The difficulties that meet the employer of domestic labor both in America and in Europe are the difficulties that arise from the attempt to harmonize an ancient, patriarchal industrial system with the conditions of modern life. Everywhere the employer closes his eyes to the incongruities of the attempt and lays the blame of failure, not to a defective system, but to the natural weaknesses in the character of the unfortunate persons obliged to carry it out. The difficulties in the path of both employer and employee will not only never be removed but will increase until the subject of domestic service is regarded as a part of the great labor question of the day and given the same serious consideration. CHAPTER VII ADVANTAGES IN DOMESTIC SERVICE The question as to who constitute the class of domestic employees has been partially answered. One fourth are of foreign birth or belong to a different race from that of their employers, the majority are of foreign birth, of foreign parentage, or of a different race. Nearly one third of the number represented on the schedules have been engaged in other occupations besides domestic service—a fact indicating three things: first, the spirit of restlessness that characterizes the class, though not peculiar to it; second, the industrial independence of a considerable number of domestic employees, since they can at any time change not only employers but employment;[242] third, the fact that many do not enter domestic service with the thought of making it a permanent occupation.[243] About two thirds of those who have had other work report that they received higher wages in these occupations than in domestic service. In nearly every case, however, these represented the cash weekly or monthly wages received, not the yearly earnings, nor did they include the factor of personal expenses as in domestic service. The reasons why women have entered domestic service are many and various. The following classification has been made of the reasons assigned by the employees returning the schedules: It was most available 239 Preference for it 202 Health grounds 100 Most profitable employment 37 To earn a living 17 Prefer it to work in mills 17 To have a home 17 Gives steady employment 12 To learn how 11 More leisure time than in other work 5 No capital necessary 2 To earn money to finish education 2 Greater variety in the work 1 --- Total 662