The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-03-04
WORK OF THE
WOMEN'S LEGION
IN OLD ENCL AND
By Margaret Walter

in England has been more faithful
in the service OF her country than
Lady Londonderry, and now that
the war is over she intends to find
peace work for the ten thousand
odd members OF her famous Wo-
mems Legion.
The Women's Legion provided
eight thousand trained military
cooks for the w. A. A. C.'s when
there was an urgent call for their
services and though these cooks
were turned over to the govern
ment they were still allowed to re-
tain their membership in the Wo-
mems Legion. Now that they are
being demobilized they naturally
return to Lady Londonderry and
She has already for their use in
perfect order to be started as soon
as there are sufficient numbers to
make it practicable a new service
section called the Household
Legionaries.
Whether Lady Londonderry has
got hold OF the real thing this
time will be proved within the next
two months. There has been a
vast amount OF discussion Of her
scheme in the papers and she her
self has encouraged all the public
ity and criticism that she could,
be improved and developed before
it had TO be put in actual prac-
tice.
In the first place the household
legonaries are trained workers
and their characters and skill are
vouched for by the Women's Le-
gion. But after they are once set
lied in place the Legion makes no
demands upon them and their dues
are ~ cents a year They are en-
,itled to wear their badges and ser
vice stripes at all times and their
uniforms whey arey are oil house
duty.
Put for the women who are tax
ing these legionaries into their en-
2loy things are not so easy ber
cause many of the conditions laid
down in the agreement which has
10 be signed by both parties, run
absolutely in the face Of century
old domestic traditions, not to say
demanding from twice to four
times the money that used to be
set aside for domestic wages.
Two Hours Off Sach Day
The very first item in the agree
ment is that the legionary shall
have two hours off duty every day
OF the week to be spent indoors or
out as she likes. She is to have
one afternoon free each week and
at least four hours on Sunday.
Another detail that goes against
the habits OF mistresses is that no
call shall be made upon the legion
ary after her days work is done
unless there is special clause to
hat effect in the agreement.
Judged by American standards
the scale OF wages is very moderate
but it seems to be higher than the
ordinary woman wants to pay even
under war conditions and mistress
es find it very difficult to get out
OF the old habits OF wanting
number OF servants, each one to
do a specified thing and each one
paid a very small wage
The minimum wage for a house
keeper in the Women's Legion is
$240 year, with washing done,
and, OF course, food provided. All
legionaries are entitled to two
weeks paid vacation after a years
service.
For a skilled cook who has an
assistant the wage is $2l0 a year
or only $4.20 a week with her wash
ing and food She has to furnish
her own clothes. A cook general,
that is cook who. does everything
in the house as well, starts with
$l34.40 year. only $3.50 a week.
Three Dollars Eventually
A housemaid in a big establish
ment begins with $l44 a year, about
$40 a week, and may hope in the
course of few years faithful SER
vice to earn as much as three dol
lars a week.
The Legion also demands that
yearly increases shall be allowed
but even so it doesn't look as il
domestic service in England was
going to hold out much promise
for the future for live girls who
have proved their capacity for
work during the last four years.
However, on the other hand, it
must be remembered that there are
no expenses connected with domes-
tic service and small as the earnings
are most OF the money can be laid
away especially If the new scheme
of making the mistresses pay for