New-York tribune., 1919-03-10
Kirch,uey Says u. S.
SerUice Isn't Ain,ing
ssTo Strip Kitchens

Employment Service does not operate
under the selective service law, con-
trary to the opinion which Dr. Horna-
day appears to hold 1t has neither
the power nor the desire to strip the
kitchens, nurseries. and laundries of
this city, of the help necessary
to family's existence any more
than it has the power or desire
to strip the industries of the city
in order to supply the homes with
the help which they so acutely need.
ut is the function of the employ
ment service to place workers in posi-
tions best fitted to their abilities and
which afford them the highest possible
return for their labors. On the other
hand, it exerts it's best efforts to Sc
cure workers for all employers who
offer wages and working conditions
which present inducements to men and
women seeking an opportunity to earn
an honest living. 1t does not pretend
to say to any one who applies to it for
assistance You shall 60 here or to
any employer, We'll get you some one
to take your job, if we have to kidnap
him.
What Would Women Think?
"Dr Hornaday inquiries whether the
wives and mothers of New York think
they are getting a square deal from
the United States Employment Service
I wonder what the working women of
New York would think if the employ
ment service was responsible for tax
ing them out of the jobs which they
now hold and then informing them
that they could either go back to the
kitchen or the laundry, or starve?
wonder if Dr. Hornaday is under the
impression that the men who have been
through the stirring experiences over
seas would be content with the Jobs
which most of the women are prevent
ing them from occupying, as he says?
"Dr Hornaday might be interested to
know Of the effort which the employ
ment service is making to aid house
holders in obtaining domestic help.
While this is only one Of the impor-
tant problems which the service is
attempting to solve, it is nevertheless
a very serious problem and one which
deserves all the attention we can give
it.
"Realizing the reluctance which
many of the women who left house
work for war work feel toward return
ing to their former places. on account
of the long hours and confinement, the
service is offering to women who re-
fuse domestic work on the old basis
household employment or an indus
trial basis, that is, the worker to live
at home and come to work the same as
she would in an Office or factory.
Many Turn to Housework
"a large number of New York house,
wives have adopted this system. nanv
of them in preference to the old sys-
tenn, under which the houseworker be-
came member of the household.
Whenever the service is unable to SUD-
ply domestic who will live in it, it Of
fers as an alternative one who is will
ing to accept the place on the new
basis, and the offer is generally ac-
CepteO Sladly.
,"It is finding that great many girls
VINO might otherwise seek employ
ment in industry are glad of the op
portunity to return to housework.
with the knowledge that their work
ing time is definitely limited and that
they will have the same periods for
recreation as their friends who work
in Offices.
I'm order to encourage more women
to enter this line of work the service
IS offering. in cooperation with the
Board of Education, a free course in
cooking, cleaning, laundry and kindred
subjects
NATURALLY, this system involves q
rise IN the prices paid for houscwork.
SINCE the employer no longer pays for
the board and lodging of the emplove
as a member of the household. How
ever, wages have gone up universally
during the war and the housewife must
expect to pay her share of the increase
II she expects to attract the worker to
her home
Demand for Women Great
the demand for women il. nearly
all branches of work is in excesa ~ |
the supply at the present scale of
wages and if New York housewives src
unable to attract and hold their fc-
male assistants it is the fault of tho
wages which they offer and of The nat
ure Of the service which they demand
not of the United States Employment
Service. ''0'i'
"Finally. if all the women who have
taken soldiers places were turned -out
of work in order to make room for The
returning fighters. even admitting that
the lighters would accept the positions
made vacant (Which they would not in
most cases), it would hardly result in
ultimate benefit to the soldiers. These
women arc producing units. The com
munlty will suffer just as much #
large numbers Of them are thrown ont
OF work as if large numbers Of soldiers
are out of employment. What the em-
ployment service urges is that emplov-
ars shall take on returning soldiers and
sailors until it hurts, leaving It to to
the good sense and patriotism Of the
employer to handle the situation IA
BEST he can. If the employer must dis
,harge some one-man or woman-to
axe care Of q man in uniform. we leave
hat to him also. There is no moro
'eason why employers should dischnrce
women to make rOOr fOr ratu~,;s