New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-04
Servants in Command
Women Handicapped by Kitchen
Conditions in Helping
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: When I saw women in this country
going so enthusiastically into war work l
felt that the great struggle had really come
home to US, that we really were touched by
it and would be rather worthier human be-
ings for ii when everything was over. BIT
my feeling is not so strong as 1t was
Women are living their lives in exactly the
same spirit in which they were living them
before; there has been no real change.
have tried earnestly TO think out my in
dividual problem. have a few friends IN
England, and their example has helped me.
They are not ordering any more evening
things, and some of them are doing almost
all their own work save the cooking and the
heaviest cleaning. The conclusion / have
struggled TO is this: we women were as re-
sponsiole for the war any one else We
had built up q sort OF existence which was
too crowded with unnecessary necessities.
We had too many servants; we had too many
appurtenances; we had too many frocks. We
helped get the world all out of perspective.
The war is going to restore that perspec-
tive. am sure. We women are not going 70
be ashamed 70 labor a little; we are going to
be more independent Of all these material
things we have been propping up our lives
with. I know this change has come to
thousands of English women. But 1t mas
not come TO American women, and sometimes
wonder if it ever will.
Ny American friends have taken all the
Red Cross courses that there are to take;
-. Id hp7
have made piles and piles OF bandages and
surgical dressings. But they have not yet
done one BIT Of real work in their coun-
try's interest. | said to one of my friends:
"Why don't you let your upstairs maid go?
You made beds for your home care course!
Why don't you make beds in your own
home@ She said that she really wished she
could, but that the other servants wouldn't
stand for il; that IL was all right for me be-
cause | had but two, anyway, and they were
used to seeing ne do what | wanted 20, but
she wasn't free to do it in household like
hers. And she says the same thing about
saving; she can't ask her kitchen to econo-
mize because they don't understand what
YOU mean; they merely think you're stingy."
And she added that if every one discharged
servants there would be glut on the mar
ket and great many people out Of en-
ployment
Are we so bound that all the Mr.. Hoovers
in the world cannot lberate US? Shall we
have to 90 on wasting soap and gasolene
and sugar just because our servants are in
command? suppose if everybody dismissed
maid or two there would be great deal
of unemployment, but am sure the govern
ment could use able-boded girls somewhere,
now that the men are going, and even If the
government couldn't, they would, | am sure,
be able to find places somewhere.
express this all very badly, because,
suppose, ] am not used 10 thinking out
such things. But | feel that a great,
great change has still 70 come IN the heart
Of the American woman. and her heart has
not been touched yet She is terribly anx-
ious TO be correct, the American woman;
everybody tells US that. | hope that she will
see Of herself how wrong is her dependent,
artificial, theatre going, dinnergiylng, cor
rect life in dreadful times like these. | hope
she will change it because it is wrong, not
because it isn't done" Mrs. II. 7. s.
New York, Sept. /, 1917.