The Washington times., 1917-01-18
HOME EFFICIENCY
PERPLEXES MANY
Housskeepsfs AHiah6s Pfssl
dent Receives Scores Of
Letters.
MAIDS THREATEN STRIKE
Human Factor Of Worker Too
Often Ignored BY Arehl-
tect, ls Complaint.

Here are q few things . psrpIsxsd
woman who has moved into . new
house wants to know, as itsmizsd
in. a letter, addressed to Mrs. Flora
Thompson, president Of the
Alliance:
Why are the washtubs within six
feet Of the furnace, so that every
time one shakes the furnace the
clothes are dusted3
Why II my gas hot water heater
In the callar to be near the laundry
tubs, though I wash dishes three
times a day and clothes once a week
Why IL the light in the pantry 50
high have to climb up on chair to
reach It?
Hospitals have round corners, why
not houses7
Why do so many doors open the
wrong way?
Why should the threshold relics be
preserved between rooms to interfere
with sweeping?
Much Advice Fortheoming.
The Housekeepers' Alliance has
been holding a series Of Friday af-
ternoon forums on household effi-
cheney. As q result many letters have
been sent to the president, Mrs.
Thompson, giving hints in plenty
about efficiency devices.
The letter above, one of the most
helpful received this week, Is aimed
at a certain type of. house, built
to SELL" which Is described as q sort
Of House That Jack Built"
The writer continues:
MY stairs are so situated that one
climbs over the hall radiator to get
there and the possibility of q hall
rack Is absolutely ignored. Also they
are beautiful wainscoated part Of the
way down SO that the baby has no
bannister to. hold to for several feet,
and usually falls that distance.
Largely Matter Of Money.
How can one be efficient when one
has not the means? Biscuits In
thirty-six moves may do in q model
kitchen but not IN mine. Also there
are nine million hucksters. agents,
lame peddlers and others to interrupt
I had a most business-like sign up on
my door for q long time which said,
Hucksters and agents do not ring,
but each one called himself something
else. and the hucksters said they
could not read English, so I took II
down"
Washington" Mrs. Thompson said,
her domestic architectural troubles,
particularly with reference to apart
ments"
"Colored houseworkers Of Washing
ton, Mrs. Thompson stated, have been
for some time preparing resolutions
to better conditions Of their labor.
They intend to wait until milder
weather, when the high cost Of coal
will no longer be an item Of expense,
and then strike IL their employers
don't grant their requests.
Apartment Kitchen q Cell.
THE apartment OF q friend, in one
of the most fashionable apartment
houses in Washington. Is a good solid
reason for cooks going on q strike, "
Mrs. Thompson continued.
at is high up and affords q won
derfui view from the drawing room
windows. But the kitchen is moth
ing more than a cell, in which the
cook endures something like q SEN
tence to hard work in solitary con-
hnement.
"The cell is beautifully tiled and
nickle-plated Nevertheless the per
sonal liberty OF the cook Is little con-
sidered by the architect, who shuts
her in this elegant box Of a kitchen
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 communi-
cate with the street and her own
world.
Considered as Freight.
"The girl must go UP and down in
a freight elevator. That sort OF
thing is simple marble, hewn, steel
riveted contempt of the human factor
in the domestic labor problem.
"It 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 their last state
worse than their first give up wrest-
ling with the domestic labor problem
altogether and go to living in hotels.
Saving in house planning involves the
very saving of the home itself"
To discuss the problems of house
planning F. v. Murphy, graduate Of
the Ecole des Beaux Arts, OF Paris,
and director OF the School OF Archi'
lecture of the Catholic University, has
been invited to address the meeting
this week. The talk will be tomor-
row afternoon. The lecture Is free,
and both men and women have been
invited. 1t will be at 2:30 o'clock,