keep cool
and combat the mosquitoes; basement
aiming rooms that greet the visitor
win the ghosts of long -departcd cab
pages and sauerkraut, may be found
on street after street throughout the
northwest section. Each displays a neat
little sign Of some sort with the non
commtttal words. Rooms and Board"
10 attract the weary seeker Of lodE-
ing.
The door is usually opened by a tired
african cook. who seems to resent
Such an unwarranted intrusion into her
already multifarious duties and calls
her mistress from the bottom Of the
staircase In voice which is a protest
against the burdens of existence. There
is long interval of silence. excont for
the sounds OF various boarders moving
around upstairs. while the prospective
lodger becomes acquainted with the
ostentatious albeit inexpensive gran
deur OF the "parlor." This room is the
principal feature of tho better board
houses. the first thing the prospective
ooarder sees when she enters a house.
ana IN most cases she is led bacls to
IL While she makes her final decision
me rest OF the house may rarely full
MI the expectations aroused by this
first impression. but one IS fortunate
10 nave parlor ut all. Some of the
houses rent their 'parlors" nowadays.
ana contain no provision for receiving
guests.
investigated Boarding Houses.
The Young Women's Christian AS
ISOLATION OF Washington has no Iodp.
ing accommodations OF its own. /.
mas very fine lot on which IL intends
10 erect a large building some day. but
IN the meantime funds are short.
Hence. when the officers learned that
hundreds Of young women would be
called to Washington during the year
Tor government service. they conducted
an investigation of local boarding.
houses. A committee OF women spent
two weeks in going around and in
terviewing landladies. inspecting houses
and making lists Of references, SO that
the association now has on file per-
laps the first complete index OF board
lighthouses that has ever been made by
any organization.
clearinghouse must live up to
the requirements OF the association be-
fore the officers will send girls to It..
There must be a parlor where they
may receive guests. The bedrooms
must contain what the officers con-
slider an adequate number of windows
There must be certain regulations COLI
corning the number of people using one
bath. And the landlady herself must
be woman Of stern principles and
morals, preferably consistent church
goer.
When a girl arrives at the associ-
atoms headquarters she is carried to
the office on the second floor by an