The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-06-18
PLEA FOR
 THE HOME MAKER

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 In Fridays issue of The Age-Her- aid on the market page I read an article from the pen of Jack Lait ir the American Magazine and repro- duced in your paper entitled Know What a K. M. Is?' in which the author goes ou to say that K. M. Is the slang initials for the words, kitchen mechanic"
 I have read the article and pom dered upon it and my thoughts must have expression in written words.
 Underneath the levity there is an undercurrent of ridicule throughout the article as if a domestic servant was a thing to be despised and made fun of.
 All labor is noble and holy and fail to understand why anyone should relegate to the very bottom of the lists of the arts and sciences the homely title of the artist that pre- sides over the home.
 'Home' the sweetest word in the English language after the beautiful word "Mother!' How closely associated is our memories of one with the other. And there would be today more peace ful, happy and cleanly homes if girls would practice the arts of the "kitch- en mechanic" When she learns that the way to a husbands heart is by way of his stomach, and that a we'll cooked dinner in well kept home, prepared by hands not afraid of being hardened and Drowned, is vastly more ,.,;,a +aI a1I lovers or would be, provided nicely kept home were theirs to enjoy than any other blessing.
 Hands soft and white are beautiful to the sight and touch, but in the housekeeper the kitchen mechanic" whose rough and oft soiled hands per form the labor of love, who is not only willing but ready to assume her part of the burden. thereby solving not only economic problems of the day, but the great problem of home- making and love maintaining, love and appreciation disdain to look for outward beauty.
 Let the little nose be shiny, or red i: the cheek is red, too, with the un- mistakable color of Mother Natures s own rouge. Let "her" hope "to star in the movies" she has as good chance there as any one her being a kitchen nitcHdHlc uOeS not Dar nef rom per- forming other tasks as we'll Supposng she does put up her hair in crimr- CTS and aspires to matrimony," it's her privilege. Why, because of her calling, deny her the right to the po- sition she is best fitted to fill?
 l leave it to all sensible, single men. the most of whom show indif- ference to the very common sight of the made-up maid, if you knew where to find the honey girl, whose mother taught her modesty and the art of housekeeping and home making, the girl whose cheek glows with the healthy hue induced by exercise in the performance of duties in the home. whose finger nails are not trimmed up like bird claws, but are worn off through adherance 10 that duty, would you not be looking in her di- rection?
 She need not persist in being wooed, coaxed or chased" when she is found, ''he" will do all that, recognizing that the noblest calling on earth for her who is to le mistress of his home the mother of his children. the little won- an who has proven herself capable, willing and able is nome building artisan" yes, even 'l<itchen mechanic"
 LORA LEE MILLER
 2105 Oak avenue, Birmingham June 16 1917