davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21
Especially in Germany and Eng.
land Is the Shortage Felt.
Housewives Are Desperate

overtime pay after 8 o'clock; 1t
gives the girl free afternoons on
alternate Sundays, beginning with 3
o'clock, and also one afternoon or
evening Of four hours at least once
week, and she must have two hours
for taking her meals each day.
A friend Of the writer, a liberal
minded woman who is a we'll known
writer on questions affecting wom-
ems interests, defends this contract
as just and humane step toward
protecting the rights Of the girls,
and she has written in the news
papers in that sense. One of her
articles has recently called forth
harsh personal letters. Writing to
me, she says in this connection:
"The good ladies cannot conceive
that a servant girl Is also a human
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21
Wages Haze Doubled

A barometer of the acuteness Of
the servant crisis in England is the
real estate market. Small houses
OF the reimbursement variety are
fetching $4,000 to 5000, on long
leasehold, while large houses with
Easements are obtainable at less
than half this price.
The wages of servants have
doubled since the beginning of the
war, while the cost Of their upkeep
has also increased proportionately.
They submit unwillingly to the
economies forced upon their en-
ployers by the war. One Of the
things to which they particularly OBJ
jecr is the necessity Of eating mar
garine instead Of butter, but. as all
classes of the population are now
compelled to eat margarine, even
the servants have had to bow to the
inevitable.
England y su6rns 1uua tho
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21

And now It has become even thin
rer--much thinner All sorts of
stories are told hero about the
scramble among housewives to get
help Those who are under the ne
eessity Of going to the employment
agencies have by this time learned
that they must resort to the sur
septitious methods prevailing in
trade generally, or they will get no
servant. The trick is to go to the
employment agent bearing gifts; her
hand must be greased--a half pound
OF butter, bit Of bacon, or a few
handfuls Of coffee usually will serve
the purpose.
Yes; the stream is growing thinner
and for various causes In the first
place, the original sources Of supply
xor servant girls, the agricultural
provinces, are no longer yielding
their accustomed output Working
on the farms has become much more
remunerative than formerly in view
OF the dizzy prices paid Tor farm
products, and hence many girls stay
IN the country who under for
mer conditions would have been
attracted to the cities. Moreover.
the cities themselves have become
far less attractive under revolution
airy conditions to country girls.
They read of the riot of crime and
political turmoil in the big cities,
OF the hardshps Of city life in the
matter Of food, heat and clothing:
and they prefer to stay in the coun-
try. The political overturn, too, re-
r-,s souatry girls, who are mostly Of
nonSocialist traditions.
The liberal financial assistance
given TO the unemployed also tends
to keep girls from doing homework.
1t was recently reported that not
less than 10000 women and girls In
Berlin are receiving public money as
unemployed. Thus. the stimulus Of
necessity being withdrawn, many
girls prefer TO live at public expense.
This has come about in spite of
The fact that servants wages have
User greatly; some persons tell me
hay are twice, and others say three
imes, as high as before the war. All
vhich Is very natural IN view Of tho
ish Kidding from o<dsr callinxs for
MA HAuor3nAr~-'sa, iusa a. IN
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21
The Problem of Finding Domes
tic Help Is an Irritating After
math of the War
By William c. Dreher

BY William c. Dreher
Berhn Correspondent Of TAs Tribu~s
Y Asst winter q lady in Tren-
ton, n j., stopped colored
woman or the street and ac-
costed her with the inquiry:
/ "Can you tell me where l can find
a washwoman?"
@Dh. yes" was the ready answer,
"you 80 home, lady. and stand be-
fore your looking glass-thers you'll
see her"
And she enjoyed this thrust so
keenly that she continued,
eve colored people got you white
folks where We want you now; and
we're goin' to keep you there"
THIS illustrates in an exaggerated
way what has also happened in Ger
many under war conditions, only
there Is here less Of personal inso-
lence and few housekeepers have
been sent before their mirrorA But
the same conditions that drew away
girls from household services in
America and caused great advance
In wages have also existed in Ger
many for at least four years, and
they have had much the same effect.
say four years, for these condi-
tons did not arise during the first
year of the war. Indeed, conditions
just the reverse prevailed for some
months. Many housekeepers at first
wondered whether they would be able
to afford a servant at all; and in
some cases girls who had been long
in one family came forward volun-
tarlly and offered to continue to work
without pay, glad to have at least a
home with food
But within year conditions began
to change. Men were called away
to the war; and wherever it was pos
slble women and girls were hired to
GO their work. The postofice, the
telegraph system, business Offices,
the street railways, and especially
war industries, called for women in
large numbers and in less than q
year the servant girl problem began
to loom up in larger proportions
than before the wax For it had be-
gun to become something Of prob
lem even then. AS the scale of liv.
ing was lifted, as wealth increased
and was dfused more and more
among the people, and as the feeling
OF self-respect was stimulated in the
poorer classes of society, girls be-
came less willing to 60 away from
home to do homework. They could
stay at home and work in some fac
tory or Office and have their evenings
free for social diversions. So the
stream of girls coming to Berlin
from the provinces was visibly grow
ing thinner even before the war
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21

One cause Of the servant shortage
which cannot he rsmedied is the fact
that thousands Of girls have been
taken out Of the country by return
ing overseas troops. The eyes Of an
the servant class in England are
@ow turned toward the colonies.
There are many offers in the col
umns Of the papers from girls who
are anxious to work their way
abroad, particularly TO Australia
The tragedy of the domestic crisis
in England Is that life is 10. organ
lied for . servantless existence.
English wives and mothers are due
to pass through . trying period until
British servants rsoovse 3rom tAaiz
attack At WAR nAzvens
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21

being whom they must treat 49,.
consideration. But they will l...
it, for girls are becoming 50 ..a,.
that they can make their own co,s
tons. OF course. the ,.-
conditions show here, too, an =,
favorable side, as Is always ths ga.
in a transition period. Th.,.
are also Bolshevist girls, who 4.
clare up and down that from q p;v.,
time on they will lay their hand. ~
no work, whether company Is IN tn.
house or not. But such cases A..
exceptions. Where servants hsv.
been long in place there has b.,
little change in the relations b..
tween them and their mistress"
The writer tells Of cases ghen
girls were kept a. work from Gam
till 1870 p. m
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21
High Wages Fail to
Satisfy British Servants

growth Of class consciousness anon,
those sections Of the population
which the war has not leveled 10
The natural outcome Of this has
been an impetus to the growth
Of trade unionism, and trade unlcrs
sre making their appearance among
domestic servants. This novem.n.
toward trade unionism Is being e.
couraged, for 1t Is hoped that msny
may again be attracted TO domestic
employment under union rules. BIZ.
it is expected that some t!ns must
elapse before the class stigma Is re-
moved from domestic work in Eng.
land. Formerly caste rules held
sway, and girls were servants Il
borh to that station.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21

there are several on a national scale
in Germany-representatives Of the
housekeepers and several members
Of the Berlin municipal government,
This contract is marked by
spirit Of great Nberality on the part
Of the employers; It's stipulations
are designed to protect girls from
the impositions which were too often
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21

seen in German households under
the old regime. Here arc few Of
its provisions: 1t fixes the number
Of rooms to be looked after, how
many stories high, whether washing
or other heavy work is required; it
stipulates that after 7 p. m. there
shall be only routine work (no iron
ing, mending or scrubbing) and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21

tract between housekeepers and serv~
ants, and at Berlin, at least, such
a contract was already agreed upon
some months ago 1t is = voluntary
arrangement between the employer
and the employee, but, even 30, It IL
a very desirable protection to both It
was drawn up by representatives OF
the girls labor unions-of which
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21

tn tho first months after the revo-
luton, but little Is heard Of 1t now.
The general reform movement
that has been making progress since
tbs revolution has also laid hold
upon the servant problem In a
promising way. At Berlin and some
other largo cities steps have been
taken to establish q uniform con-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21
LADIES' Must York


The great class leveiing proce"
which has been going on since the be-
ginning of the war is being helped
by the number Of 'Iadies" who are
compelled to earn their living,
Many Of these have only domestic
accomplishments and are now offer
ing themselves as "lady cooks" and
lady hcusemaids."
Many of tire professional classes,
ruined by the war, have taken to
domestic employment to keep them
selves. Even ex-ofHcers after &C.
mobilization have been known to 3D.
vertise themselves willing to &C.
cept any kind CT employment, includ-
ing domestic posts At the same
time a very large number Of former
officers servants are willing TO BE-
come domestics. and this IS helping
to tide over the crisis for English
housewives.
While the upper classes are seek
ing domestic employment to keep
BODY and soul together, the servant
classes are aspiring TO higher posi-
ton IN life. Miss Jessie Steven, a
former kitchenmaid, has begun
political career Of some promise
She had no difficulty in being elect
ed at the municipal elections to tho
Borough Council of one of London's
largest boroughs, Bermondsey, and
she makes no secret of the fact tho
Bermondsey is only q step toward
3 seat in Parliament. WHICH, she
means TO obtain. Miss Steven COM
plans Of having had a wretchsd
time during her servant period. At
q recent National Industrial Council
meeting she was one Of the leading
speakers, with Arthur Henderson
ana Stuart Burning She spoke. in
the presence of Lloyd George, with
eli the assurance Of the other ora
tors and did not scruple to tell the
Premier what she thought OF MS
system Of unemployment doles.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21
By Ralph Courtney

NeU York Tt-b.r.
London Bureau
RITIsH servants are suffer
ing from war nerves. Off
Gals Of the National Fed
Grafton Of Women Workers
say they are unable otherwise to
account for deep feeling Of dis
satisfaction and unrest among the
servant classes. Domestics are not
only dissatisfied with pre-war con-
ditions and wages, but even when
their new demands are granted they
do less work and do it grudgingly.
Before the war British servants
were plentiful and cheap. They
cannot now be obtained for love or
money The suffering in servant
less England is great Even
titled households, which previously
servants would scramble to enter,
cannot obtain sufficient help. Ad-
vertisements appear In the "agony"
columns Of the papers which speak
volumes Of domestic anguish. Lady
Blank, who cannot get a 'between-
maid" says, 1.-TWO in family, eight
servants kept" If Lady Blank, of
Mayfair, cannot get servants, the
helpless plight of Mrs. Smith, of
Upper footing, may be imagined.
Spoiled by Factory Life
Factory life during the war is
said to have spoiled the English girl
Of the working classes for domestic
service. She has had her evenings
free while munitionng and now re-
sents the restrictions involved in
domestic service.
The scarcity OF servants In Brit
ain Is growing into a problem of
national Importance Neither the
Ministry Of Labor's activities nor
the efforts Of private institutions
which are trying to remedy the
situation are meeting with much
success. At the present time it is
calculated there are four vacancies
for every application for work at a
registry Office
The shortage of servants threat
ems to affect the English national
character. Snobbism is said to be
on the decrease since ladies have
been compelled to do their own
Homework. Englishmen of all classes
may be seen carrying home parcels
for the house-a thing no Enelish- i
man of the upper middle class liked
to be seen doing before the war.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21

This Nep York hotel is decidedly nobby"
The stranger retorted "NeaO York, did vou sou?
Well, acouldnt put it eractly that 1Uoy
It's run By one Johnson
OF Oshkosh, Wisconsin,
IT'S chiefly q joint achere the Badgerftes stop.
TINS isn't Neap York by long shot, old topI'
Jim JORDAN Cent ont
And rendered about
He found himself standing in Longacre Square.
DN1nfoundod and doe-led OF lights all ogIare
At croqcds and at traffic,
AT ulsdonS Seraphlc
Of beautiful ladies IN WonderfL raiment
He entered grill
Enjoying the thrill
o. beng q part Of this life bNt the payment
kracted Of him aUas great that thereafter
ne muttered oloud ats the home of the CRATER.
ms tom Of Nesc York; But chop came along
And sad to orr hero, You're fearfaAly scrona.
You really cont Judge us by people like those
Who rob you up here IN the region Of shoaos;
1hey hold you up constantly, Just as you, sou,
But this amt Nev York-it is only Broodsooyr
And noac as zee folloW the curious quest
~ young Jimmie Jordan, 1oho came from, tho West
10 taslt Ne7o York; ace shall see him orow vered
And puzzled and nettled and greatly perplered
10 learn hoV elusive the thing is he seeks;
IN old Greenwich Village, for instance, he sold:
And bsHss BolsAsvtst3o soAo DON'T soqsh for epeek-
! Rat aonaehodk aakfsHsred fNoso doma 10 nslsle1
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21

reduced the number Of families able
to keep a servant at all. One hears
OF housewives who formerly kept
several, but now keep only one
others who kept one are now doing
their own work. This latter class
II ever in the market for hiring
washwomen, sewing women or
other temporary help; and the de-
mand for such workers Is 50 great
that it cannot be met. Sons women
complain that it is wellnigh impos-
sible to get such help, in spite of the
great number Of unemployed women.
More Severe With Servants
The revolution presented itself to
many a German housewife AZ q most
ominous event. For IN Germany, It
must be said, the relation between
housewife and servant differs great
~ from that In America-just as
throughout German life generally
the relation Of employer and en-
ployed is different, The employer
insists upon his rights more rigor-
ously; is more dictatorial, and keeps
a wider chasm between himself and
his employee than is generally the
case in America. This Is also true
Of the German housewife and her
servants, as German women Of
progressive, liberal spirit have them
selves been pointing out for some
years. OF course, In proportion as
a woman kept the reins tight on her
servants the more she was disturbed
by the revolution
And the fears of such women
have In part been justihed-but
only In part. Only three days after
the revolution the new Socialist
government-the six Peoples Com
missioners-issued a decree abol-
ishing the so-called "Gesindeord-
nungen," or regulations controlling
servants. There are not less than
thirty-nlne Of these "Ordnungen" in
Germany, most Of them dating from
about the middle of the last century
end few even from the eighteenth
century. They were naturally out
OF date In a period where the prog
ress of the laboring classes in other
spheres Of work had been very
marked. For some years before the
war the Socialists had been center
ing their attack upon the "Gesin-
deordnungen" and were introduce
ing resolutions In various legislative
bodies for their reform or abolition.
They were able to point to the fact
that some Of these regulations even
gave the employer the right to In
flict mild corporal punishment. OF
course, that right had nearly every
where fallen into "innocuous desue-
tude,' but 1t was still exercised In
some rural districts It was also
possible in some states to send the
police after a girl who had broken
her contract and to bring her back
TO her mistress.
Along with the Gesindeordnung"
went also the "Gesindebuch," or
service book, kept under the law by
each servant In it was entered q
record Of each Of her employment
periods, with dates Of beginning and
quitting service, and such recon-
mendations as the employer thought
mt TO give. Each such entry was
duly authenticated by the police
stamp. And, In general, the legal
affairs OF servants were looked after
by the police. Such projections as
the girls got came chiefly from the
police, and, per contra, 1t was to
the police that the mistress went to
hold her girls to the terms Of the
rather vague contract that existed
between them.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21

The road shoaOs that came to hjm
Boosted its tamae to him;
And all sorts of corners,
The tourists, the d7umn,ers
Who hailed from, Manhattan had told him about st.
He'd heard his acquaintance knock it, or tout it,
And nightly he dreamed
And daily he schemed
Of ways and of naeans-chefy n1eans-for continuing
trip to New York. He achieved it, at last,
And thus ace discover hero arr5ving
At Grand Central Station. The edifce vast
Vas Mrongng Nth people. Said James to the "Sn1ok
Who carried his suitcase, Fright tIne-looklng folk
These a0eU-dressod NeaU Yorkers!
The colored man spoke
"Oh. desc amt New Yawkahs, deys only commutohs-
ball team from Boston an some of its rootahs,
Some travelim' tourists an out 90 tom buyahs,
An 1lsitahs heah from de toll grass an briahs'
DIS heah is station dot makes people talk,
An though it's aoondah, 1t isn't Ne1o Ya1pk"
James foufd him IN upto1On hotel
place he described with the 1rords, "Pretty sreN
But auhen he remarked to q man in the lobbu
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21

NsU York TfIb.s,s
London Bureau
IN RITISH servants are suffer
ing from war nerves. Off.
Gals Of the National Fed.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-21
ITS THE LOWER EAST 81

James Jordan departed the island netropoEs
Hurried back home from the modern Cosmopohs
WHAT DID you think OF Nea0 York;? people queried
And James Jordan par,1ed
Their questions By telling
TAs ta!e Of the farmer, who looked at camel
Ana, etter ms eyes for space had been Dwelling
On sdoA o. ths hssnps and tho bumps of that mammal
az took Hsse to soon en- o1) -''
261p@ AstG "Hsu-thsys olss't no sioA a,ein.nI~
The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-08-12
ruIa AMERICAS LEGION

M everyone knows that American legion has
been organized that rs membership iH confined to
men ara women who strycd ln me world war ana
unt Il IL expected to accomplish considerable good In
American lie but comparatively few know Just VIII"
the purpose NJ the organization b. To supply This
Information 20 oklahontnns Roy v Hoffman, who w
member Of the executive committee Of the orEtni-
,ton contributed short article oatho cur1ent issue
If narlow's Weekly
The purposes of The Organization AZ" hest get iorh
in the preamble Of the e2Yutuuon which reads
For God aud country associate ourselves 10.
grther FOR the following purposes. To upholu
~ America. 10 maintain uW and order, tn Foster
and perpctupto 100 per cont AmetcanlHnt I"
pre.ervc the memories and incidents or our hSNr
cilttDu Ia the Great war, To h'n'o'te s'Mo ="
Individual obligations tu the community state ana
uation 10 combat the nutocra'y ot holh ihy ,laHs,'
aud the masses. tu mako right the master "i mlEn'
t, nroptotp urHV, and good viii ON carth, lu safe
guard and transmit to posicriU the principles "l
Justice freedom and democracy. ioS c"u'',ro' ''a
hclpfulncss.
The most careless reader can hardly fau ot being
Impressed with sucD dc,Nrauou. Here Is % vol1n.
t,ry association THAT has set Itself the task of filling
, tremendous order. 70 s virtually "a new declaration
r Independence And by men, too who having served
their government lu a great crisis MAY hc accepted nf
,oss,a.inr "a better knowledge than MOST of us as tu
lust what constitutional independence is worth
Vrhis declaration units nothing essential 20 tho per
lruation OF the American form ot government in all
ita pristine beauty We hope tur the American L"ror
unboundcd success We hope that every man an,
woman that participated lon the world war will o7so
riatc Themselves with this organization and lonn thei
devotion and loyalty its every purpose % may vot'
,su he that 70 ig to be- given 30 to accomplish greater
hngs for America in peace than b, ever did Boz war
The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-08-12
rni ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL

Announcement has been made by Colonel W T.
rhou,pron president or the Roosevelt memorial as'o-
rurion mpt tho organization 10 collect the fund ot
600 600 during the week or October 2o.27 has been
Completed in most of the states. The state managers
have an been named James j McCinw. or roncu CITY
.ng appointed manager for oklahoma
II iH explained that regional conferences 81 which
state chairman and the state committees from groups
~ siacs viii discuss the plans for the campaign will
be held I'm ten cities during the next Few weeks
Tho plans Of tho Roosevelt memorial association In
rrudo a magnificent monument at Washington and the
establishment Of public park at oyster Iiay in which
may bc included eventually the Roosevelt home at
saramorc IIm with iu contents, thus preserving 1t tos
national use like Mount Vernon and tho LincolN liomc
at Springfield. Illinois
/ An Of this should be- decidedly interesting TO the
sturdy people of the southwest where tho great Amer
lean was loved and trustcd-.a section. We have no
doubt which will avail itself of the first opportunity "a
contribute generously 10 tho memorial fund
The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-08-12

n was Sarah Jane day Hg' ont
she was comparing notes viz
susan. from q u,ighuor.re hoW,
SO hear you've Isf' 'Ar arts. .
Susan said.
Yes. indeed" remarked Sdra'
Jane. Il couldn't stand .Hn wissl'
insulfs I hadn't been there ID oi
when she said 20 w'. sarah Jane
she says. when you're q dus.ng .
the studio you mus, lr very clr''a
not 10 touch the old master n.
worth hundred OF dollars she say
Well. that got my tempe up prpp,'
Excuse me ma aarl Gays J. uu' ~
got a young man Of Ws own ana
don't want any v.l master. h1i
he is worth millions