DOMESTIC SERVICE
Sta,—The question raised in your columns about " the directing of labour into domestic service after the war " touches upon the whole outlook of the future life in England. Men and women must not exchange the slavery of capitalism for the slavery of any form of dictatorship.
If any form of service for our country is repulsive, the future method of government must not be to dragoon unwilling slaves into it. The method must be either to modify its bad features or add other attractive features to it so that people will voluntarily choose—and it must be made more and more attractive until a stIffirient percentage regularly and voluntarily choose it. Working as I have done for many years in hospital administration, I have always found it more difficult to get kitchen staff than either medical or nursing staff. I found the best solution was not to bribe lower-class people with higher wages, but to raise the cooking staff to their rightful position. A woman who can cook is a born artist and nature's finest product, whereas a nurse can be hewn out of the rough, so long as it is honestly good stuff.
A cooking sister is therefore, to me, a person of higher status than either a doctor or a nursing sister! In the famous picture even the dining cardinals rose to drink to the health of " The Chef "! When I create a " high status " I get high-class volunteers to fill it! I invite the cook and the home-making domestic to tea with me on social occasions rather than the nurse or the tutor!—Yours, &c., JOSIAH OLDFIELD. 8 Harley Street, London, W. z.
Postage on this issue : Inland and Overseas, td.
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