New-York tribune., 1919-08-25
Domestic Work ers

pract1caI ldeaiists VINO unuerbake eo eoiVo
the problem take it for granted that the
housoworker is in the position Of slave and
the employer heartless tyrant.
OF course that idea has no foundation in
fact, as the average American woman is, If
anything, too soft-hearted and sympathetic,
and the modern conveniences found in homes
of our time make housework far easier than
it has ever been before in the worlds his
tory. There are few domestic employees who
actually work more than eight hours day,
unless they are notably stupid or incom-'
petent. Of course they arc on the premises
and they themselves give the impression that
they are actually working all the time, but
that is a mistaken impression. AS for their
pay, it is out Of proportion to the work they
do, because they receive their board and
lodging and high wages in addition.
Tho great difficulty with the whole ques-
tion is the fact that homes are homes and not
business Offices or factories. Being homes,
where human characters develop and diverse
tastes display themselves, no two are just
alike, so the whole question becomes one Of
human relationships as we'll as one of work
run in the most methodcal way each day
has its special duties and meals are served
on time to the second Ny friend, Mrs. A,
is the wife of a busyl physician who comes
to his meals when he can, and never knows
beforehand when that will be, and her son
in college has habit of coming home unex-
pectedly, bringing with him from one to six
friends to stay a few days. The maids who
like my regular house routine would be
unhappy in Mrs. AS home, and those who
enjoy Mrs. AS unexpected arrangements
would find my home unenduraby dull.
1t seems to me, both as woman and house
keeper, that the one thing that can settle
this vexed question is a change of mental
attitude toward it on the part of educated
women. The "socal stigma" that is so OBJ
noxious to the worker is largely the result
Of this attitude of mind on the part of the
employer.
In the days Of our grandmothers, when life
was so much simpler, it a matter of
pride to be good housekeeper,. and to do
ones own work was disgrace unless it
proved to be badly done. But since women
have acquired college educations and profess
sional careers in such numbers, they appar-
emily have come to feel that all things con-
nected with housework contemplate and
unworthy the attention of an intelligent per-
son. Possibly the influx of ignorant foreign
peasants who have largely filled the ranks of
bouseworkers has had something to do with
this sentiment. In these ranks are MANY
who drink, and intoxicated woman nav
rouse pity, but she certainly does not inspire
respect.
honestly believe that if this bugbear of a
social stigma" were removed, the question
would settle itself, and not on an eight hour
outside work basis, either. But the settle
ment need not include the worker becoming
lone of the family" any more than the
chauffeur or the gardener becomes "one of
the family" In special way the whole
thing is & woman's question, for it is only
women who complain of the social stigma"
The butler. the second man, the chauffeur.
regard themselves valuable members Of
the community and have no idea of any ones
looking down on them. Their job is just as
good as any one elses job to them-a Just
and sensible view of the matter. Would that
my own sex could look al it in the same mat
ter of fact way ROSE II. PHELPS
Hackensack, n J.. Aug. q, 1919