Evening star., 1938-11-30
Driving Workers
Into Unemployment.


To the Editor OF The Star.
am asking for space in your columns
to bring to the attention Of all just
readers a matter which has aroused great
indignation, with the hope that the con-
dition may be remedied or ameliorated.
For quarter of century or more, a
little group of women in Washington
have worked pluckily to earn living
by going to the homes of their clients to
shampoo and dress their hair, to give
manicures, or massage. From White
House to modest apartments in rain and
snow or in blistering summer heat, they
have carried on, walking or riding in
crowded cars and buses, always arriving
at their destinations cheerful and capable
to care for those whom they served.
Some of these were gentlefolk, reduced
in circumstances, striving to support an
aged mother, sick husband. or to edu-
cate child-but all are splendid, we'll
trained, cleanly women. They had to be
to satisfy their clients.
Now after all these years they sud-
denly find a law has been passed which,
if strictly construed and rigidly enforced,
forbids them to go to the homes any
longer and the penalty for breaking the
law is $500 fine or months in the work.
house-or both!
The main provisions Of this Cos
metology Act" are good Those affected
by it do not object to physical exam
ination, Wasserman test or the pur-
chase of a license But after all these
have been complied with, they are still
unable to go to the homes except in
case of emergency"-which from in
formation available seems to mean hav-
ing paralytic stroke or being run over
by truck.
Another side to this unfortunate and
in many cases tragic ruling-is the in
vasion of our liberty in our homes. We
who for many busy years have had our
manicures and shampoos or, If men, our
shaves and haircuts in the comfort of our
homes, find ourselves apparently denied
this right by law. And those who have
been accustomed to massage are told,
it seems, that they will have to take the
upper parts of their bodies to beauty
shops, that only the neither portions can
be masSaged at home.
What will come next-Will we find a
provision has been slipped in some bill
compelling us all to eat in restaurants,
because cooks will not be allowed to
serve in private houses?
I am convinced that this ruling against
home service does not meet with the
approval of most we'll established, grade
A beauty shops, since about Is. per cent
of their trade is in the homes, in send
ing hairdreSsers masseurs and manicur-
lists to busy people or those who on ac-
count of age or minor inflrmities find 1t
hardship or an inconvenience to 60 to
the shops.
A ray Of hope that this condition can
be ameliorated and the free lance workers
who have served 50 faithfully and salts
factorily for so long may not be thrown
out of their work and on relief lies in the
power vested In the board-and in the
Commissioners-to construe the law lib
orally and to avoid adding many new
names to the long list of the unem-
ployed.
I urge all fair minded people, regard
less of whether Or not you are affected
personally by the grim little joker which
deprives these women of their profession
to write to your Congressman or If
you are q voteless District resident, to
appeal on their behalf to your Commis.
sioners. ELIZABETH HEMPsTONE.