When the young women of the working class come to this country at the age when they have to earn their own living, the question often arises, "Which is better, to take a position as a maid in some home, or to seek work in a factory?" If the girl works in a factory, she is able to live at home, or together with some other girl, or alone, wherever she wants. She has her steady wages, and her definite time off, about which nobody can make rules. If she takes a position as a maid, she has a safe place in which to live, and she need not worry about the food question. On the other hand, she is occupied from early morning until late at night with hardly a Sunday free.

The time off and the prospect of being able to have her own things at home, and being on her own, as it were, will often be the determining factor; the girl decides upon the factory job. But the question arises in every case as to whether the choice were prudent.

The factory girl is able to live at home, or wherever she chooses. Perhaps at the home she prefers, the rent is too high, and that means as a rule, that she must live in a less desirable locality than she could have had if she had chosen employment as a maid. Then the question arises how to divide the money she is earning between food and clothes. She may save on her food bill; nobody will be able to tell what she is eating, yet the health of the girl is often in peril. If the body does not receive the needed food elements, it cannot produce strength and health as required to enable the girl to enjoy her life. In addition, the monotonous work in the factory does not particularly serve to increase health, and the impure air and diseased fellow-workers in the factory may weigh the scale further against health. No wonder, then that these factory girls look sick and worn, in spite of free evenings and Sundays.

The time off may often work in the very opposite direction to that which is helpful. The desire to go out evenings is strong, nights awake follow, and may draw consequences far beyond the pale face and the weary body.

During years of youth, the desire is strong for pleasure. Matters are taken lightly, partly on account of innocence, and partly on account of lack of experience. Youth has not learned what sad consequences may ensue from that which at the moment seemed pleasant. The full responsibility for behavior and manner of living is placed upon the shoulders of the young woman; there being no thoughtful lady of the manor to place restraint on her activities, nobody to persuade her to abstain from the type of pastime which may have consequences detrimental to the girl mentally, morally, and physically, as well.

It is of the greatest importance for the individual to have a clear conscience, light heart, if he is to enjoy a jolly good time. The factory girl is far more in danger of losing the capacity for true joyfulness than is the maid. Not only because the former is too eager and hasty in seeking diversion without discretion, but also because she is less strong, and because the very nature of her work is more wearing and nerve-racking. It is far more true than that of the latter, 4because in itself the work in the factory may be easier. The reason for this is that factory work is monotonous; it carries little or no responsibility with it; it is mechanical. The work of the maid, on the other hand, is diversified; the maid needs to think and plan before she acts, and this is the factor which contributes most to the feeling of joy in working. It is the factor which marks the line between the higher type of work, which requires the human touch, and the lower, the merely mechanical type of work. A factory girl may be replaced by some other factory girl at any time; the girl is merely a part of the great factory machinery.

Upon the ability of the maid, on the other hand, rests the well being of a whole household.

It is true that only recently, since the number of girls applying for the positions of maid became less, has this fact of the great importance of a well qualified maid become fully recognized. Experiences with less capable maids have opened the eyes of the employers, and now the time has come for the maid to attain honor and dignity.

We urge the thoughtful young women, who are at the point of choosing between the two alternatives, that of the position as maid, or that of the factory worker, to weigh carefully the various pros and cons. On the one hand the factory girl's monotonous work, and her independence outside of working hours. On the other, the maid's healthier work, and her greater security.

Not always do people find the greatest joy in living who seem to have the greatest opportunities. It is true, the maid has but little time off to do as she pleases, but then it is not at all a matter of course that her time at work may not be pleasant. There are two ways of working; a person may be the master of his work, or he may be its slave. The servant who fulfills one task after the other without complaining may find far greater joy in living than the lady of the house who merely has "freedom".

It is not our intention, of course, to imply that the working day for the maid is not too long in many cases. Yet, this fact ought not scare our girls to such extent that for this fact alone they should turn away from the life of the maid and take up that of the factory girl.