[To THE EDITOR or THE " SPECT‘TOR."]
Sza,—May I reply to some of the letters that have appeared in the Spectator criticizing or approving of my original letter signed "Satisfied Mistress" P In that letter I endeavoured to show— very badly I own—how I had solved the servant problem. The fact that I can sign myself " Satisfied Mistress," and that my servants remain with me or are succeeded by sisters or friends, shows that the problem is solved, for if both mistress and servants are satisfied no problem remains. And I must own that many correspondents did not attempt to understand the system. They seized hold of one item, such as the provision of bicycles or a writing-table, and poured scorn on that. What I aim at is getting the servants from a good source, making sure that they are good, industrious girls, then trusting them absolutely. I endeavour to treat my household as one. There is no warring division, no section on one side with all the comfort, all the leisure, and all the indulgence, and on the other with hard work. hard seats, and no liberty. All the girls that come to me are not perfect; some are only mediocre workers; but if they are willing I find that they fit into the system, and do, if not excellently, at least moderately well.
Many correspondents have agreed about my methods of supply, but almost all have objected to automatic increases. Yet I think that the system of increases makes my servants more content than almost any other item. As the servants always say. "It is so encouraging." Two pounds yearly is less than tenpence a week, not a big advance; surely it is a misnomer to call it bribery. I argue that it is cheap. I notice that my neighbours and acquaintances have frequent changes, which mean registry office fees, advertisements, journeys to town, train fares for servants, and at times temporary help at absurd rates of wages. I avoid all that at the expense of a small regular advance which keeps the girls satisfied and pleased, always with something to look forward to. Your correspondents forget that the higher- paid girls will get married, and a young girl comes in at the bottom of the scale, thus keeping the average fairly level. A parlourmaid left me in June to be married. She rad saved thirty pounds, and she was 'barely twenty-five years of age, but she had been out working since fourteen. Thirty pounds saved is not a great deal at the end of eleven years of service, but it enabled her to begin her new life with good clothed, a good stock of linen. and a little left over in the Savings Bank. If my steady increases kept this girl in one situation and enabled her to save, starting her on a career as a good, thrifty wife, then if this is bribery would advise a few more mistresses to practise it.
I laid great stress on comfortable bedrooms. My house is old and has many little bedrooms, too small for two beds, conse- quently I can give most maids a separate bedroom; but that is an accident. What is not accidental is that I see that the rooms are pretty, fresh, and nicely furnished. About a year ago I visited one of the stately homes of England, one of the gorgeous dwellings that Country Life is proud to illustrate. My eyes were dazzled with the beauties of hail, drawing-room, long gallery, &c.: then I asked to see the domestic part. It was like passing from a vision of luxury to what I fancy would be the conditions of the fourteenth century. The servants' hall had a stone floor and backless forms; the servants' bedrooms were as hare as gaols, but not so hygienic; the beds were invariably broken-down, a castor off or knobs wanting; there was not an armchair in all the rooms, nor was there a single object of beauty or comfort. As for the butler's bedroom, which was shared by a footman, words fail to describe its meanness and meagreness: its only window looked into a passage! Need I add that the servant problem was very acute, servants were difficult to get, and when got they would not stay. If the superfluities of one room in the main part of the house had been sold, they would have paid amply for the redeco- rating and refurnishing of the servants' part, and to that extent the servant problem for Lady — would have been solved.
The provision of bicycles and a writing-table was stated only to show that I care for my girls' comfort. I don't compel them to use either. One lady complained of my lack of supervision with regard to young girls in London. But I don't live in London. 1 live in the remote country, and my maids go out always in the afternoon. The point emphasized is that they can go out without asking permission. They arrange among themselves who goes out and who stays in, and, as far as I can judge, that is managed with no more friction than occurs among a family of girls. If they quarrel, as some correspondents suggest, at any rate the quarrelling does not come under my observation. They seem to be able to agree and to settle satisfactorily how often each girl may go out. It is almost unnecessary replying to the criticisms about early rising, the providing of early cups of tea, and such- like side-issues. If work has to be done before the rooms are in use and if maids are to have the afternoons free, there must he early rising; but 6.30 or 7 o'clock is unreasonable for no one. As for early cups of tea, I don't take one; perhaps my servants dol Certainly I do not inquire.
I attempted to show a method that has been thoroughly successful. My household is one. I em interested in my maids, they are attached to me. If there is rejoicing in my part of the house, they too have their turn of 'entertainment; if a girl's brother or lover comes back from the front, she can have him for a day's visit, or I let her go home for a day or two; in return if I ask for a special service it is done most willingly. Let me assure mistresses that if they would try my plan, good conditions, regular increases, reasonable liberty, and trust, they would find the servant problem solving itself without hostels and inspectors, ,t d, in spite of scoffing, many more might describe themselves,
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