Evening star., 1945-05-26
Letters to The Star
Proposes Importation of Help
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To the Editor Of The Star:
We are told that in Germany-and
presumably in most parts Of Central
Europe--women now outnumber men
two to one. BY 1916, many of these
women will have died of starvation.
Meanwhile, in America, cooks, maids,
general houseworkers and childrens
nurses are largely nonexistent.
A remedy suggests itself. It should be
possible to allow European women who
have no men to support them and who
are willing to undertake domestic serv-
ice, and domestic service only, to enter
the United States on limited passports.
This would not conflict with the labor
unions. Local bureaus could be formed
to attend to the placing of these women;
they also would investigate the en-
ployers. Any attempt by an importee
to leave the domestic field automatically
would cancel her passport as would bad
behavior of any character whatsoever.
II she did not suit one employer, she
might be allowed one change of place,
subject to approval by the bureau. If
the second place did not suit her, her
passport would be revoked On the
other hand, the employer would only be
allowed one change of servant, thus
assuring fair play by both sides on the
basis of mutual interest. If, however,
employer and employe mutually were
satisfied and wished to prolong the asso-
citation, the passport could be renewed
indpf1nifn1V h1t fav
at time, so that the situation would
be held in constant check.
Since the women would come to the
United States only by their own desire,
at wages fixed beforehand by law, and
would be free to return to their own
countries at will, no question of peonage
Is involved. If after a lapse of time
the European picture frightened, or the
American domestic situation changed.
the Government would be free to dis
continue these domestic service pass
ports. The whole arrangement, having
been devised to meet what might be
called a mutual emergency, would be
Kept impermanent deliberately.
A great effort is being made nowadays
to propel American women back into
the kitchen. This, for some reason, is
represented as magnif1cently democratic,
thus inferring that there is something
not only snobbish but positively fascistic
about using the intelligence fostered and
the education bestowed by democratic
government to escape from mere manual
hn vNi0
over our shoulders and a grand old girl
she was, but she never had to chauffeur
her husband to and from the suburban
railway station nor her children to
schools, dentists, dancing classes, the
movies; she didn't stand in line at the
grocery store, nor serve on social better
ment committees. She wasn't obliged
to worry her head over charge accounts
and bank balances, nor keep a necessary
contact with the social and political life
OF the most complicated period in the
worlds history. And If after long hard
day she collapsed into bed at pm. no
night clubs nor wild motor rides existed
to lure husband and adolescent children
away from a dull home.
We bettered our standard of living,
which complicated the domestic picture
to a degree no kitchen gadgetry could
offset. II the American man enioys
seeing the little woman back in the
sphere which he secretly believes is her
proper one, at least let him play his
own part in the pioneer movement. Let
him shoot wild turkey in the wilds of
Fifth avenue-a most welcome addition
to present-day marketing-or build log
cabin somewhere near the Pentagon.
And how about letting him do his spring
ploughing on Capitol Hill?-that ought
to be good for a nice crop of corn!
Y. COSBY.