The Wanganui Chronicle. Nolla Dine Sine Linea." SATURDAY. MAY 18, 1912. DOMESTIC SOLDIERING.

Wanganui Herald, Issue 12856, 18 May 1912, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. Nolla Dine Sine Linea." SATURDAY. MAY 18, 1912. DOMESTIC SOLDIERING.

Despite all that has been said and •written about the domestic servant problem, the trouble is to-day more acute than ever, and the weary and overworked housewife looks in vain for the help that would make her life a little easier. There has been much banting of the air, and, if the truth be told, a great deal of worse than useless recrimination ; but as yet no Solomon has arisen with a ready-made solution of the difficulty. In a general sense, maids and mistresses are still as wide apart as the poles, and domestic service remains a discredited and neglected occupation. Dark though the prospect Is, there rs still reason to hone that a remedy will be found. Thoughtful people, profiting by the failures of the past, are beginning to approach the question differently and with a more rational appreciation of the difficulties by whieh it is surrounded. The latest contribution to the literature of the subject, so far a,s Noav Zealand is concerned, is a Cleveland brightly-written booklet from the pen of Mrs. Leo Myers, of Auckland, a copy of which wo have received from the publishers, Mcs-rs. Wilson and Horton, through Gordon and Gotc.h, is entitled “ The Do-Little Dialogues, or the Domestic Situation and its Solution.” It may bo said at once that Mrs. Myers’ work is worth reading, that, in fact, it ought to be read by every politician and by every man, woman and maid in the Dominion. She has compressed a wealth of wisdom into a fen- pages, and she makes the Seer and the Cynic expound her views in a manner that is at once crisp, clear and convincing. The Cynic is a man, the Seer a w oman, and their social relationship is thus prettily explained :—■

“ Winter sunshine gleaned through the curtains, putting to blush the glowing grate tire. The Cynic, pulling off his gloves, spread ibis hands toward the heat, rubbling .them heartily ; but the Seer drew her chair into the shaft of sunshine, letting its beams play across the soft waves of her grey hair. . . For the Seer was 50 and the Cynic 54. . . Between them Jay a safely-interred Romance, now marked by the monument of Friendship set in the granite of mutual esteem.”

Tho noisy clumsiness of the Seer’s maid occasions the resultant dialogue, M-hich is carried on m ith a frankness and freedom befitting the intimate friendship of the cultured disputants. It falls to the lot of the Cynic to evolve the solution, but tho Seer is quick to recognise its splendid potentialities and to enthusiastically co-operate in the elaboration of a Morkable proposition. Now, from the Bluff to North Cane, women, are fretting and sickening over the servant question. Tho Cynic lays it down that the trouble is only to be remedied by getting at the root of the matter. Clear the ground and plant anew. “ Liston," he says. “ Wo have recently established compulsory military training for our youths. It is the greatest thing mo can do for the future of our Dominion; greater .still for the .strength and manhood of every male unit therein. But what have we. done for our girlsf Homhave wc equipped thorn for their part iu the I rattle of life I - Here is M’here "omen can Mork practically, effectively. Bring in a Bill to establish Compulsory Domes::c framing for every girl in our schools. This implies the reconstruction of the entire curriculum of girls’ education, but Airs. Leo Myers evidently regards it as an inevitable and assents precedent to the solution of tho domestic problem. She makes her Seer instantly recognise the wisdom of the Cynic s drastic proposal. “ But me on ■a School Board," says the Seer, “ and at, once I Mould substitute domestics for mathematics. . . Boys, though they may never boon summoned to fight for their country, are systematically made manly, brave, and disciplined bv military training. But our girls, the big majority of mTiodi are destined to be" come wives and mothers, are left to drift haphazard into the management of their home-sand their babies, without any special training or equipment. It's a scandal.” The Cynic agrees that it is, and that trio lack is the root-canker at the bottom of tho servant trouble. ‘ You mistresses yoiysolves," he declares with brutal frankness, “ don’t thoroughly know your household sysLms. You can’t teach raw recruits, nor Mould it salve the difficulty. Tho question is bigger titan that, and needs i mightier remedy. You women must iemand Compulsory Domestic Training for girls. Recast the curriculum so that subjects of study su perilous to your K>x be eliminated; and for them substitute the suitable, useful feminine »ttj»uit ,of -household economics. Then,

lac employment be elevated to its proper plane.” And so, as the discussion proceeds, the difficulties in me way of the proposed reform are frankly recognised and frevly discussed, the talented writer j incidentally revealing her approval of ) the principle of unionism as applied to j domestic service and making it clear that she stands for the decent treatment of all domestic employees—for fair wages, reasonable hours, sanitary and comfortable accommodation, and good and plentiful feral. These things, she makes her Cynic explain, will place domestic service on its proper industrial basis, and will make it no longer a problem, but an Industry, carrying with it all the soundness and dignity of other recognised employments.” It is further suggested that as a natural counterpart of a servants' union there must be organisation on the part of the employers, who, handed together as The | Housewives’ Society,” should confront j the situation, and play fair! What the ' aims and objects of this society would be, and how it would work for the general weM-king of both mirtressrs and maids, are all dearly outlined in the pithy dialogue with which Mrs. Leo Myers has clothed hen- illuminating and encouraging ideas. Her little book should be read in every home. Her idea, “ domestic soldiering for girls," Ls great, and, as she says, women should make it the.r shibboleth.