The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-09-18
Cooks and Maids Cling
to High Wages of War;
Their Ranks Depleted

Keeping servants" said NJ. ! Duffy.
who has for the last Is years been
supplying domestic help to New
York families, mo matter what she
pays.
The old-time ervan who was
willing to sleep IN a dingy attic and
eat what a p-arsimonious mistress
doled out 10 her is no more, The
up-to-date cook or housemaid Is a
much better trained, better educated
person. She knows her own value
and with c%onsidcrate handling gives
perfect satisfaction. The present
criticism Of maids demanding more
than they are worth may be true In
some cases. but It Is the result OF a
period Of inflated prices and high
salaries all over the world. Domes-
tic workers are simply following the
lead of all labor, which has been
scarce the last few years and worth
any price It could get. The demand
exceeded the supply. There is little
doubt that wages will drop cOnsid-
erably the coming year. Girls who
have gone to Europe on a vacation
are anxious TO get back and more
immigrants will be coming in.
Even the green girl with no ex-
pericncc arriving Ia America today
ia much better educated and trained
than her sister Of 10 years ago.
Many OF them starting at n salary OF
$40 a month. which Is the present
average for an inexperienced work
er, and give good service and be-
GOMEZ excellent servants in a short
time. Housewives sometimes COM
plain that they train these maids
only 10 have them leave at the end
OF a few months or a year, but with
a few exceptions il is not entirely
the fault Of the maid. She natural
" feels that rhe is worth
money after n years experience and
housewives who are willing TO meet
the serious, hard working girl half
way viii find \ ready response. The
servan Of today thinks more than
did her sister - years q She in
sists upon n little leisure. which the
old-time cook who worked from
sun-up to late into the night novor
dared ask for. But ever with latter
day inventions and a more equitable
adjustment OF her duties the cook
OF the present gives II f2-hour day
service.
Whether housewives have dis
covered through their war activi-
ties that hard work Is a good tonic
or whether some other influence has
hNtNl bl WI ~ NlAt lhiN l'llAplllN NIAdN
NAM more women are now doing
their own work than were doing II
six years ago. Tho scarcity Of scrv-
ants ia not entirely responsible for
this change"
II Is said by housewives who have
advertised for servants the last two
months that there IS a much better
response now than at this time las.
year.
That unemployment among men
cooks Is assuming a serious aspect
is the opinion OF one OF the man
ayers Of n larFe employment
agency which supplies male cooks
and kitchen helpers 4 hotels. board
ing houses and private families.
According TO this manager there are
from 25 TO 80 applicants registering
with him each day. At present he
Is able to place but six a day. and
not ut the wages asked.
Wage decrease will he gradual"
said r. Wahrburg. president Of tho
United Employment Agencies, Inc.
"As rents and general living ex
penses como down the wages OF
cooks ard h~ousemaids will come
down. II Is unreasonable to sup
pose that a cook who has been get
ting from 800 to SIPS p month will
he satisfied with half that amount.
The period Of reimbursement viii
take some time. and while there are
more cooks TO be had now than
there were a year ago. December will
see a much larger number out OF
employment. Whether the wages
will be noticcnblv lover then viii
depend upon the demand and the
ability Of n employers to pay
wages asked. Owing TO business de-
preston, housewives are cutting
down their stHffs. Those who have
kept four servants have reduced TO
three and so On. Many women who
have always kept one servant are
now doing without any. Servants
have become independent the past
two years, due to the fact that they
could get a job at n time at any
price. As soon as they realize that
the good old days Of high wages and
hort hours are past, they will settle
down To the new order Of things and
be content with lower wages"