5 MARCH 1943, Page 12

Sne,—I fear that the domestic trials of Mrs. Sampson as

depicted in her article, "Life As It Is," will wring the hearts of few. Mrs. Simpson admits being young and energetic and of having only herself to look after in a minute flat fitted with every modern convenience. It would surely be easy for her to keep her flat in order in .addition to doing her " pleasant job," and if she cannot cook one can always eat out. Those for whom one's heart is really wrung are the old and delicate left servantless in large towns, or, worse, large country houses, and mothers with young children coping with them and their houses without nurse or maid. One hears every day of real hardship inflicted by the laissez wiles policy with regard to domestic help, and one hears also of houses in which there are still staffs of servants, and sees advertise- ments for additional members of staffs at fantastic wages. Some regula- tion with regard to the employment of servants might have ensured a fairer distribution of those available ; is it too late for some action now?