San Antonio Express. (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 117, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 27, 1913 Page: 31 of 67
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SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS: SUNDAY MORNING,
31
AT PRONGS OF A FORK
2. Minimum
paid to ulI Ik
of ug*; from
; over 21. $0 p<
of $4.'.
inder i
All whII
|»*'f
Job
nlnlmum),
Oskui* Bock and Percy Young,
dcnly organized a dramatic series
two younjf and unknown hotel workers, who «ua-
»f "Down Plates" strikes.
Spcclal t'flblfi Service to Th« Kxprens.
LONDON, April 26.—The waiters of London who have so dramatically con-
stituted themselves into the Amalgamated Union of Hotel, Club and
Restaurant Workers and have, at the prongs of a fork, held up all the big
hotels in England, claim that they have discovered a new and most profitable
weapon in labor difficulties. It can be reduced to a formula of four words,
and it is this: "First strike, then negotiate." And the odd part is this—wher-
tver it has been tried, it has won.
Take the case of Pagani's Restaurant—a place of meeting in London of all
the most famous musicians and artists of the world. A few days ago, one of
the union's officials turned up there with a courtly bow about ten minutes to
1 o'clock, just before the luncheon rush began, and asked in his most dulcet
and respectful tones to see the manageress. Word came quickly—she was so
sorry, but she was too busy and engaged. The union official was even more
sad. At first the messenger from the manageress fancied he was so grieved
that he was actually wiping tears from his cheeks, but when he turned about
he discovered all the waiters lined against the walls, the cooks standing mo-
tionless against their tables, the elevator boys ranged idly against the doors.
The handkerchief was a signal. The strike had begun. Ten minutes later the
union official departed with a suitable working agreement in his pocket signed
by the proprietors. No bother, you see, no fuss. "First strike, then negotiate."
"Wo can, If necessary, wait, too. for we
are waiters," said Oskar Beck, the gen-
eral treasurer of the union, with a fleet-
ing smile, to me yesterday afternoon when
I hud a round-tnbio conference with him
and Perry A. Young, I In* general secre-
tary and co-worker. "We never 'Jump'
any manager. If he says t.o un, 'give me
rime, I will do what you ask, hut 1 must
gH the permission of my directors,' we
n I ways reply to him, 'Yes. yes, why not?
Take time—all there is.' 'But the boiling
milk, the stewing meat, the roasted pies,
the guests that come and find no meals
served and go to a new restaurant never
to return to this,' cries the manager in
despatr. 'What of them?' 'What of thera?'
we answer We are all waiters -we can
wait. Why should tbev not wait also?'
But they never do. It may last an hour
two hours—three hours, this dispute.
But no longer. In vain the help of the
telephone and the telegraph art' besought.
We have pickets, no blacklegs enter. We
have prepared our ground no striker
weakens. Our grievances are real no un-
fairness marks our demand. What is the
result? We win!" shock tactics again!
The waiters here, however, have a very
healthy contempt for the dramatic fall
ure of the uprising of the waiters iu New
York and other big American cities. "They
did not know how to work their strikes.
They let the managers know that they
wen ornniied im discontented. They
paused till the managers were prepared,'
Beck said, flourishing a handful of con-
gratulatory letters from New York. "How
could they wiu in these circumstances?
That was the old method. It will never
answer now—it is finished."
A. TIE THAT BINDS.
"It is finished in these days of syn-
dicalism, and iu the utilization of passive
force," I observed. "Besides, your Amer-
ican comrades had a large sprinkling of
Americans In their ranks. Now, I put
half your success dowu to the fact tuat
the waiters of London are, practically,
all Germans. Italians, Austrians, Swiss,
or Frenchmen. These races know, from
birth aluioat, how to work in concert iu
labor difficulties, yet nobody realised
this. The proprietors thought In a mix-
ture of nationalities there was safety, and
that there could be no link forged to hold
together the potato peelers from Poaen,
the salad makers of Sorrento, Fritz from
Frankfort, and Alphouse from Paris."
Beck nodded. Today ho is bereft of one
arm, but ho has worked as a waiter all
over the world. "We also had the laws
of England on our side," he observed.
I»<> nut forget this We fought for the
observance of an act of Parliament."
That act of Parliament was the shops
net. 1918, which la optional for proprietors
to accept as against the shops act, 1912.
If ordains in England that no person em-
ployed In a hotel or restaurant shall work
trore than sixty-five hours per week, not
counting stated intervals to be allowed
for meals. It also provides for thirty-
two days' holiday per vear on week days
and twenty-six ou Sundays. The demands
of the union now include a minimum wage
arranged on a scale, and the recognition
of the union.
Ou the other hand. P. B. Heddorwiek,
the secretary of the Incorporated Associa-
tion of Hotels aud Restaurants, contends
that the shops act, 1913, had been amend-
ed during its passage through the House
of Commons until it was far from being
the bill to the clauses of which his as-
sociation had origiually subscribed ami
which hotel proprietors thought was fair.
"The cooks iu many hotels and restau-
rants," he said, "rarely work sixty-five
hours per week. They come in at mid-
day to prepare lunch, and even in houses
where suppers hre supplied they have fin-
ished before midnight, with several in-
tervals for meuls and leisure in between.
C hum barmaids in many hotels have fin-
ished their work b.v 11 o'clock a. m., and
although one or two may be kept on
duty for long hours on certain days in
the week, there are other days when they
have long spells to themselves."
THB UNION PROPOSALS.
An dlfioial of the Hotel Cecil, which es-
tablishment most traveling Americans
visit when they come to Europe, contends:
"Our kitchen stnff Is not, and has no
leason to be, discontented. They are all
working In accordance with the shopa
act, 1913, and each man has his rightful
proportion of holidays. In regard to our
waiters, they have not made any com-
plaint, and their off-duty is also properly
arranged. The Amalgamated Union of
Hotel, Club and Restaurant Workers
have put forward some rather drastic
proposals, hat wo shall probably settle
alt difficulties without any Inconvenience
heinu caused to mir natrons.
"The union innile four definite sugges-
tions, in addition to the ahops act, 1913,
which they wished to have in operation
by March. J914.
They were: 1. A pledge that by March
31, 1914, the living in system will be abol-
ished for all employes over 10 years of
extra waiters $1.25 pi
23 cants par hour,
"Those demands," the Cecil official con-
tinued, "would look ha though wn had to
pay every bellboy 14.25 per week, and
every youthful waiter under 21 years $fV2.>
weekly on production of his birth certlfi
cute. Directly he achieves 21 years we
must give him $!♦. We have not any wait-
resses here. In regard to the food for
the staff, it Is varied, wholesome and
plentiful. The question of llvlng-iu con
earns more Intimately I he employes them
selves We have quite a number who
live-lu here, uud many others who live
out. It Is obvious that It Is a conven-
ience to those who work late, and a wise
provision for chambermaids and other
women employed, to live in. In my opin-
ion a general rule canuot be applied, tiuch
establishment bus to be managed on the
lines equally suitable to employed and em-
ployer, with proper attention to duty on
the one side and consideration ou the
other."
The Amalgamated Union of Club, Ho-
tel and Restauraut Workers, however, do
not Intend to let the agitation stop at this
l>olnt of wages aud hours of labor and
general conditions. They share four
rooms of a little house in Soho with the
International Bakers' Union, the Syndl-
cat lie Culsinlers, and the Reformers'
Bookshop-Hill very active organizations In
these days of seething discontent- and
here employers ami capital and the whole
modern system of life are indicted In
every language and In every dialect and
patois that the traveler would hear be-
tween the Volga and Cape Pinlsterre. And
sooner or later they are bent on an em-
pire-wide agitation against the prevailing
conditions of domestic service in hotel
and club life. This Is the sinister side
of a new movement that the newspapers
have hitherto treated as purely serio-
comic. but which In time will be emplrc-
wlde In its effects.
LOW AVERAGE WAGE.
Percy A. Young, the general secretary
of the union, told me quite frankly: "The
hours worked In many Loudon cafes and
ilubs and hotels are not exceeded In some
of the worst sweating dens, and vary
from 11 to 14 hours per day, or 70 to 84
hours per week. Iu some of the smaller
clubs waiters, pantrymen and porters are
worked 19 hours one day and 12 the next.
A careful examination of hours aud wages
in clubs in Pall Mall. St. James's, and
Piccadilly has hud the following result,
'i lie pantrymen, kltcheu porters, and
house porters were fouud to be working
an average of 84 hours per week for a
weekly wage of about $3 to $3.50, and no
possibility of supplementing it lu any di-
rection. The wuiters lu some hotels, par-
ticularly the railroad hotels, work very
long hours for very little money, sixteen
hours alternating with twelve hours be-
ing an average at some of these places.
In clubs, a man, smart and experienced,
after twenty years' service, will not re-
ceive more thau $4.50 per week, plus $25
beer money per year. The average, in-
deed, for the servants, after the wages of
the steward, the secretary, and the chef's
$1,260 a year have been deducted, In a
staff of 120 men and women, only works
out at $2.80 per week, and no tips; from
this must, be deducted fines, averaging
$5 or more a year, for breakages
"One caterer with a wide reputation, and
paying a dividend of 30 per cent to his
shareholders, demands that all waiters
shall pay 75 cents per week for being al
lowed to work and 75 cents a week for pa-
pers for the patrons of bis hotels uud
let-taurants .to read and 50 cents per week
for breakages. They work an average of
84 hours and take home probably $5.50
to their wives—perhaps more when times
are good, but generally less.
"Again, the 'tronc,' or box system Is In
force at uearly all the great hotels and
restaurants of London. The management,
in addition to paying no wages to their
staff, enforce various fines, and Insist
that all tips received by the waiters shall
be put In a box as received and pooled
the plausible reason being advanced that
it enabled the waiter with a bad position
to be placed on a level with those more
the
Otfal
es, second wnl
aud file half
ids, the uione
*, t he he
>r one sin
provided
le for tli
ach.
In
the
men
generosity of the
themselves Is used by the management
to pay their expenses and to provide divi-
dends for shareholder*.
HOW EMPLOYES DINK.
"The food in nearly all the great Lon-
don clubs Is wretched. A balance-sheet
in front of me actually congratulates its
club members In successfully reducing the
ccst of food for 102 servants to 78 cents
per man per week for the year 1909, and
ue had
ihould h
It two (
UNpectio
"Jlavli.
luy Ui
illicitly.
there would
for a
'I I
•quel
oung
Krc
m It
\t the
It
only 10 cents more for 1910. Many of the
places contract for staff beef and mutton
at 7 to II cents per pound; the potatoes
arc black ami rotten; gresn vegetables
only obtainable on Sundays. Is It any
wonder skin diseases are prolific, and
that the men look poor aud thin in body?
And who will blame the men for trying
to make up deficiencies by stealing from
the coffee-room and kitchen? So great
hove been the depredations at the most
aristocratic of the military clubs that the
secretary has employed a special man to
delect these petty thefts.
"Bad as the food Is in < lubs. it Is In-
finitely worse in some of the hotels and
rests urn u'.s I lave recently examined. How
pecplo can purchase and eat food in the
nir.Jorlty of the smaller restaurants iu
London I cannot imagine The men tell
uie that lather than touch the stuff pro-
vided by the proprietors they go with-
out. In a restaurant in Regent Street the
men sit clown to their wretched meals lu
a servants' ball, at one end of which are
lavatories opening straight Into the room,
which are in constant, use while the men
are having dinner. At times the ventila-
tion and stench are so bad tbut they can-
not remain near the place. Incidentally,
at this saine place, no provision is made
for the men to wash their hands before
serving customers.
One morning, a few weeks back. I vis-
ited a club to look over the premises. The
bedrooms were In the basement; fourteen
teds were all touching, scantily clothed,
and propped up on boxes on a stone-
flagged floor. 1 was assured that only
few weeks before a house porter had
died through catching cold by Jumping
out of bed onto the stone floor covered
with rainwater I hat had come in under the
door from the area.
HOLDING UP THE PAY.
It Is a fact, too, that in a great serv-
ice club, though the bellboys work from
twelve to thirteen hours every day, their
plgstyle of a room hus had no chairs lu it
for five years. The last tliue I saw it,
the boys were playing: cards sitting on
boxes and baskets. Several members of
Parliament and gentlemen whose names
are in everyone's mouth have hud their
attention drawn to this room, yot they
will not alter its state.
"Last January the Christmas boxes at
club I know well amounted to $3.75 for
boy, but fines had to be deducted first.
One boy. about 15, I found crying bitter-
ly He had looked forward to his money
for weeks, but he had split some grease
on his clothes, and every other day he
bud been Inspected and fined for the
panic irronse! WIen I asked him what bis
trouble was. he answered between sobs:
'Please, sir, they have taken my $3.75, and
the steward says I owe $1.25 more be-
sides, which vlll have to come oat of ray
wages. Tbev have stopped that, too.' This
is a club where the payment of $5,000 for
King Edward's portrait was thought
nothing of!
"Another Incident will perhaps Illustrate
the cruel treatment of bellboys better than
1 can explain.
"Pat was u boy brought by one of the
members film a poor home in Ireland to
be made a bellboy. A bright, cheery,
happy-faced lad, he attracted and was
liked by everyone. Being a healthy boy
lie was always in scrapes and out again.
Mischief was, in fact, his second nature.
After twelve months' running about, he
was placed In a smoking-room, and
lenrnel*to smoke, drink and gimble with
his paltry $1.50 a week. Time went on,
and he was made assistant waiter. His
love of gambling Increased. He was glveu
e and afraid to let,
took his life. Teiu-
cti lied It; murdered
riy; and with whom
v? 'Luxury,' says
Id for In life and
* also be sacrificed
papers on hi
Identify Put t
that, feu ring u*poi
his people know, I
porary Insanity th
some of us would >:i
lies the responslbtlit
Emerson 'must be pi
lives' Eh! Must soul
to the greiit god?
BREAKING HEALTHY GIRLS.
"The evils already touched upon lu the
men's case equally apply to the maids,
crowded dormitories, bad food, no recre-
ation, long hours all are just the same.
In the heart of winter 1 have taken the
temperatures In which some of our girls
have to work hours averaging 70
per week. I find that they vary from
90 degrees to 115 degrees in five hotels
and clubs 1 have examined. This means,
of course, absolute breakdown in health
after a few years- the grandest years of
a girl's life sacrificed! The kitchen In
all cases could, with a little expenditure,
be made healthy. This ought long ago to
have been Insisted upon by some laws
analogous to the fac tory acts.
"Again-It Is known that 85 per cent
of the Illegitimate children born in Eng-
land come from two classes the domes
tics and shop,assistants both, mark yon,
victims of the Uving-In system. It Is
also estimated that 33 per cent of the girls
on the streets in London come from the
same classes. What is the reason?
"First of all, I would state emphatically
that there are large hotels In which the
wages of chambermalls tire so low that
the girls are practically forced to supple-
ment their earnings by selling their bod-
ies; no one knows tills better than the
society man, It Is only those resident In
these places for long periods who can de-
tect or know the existence of these ap-
palling practices. Were the whole extent
of the immorality of these big and fash-
ionable, us well as second-rate, hotels real-
ized, and what it means to the morals of
the country, no stone would be left un-
turned to give thi se girls a fair chance In
life."—Stanhope W. Sprlgg.
^
To the Public: Regarding Indian Herbs,
the great blood and liver remedy. Guar-
anteed under the Food and Drugs Act
Recommended by the best people here
Box of 180 tablets, $1.00. Money back If
not satisfied. Take no substitute. Joe
McAllister, general aicent, 301 South Ala-
mo St. Crockett 5751.
Penrce-Robinson Undertaking Co. Auto
basket-ball is promised the fans.
.6 markable Song
of Woman's Love
bar
at tli<
ment of a
f craze. It
her of odd
bring out
luh notes,
harmony:
Why Did You Make Me Care ?
By Alfkmo Soi.man.
fBXWJL
* Why did jrou nuke me
Why bring mt drcims no ran
^m.. i
Ji
You
:rt
told ilc Uiat sweet hrurta should nev*er part,Then
sisiyii
why do you leave me and break my heart?
tsr^-p-1
Why should we meet
• i ^
wwm
Why c*n't we love as be-fore,,.,,
Si wsuaiM Hp/n»u jm MwrU Sun U
The
MRS. MINNA HOFFMANN,
Mrs. Hoffmann, one of the oldest and
most highly respected residents of Comal
County, died Tuesday night at her home
in New Braunfels after a lingering Illness.
The funeral took place Wednesday after-
noon In the Comaltown ,Cemetery. De-
cedent was born in Bodenwerder, Hanover,
< Germany, February 22, 1814, and eame to
this country and settled In New Braunfels
In 1854. in 1804 she was married to L. A.
Hoffmann, who survives her. She was an
active worker in the upbuilding and ad-
vancement of the town and was the founder
of the City Hospital. Beside her hus-
band, she is survived by six chlldreu, Mrs.
O. H. Deutsch of Shiner. Mrs. R. Weber
of Han Antonio, Mrs. William J. Willke of
Roerne, Mrs. II. V Schumann of New
Braunfels, F. C. Hoffmann of New Brauu-
fels and B. A. Hoffmann of (Jalveston, also
two brothers, A. Hotnann of New Braun-
fels and Fritz Homunn of Lullug.
The song has a love story upholding
woman's honor and fidelity against man's
iu difference.
It Is claimed that money cuts no figure
In the song's value, for althoush It sells
for only a dime a copy In the department
stores, no song like It could be securel for
one hundred times that price. (Adv.)
GREAT ATLANTIC
AND
PACIFIC TEA CO.
Now located at 215 Losoya Street. New
219, Travis
MARFA SUMMER NORMAL
A Mile High In the Itarl. Mountains
Cllmatei Cooleat In gammer In the SttlA
VuaHltjr: AU coIIckb or university graa-
untea. For booklet wriui
J. D.
POWKR8, A. M., Oaductn,
ttiirfa, Tex».
(INTEREST
I I
What Does YOUR House
Account Book Say
Open it. Note the figures. So much for meats. So much for
groceries. So much for fuel. Note how the prices vary. Coal,
or wood, for instance, is higher in winter than in summer.
Nor do you receive full value from either bought for use in a
range. The greater part of the heat goes up the chimney or
is radiated where it does no good.
Note what it is costing you to live. Look into new ways which
will cut down your expenses. Ask your neighbor who uses
Gas for cooking, heating water and ironing, what it costs her
in comparison with other methods. Ask her whether she can-
not make her meats and groceries go farther on account of
using a fuel which retains their good qualities. Ask her if
there is not less waste of materials. Ask her about the time
saved by not having to carry wood and ashes and attend to a
fire, and if this does not cut down her expenses by giving her
more time for other work.
Then try it yourself. You wilt be pleased to note the comfort
and economy to be derived from the use of a Gas Range, Gas
Water Heater, Gas Iron, Cake Griddle, Waffle Iron and other
Gas appliances—and remember Gas remains the same in pricc
and efficiency the year around.
San Antonio Gas & Electric Co'y
CROCKETT 318 NEW PHONE S15
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USEFUL
SET
OF BOOKS
ON EARTH
UNABATED
CLIP
THE
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San Antonio Express. (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 117, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 27, 1913, newspaper, April 27, 1913; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth432432/m1/31/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.