do as a title, for it does n

heart of the matter; though the wa cipitated conditions which our speci democracy has long been preparing plumbing is perhaps as symbolic as it ous in the American domestic scene. with all their implications, are factors in our present problem of living, has brought that problem to acuten racy and plumbing (and what the taken to stand for) have made us r heaval. Edison and his like are as in their way, as Thomas Jefferson Haywood. All three have, without tributed to the present and future educated people in moderate cir War has, of necessity, turned moder stances to actual poverty; but dem plumbing were already preparing for this group. All of us-the educa as well as the uneducated-are guilt that is, of pampering ourselves wi comforts; and democracy always materialism, because the only kind

it is because America is democratic on - scale than any other country. The per

o profits by the labor-saving device is son who does the work. The fact that and England have not kept pace with umbing and tiled kitchens and electrical ces does not mean-as we have sometuously taken it to mean-that they are lized than we. It means only that perrvice has been, with them, cheaper and matter of course. Where prosperous ans multiply vacuum cleaners and eleching machines and garbage incinerators, ous Europeans multiply their number ants. The Englishman really prefers a tub in his bedroom of a morning. We o walk into the bathroom and turn on That preference may well have become ral that we cannot explain it. But the of the American preference is surely America only the very rich could afford ial servant whose duty it was to set up fetch in huge cans of water, and re1 traces of the bath as soon as it was

slop-jar. Th from a room

me that the would not n

to resume, informed, by social experi

in the best retically, in hold, as soon the water in on which yo gracefully dis in having ple wait to disco and such we wash your ha of it and, wit your notice, tions. Perfect your emptyin a slop-jar. H Now there take the trou

democratic on
ntry. The per-
wing device is
The fact that
ept pace with
and electrical
e have some-

-that they are
only that per
cheaper and
e prosperous
ers and elec
incinerators,
their number
lly prefers a
morning. We
and turn on
have become
it. But the
ce is surely
could afford

was to set up ter, and reon as it was

slop-jar. The maid finally stole one
from a room across the corridor, and
me that the gentleman from whom
would not miss it. Nothing would in
to resume, in his behalf, the treasu
informed, by friends who have mor
social experience than I, that slop-jar
in the best English tradition—becau
retically, in the opulent old-fashione
hold, as soon as you have washed yo
the water in which you washed them,
on which you wiped them, mysteric
gracefully disappear. Perfection of se
in having plenty of dexterous servant
wait to discover your needs; so many
and such well-trained ones, that yo
wash your hands without their becomi
of it and, with the least possible imp
your notice, removing the traces of y
tions. Perfection of service does no
your emptying your own wash-basin,
a slop-jar. Hence, no slop-jar.

Now there are very few of us wh take the trouble to invent a tiled bat [5]

Strange

to-do Europeans have been content to be mely waited upon, instead of making ical tasks mechanically easier for thems. The goddess of the labor-saving invenis the woman who does all, or a good , of "her own work." Old-fashioned Ish and French houses are cold; but Late apart) nothing like so cold as Ameriouses would be if Americans depended on fires. For in England or France there are eople to make the fires, to one in America. simply dare not-again, climate apart― nd, as our British cousins have been wont n open fires. The average household canafford the servants to do incessant fireng all over the house.

work or moment,

you see, of other of money the same I am for that i But, as we growing a old days sonal serv territories Europe is rather, it s the pathet "women's anthropic the only w kitchen is

we have multiplied devices, from the est kitchen cabinet up; because that ma- which advertisers and inventors are ys trying to reach does a lot of things for . Even those Americans who always have and perhaps still will have, plenty of serhave indulged in these devices. For

[6]

W

ness, or to freedomthe more i not give u