woman employed in housework, is the lack of freedom outside of working
hours. This prevents her from taking part in her former social life.
She is not allowed to go out even for an hour or two every day to see
her relatives and friends. To ask them to visit her in her employer's
kitchen is not a very agreeable alternative either to herself or her
employer, and even then she is obliged to be on duty, for she must still
wear her uniform and hold herself in readiness to answer the bell until
the family for whom she works retires for the night.

With such restrictions it is not surprising that the majority of
women feel that they are losing "caste" if they accept positions in
private families. There are two more causes to which this feeling of the
loss of caste may be attributed. One is the habit of calling household
employees by their first name or by their surname without the prefix of
"Miss"; the other is the custom of making them eat in their employer's
kitchen. These are minor details, perhaps, but nevertheless they count
for much in the lives of women who earn their own living, and anything,
however small, that tends to raise one's self respect, is worthy of
consideration. Perhaps, too, while the word "servant" (a noble word
enough in its history and its moral connotation) carries with it a
stigma, a sense of degradation, among the working women, it should
be avoided.

Briefly summed up, then, the present disadvantages of housework compared
with work in factories, stores, and offices, are as follows:

Enforced separation from one's family.
Loss of personal freedom.
Lack of promotion.
Unlimited hours of work.