Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-19

Cleaning systems, washing machines,
ETC.?
A Representative Dwelling.
Ny stairs are so situated that one
climbs over the hall radiator to get
there and the possibility of hallrack
is absolutely ignored-mine is in the
dining-room: also, they are beautifully
wainscoted part of the way down SO
that the baby has no banister to hold to
for several feet and usually falls that
distance.
These faults are not peculiar to
this particular house, for. as said
ing. I dream of a house that would be
as woman would like 1t to be, but
there are not any to be had at any
price, and to build would be prohibit
tive. even II one had the necessary
knowledge Of how to get the desired
result Very truly yours. -
"A Washington woman called me on
the telephone one evening not long ago
troubles. particularly with reference to
apartments. I myself was visiting one
afternoon this week in the home Of a
friend who lives elegantly in one of
Washington, and this woman related to
me that her cook, q most exemplary,
efficient colored girl. had been active
a few days previous in a mass meeting
workers of the city to get ready to
strike II the resolutions they are draw
ing up to better the conditions of their
labor are not put into operation before
weather eliminates the price of coal
from the cost Of living. and then. un-
less drastic reforms are instituted in
Washington kitchens. colored house.
workers intend to walk out.
Almost in Solitary Confinement.
THAT. II true. will. Of course. add to
the burdens Of the housewife. but GER
tainly the apartment OF my friend is a
perfectly good. solid reason for cooks
going on a strike. it's high up and at
fords a wonderful view from the draw
ing-room windows. But the kitchen is
nothing more than q cell in which the
cook endures something like a sem
tence to hard labor in solitary conftne-
ment. The cell Is beautifully tiled and
nickel plated.
Nevertheless. the personal liberty
OF the cook is little considered by the
architect, who shuts her in tn elegant
box Of a kitchen he has planned. with
no means of egress but to be let out
into the main hall belonging strictly
to the proprietors Of the apartments.
from which. to communicate with the
street and her own world. the girl must
go up and down in the freight elevator.
That sort of thing is simply marble
hewn. steel-riveted contempt Of the hui
man factor of the domestic labor prob
lem.
TT Is one reason why women in
Washington. after giving up in despair
trying to keep domestics in houses. go
to housekeeping in apartments, and
then, finding the last state worse than
the first. give up wrestling with the
domestic labor problem altogether and
go to living In hotels. Saving in house.
planning involves the very saving Of
the home itself"
The meeting this afternoon IL to be
addressed by Mr.. F. v. Murphy. who IL
q graduate Of the Ecole desBeaux Arts
Of Paris and director Of the School of |
Architecture Of the Catholic University. |
He finds in the seriousness Of the |
whole philosophy OF French life, par
ticularly In regard to the homo and FAM |
ily. the reason for the nne economy Of |
French domestic architecture, which he |
Will take for model in his address on |
How to Save In House Planning"