New-York tribune., 1921-10-23
HELP! HELP! IN SHORT, THE SERVANT PROB, 81
BY FAIRFAX DOWNEY

BUTLER--A man ssruant In household
suhose. principal duty Is to take charge OF
The tquors.--Century Dictionary.
~ ERHAPS that definition explains the
present alarming shortage Of bVtlcrs
In tho United States. particularly OF
English buffers, who, ali must admit.
are buffers raised to the nth power, Their
chief duty--small thanks to prohibition--hav-
ing been somewhat reduced or assumed by the
heads Of the household, pursuant to the pres
ent wave Of economy. 1t may be supposed that
those buffers we miss have gone where duty
called.
But that theory, convenient as it is TO blame
things on prohibition, fails to assign tenable
reason for the exceedingly short supply Of all
other ranks Of the household staff. II can
cover none Of them. except possibly that crea-
ture of moods In the kitchen who was firmly
of the belief that cooking sherry was necessary
to the exercise Of her culinary art. Somehow
or other, the housemaid, once termed 'gen-
sral" by reason Of her admirable versatility,
has become very rare specimen or has meta
morphosed into specialist, and high-priced
one at that. BY that token, it is the unem-
ployment problem upside down and the hous-
ing problem in reverse, with servants quarters
in chronic state of vacancy.
1t is compound problem, the servant prob
lem, with its latest admlxture--so runs the
startling yet authentic inteligence-the Irish
CoJ hoe oJ
the members of the family that it is the part
Of caution, sagacity and conservation to avoid
all but the most cautious utterances in the
presence of domestics Of either of the contest
ing races. Reading unfavorable portions Of
the morning paper is nothing short Of fool
hardy while an impulsive Irish maid is passing
tx steanling coffee and it is rashness itself to
tempt a fervent Celtic nature by i'll advised
partnership, when such weapons as oyster
forks and potato mashers lie ready to hand
Discreet one may be personally, however,
there seems to be no way of avoiding the hor-
rors of civil strife beneath ones own roof
when English butler begins talking politics
with Sim Fein maids and cooks. Agencies are
frankly unwilling to place these two clashing
elements in the same home, unless the house
holder is willing to see replica in his ances-
tldi HdiiS Ol IIVt4y uItle nlSnJ IN OuDln.
The minute a correct and rubicund English
butler perhaps obtained after great trouble
and expense, drives up to the door in a taxi
or a lorry or something of the sort, and en-
deavors to take command of the situation and
establish home rule, hostilities are apt to COM
mence. And into the quiet family life may
come a series of ambushes, impromptu grenade
throwings, involuntary hunger strikes and
finally a complete withdrawal of all forces.
Another bit of war still is with us: war
wages. In the "help'' sector apparently the
battle still is raging fercely, with the demand
II munitions just as heavy, or liehter but a
very little In fact, the cry "Shell outv is
heard on all fronts. Employment agents,
tracing few economic curves in the air, de-
clare that high wages will continue to be the
word, as long as the demand exceeds the sup
ply. To date buffers are unwilling to buttle
for less than 500 to $50, and cooks to cook
for less than $50 to 500 or so. Maids FOR
general housework quoted at from $50 to
S65 (no washing), with the market very bear
ish And even young, green girls are loath to
infiict their young, green ways on the family
china for less than consideration Of $40.
Illuminating yet gloom encompassng is the
experience of the head of large employment