The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-09
MAID PROBLEM HERE.
OBSERVES NO TRUCE.
Harassed Housekeepers Fail to
Find Relief for Domestic
Help Shortage.
WAR PAY LURE LINGERS
Home Comforts With Taxis
and Short Hours May
Bring Servants Back.


. more or less thorough survey OF
the situation. the servant problem Is
likely TO remain with us even when
the war is a thing of the past. World
n.ace IS not going to bring peace TO
the harassed housekeeper, II appears.
According to those who have their
cars TO the ground. the working
woman does't care who Is signing
what armistices-she. having had her
taste OF freedom farmeretting and
,onductoretting and earning good
wages and having her evenings free
working in munition factories, ia not
going back TO the kitchen to be
bossed by another woman.
This r. the forecast of experts in
,he United States Employment Ser
vice and other organizations which
deal with labor conditions. In private
employment agencies the view is
somewhat more hopeful. These report
that as war industries cease their old
iris who used to take situations
through them but left to follow the
call Of patriotism or OF larger wages
and greater freedom are gradually
coming back. But very, very slowly,
ali saw. And most OF the better class
agents who have to do with domestic
servants agree with Uncle Sans eX-
pprts that outside service-cooks and
rnaids, &c. living in their own homes
and coming in for an eight hour day
ike the carpenter or plumber-must
ultimately replace the present feudal
system.
House Labor Change.
Z am convinced the whole status
Of house labor must be changed"
Miss Mary La Dame of the United
States Employment Service said yes
'erday. Miss La Dame, as she said.
tree lances around" in this service,
the main headquarters of which is
At 469 Fifth avenue. She has had
lot to do with the clearance depart
nent.
"The change OF feeling Is shown in
The classified ads. even,'' she said.
Here, for instance Is an advertise
ment for an efficiency house worker
In the old days that call would have
been for a general maid There is
no use talking. the spirit OF make
the world safe for democracy. which
is sweeping Europe, is waking m the
women here. They object to the
sense OF servility which comes with
having to ask when they want TO
20 out: they don't like being re-
quired to stay in and answer the
door. Just now a girl came in seek
ing employment. She wanted a place
in a hotel or hospital. When we Of
fered her good wages In a private
home she shrugged her shoulders.
why should be bothered asking
when want to do anything?' she
said. I have been working in a fac
tory. know what II Is to have my
evenings and be my own mistress
when the days work Is over
IL have another story, which is not
exactly typical but shows the trend
Of things. A wealthy Long Island
woman asked TO have a cook sent
down TO her place; she was to pay the
'ook's railway fare TO the nearest sta
lion and her taxi fare from there. But
The cook, fresh from a fine Job II a
gas mask factory, calmly took a taxi
from Manhattan TO the place where
she was TO be cook in Long Island.
running up a charge OF SIS, which she
eft her mistress to pay.
X don't think domestic servants
have made any more In war factories
than they did in service. No house.
worker gets less than sS5 a month
'ow, with her board and lodging.
Leaving out the jobs which call for
extra skill, to which comparatively
lew women attained, wages in war in
dustry factories ran about $40 a week.
The minimum wage. / believe, was 80
cents an hour, which is 1920 a week.
With their own living expenses TO pay
the average munition worker couldn't
ave as much as the girl living out
IN good place. No. It is something
besides money that makes girls want
to do something, anything but kitchen
work.
Eight Hour System Remedy.
The eight hour system is the REM
eoy' Not long ago a woman know
advertised for a cook to work on the
eight hour plan, and she had a food
OF applications. She suited herself,
and supplied three friends with helo
on that plan. OF course. In the case OF
households that must have some one
on duty early and late the shift
method would have to be used, two or
more workers alternating in their
hours"
Miss La Dame prophesied that
many OF the munitions workers would
nhd employment in various new In
eustries. Il hear" she said, that one
well known powder works Is to be
turned into a dye mandatory. Can
i'Ig Is going TO be a great American
'hdustry too. believe as business re-
edJusts Itself our manufacturing will
branch out and there will be lots of
rev opportunities for women. As for
'ne hope that immigration will bring
. new influx Of domestic servants from
ireland. that Is problematicaL. I be-
.eVe the immigration will turn 10 the
devastated countries, where labor will
De in such demand"
Al the Immigrant Labor Exchange
agency 224 West Thirty fourth street.
me man in charge declared that the
.tbor situation was "in a serious way."
IL was bad during the war;" he said,
and contrary to hopes. it will be no
De'ter now peace has come. Where
are workers to come from? There are
10Y enough In war industries to supply
ne need OF reconstruction. As for i'm
migration, 1t appears that the United
states is considering Duttinp n han m