The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-11-03


greater attention Of late because Of the
labor disputes concerning wages and the
hours which they have been called upon L
settle. and have been generally able L
arrange compromises. The editor Of the
Encyclopedia of the German Judiciary
reports that they have rendered very i'm
portant service. and it is to be wished
that IN ali cases of controversy they
should be called upon before the two
edged sword. called q strike, is used
The German laws are very liberal to the
working classes and protect them in every
direction. Every wage-earner and every
! person employed upon a salary may have,
II he likes. what is called a Zeugnisse.
or book of recommendations. and most
OF them consider it important. The law
requires that an employer upon discharg-
| Ing a servant shall write in this book
the reasons therefor, and when a servant
/ voluntarily leaves q place Of employment
! he or she has the right to caH upon.the
/ employer for a character" as the Irish
/ servant girls say in America. This is
stamped and recorded at police head
/ quarters. It is not absolutely necessary
for the employer to give the explicit
reasons for a discharge. He can say what
/ he pleases. II he does not care to recon-
mend the servant who leaves him he
can write: This man Tor woman, as
/ the case may be- was employed by ne
I for six months Gn whatever capacity
/ and leaves me because have no further
use for his COR herr services" or, be
cause 1 desire to make a change, etc,
etc. Other employers understand what
that means, but if an employer refuses to
give the reasons for Giscliarging a servant
or an operative he can be compelled to
do so in the Industrial court.
Where people are employed by the
month they are entitled to q months
notice or a months wages on discharge,
and on the other hand must give similar
notice if they intend TO leave. An or
binary laborer viii earn from % to 80
cents a day, d mechanic from 50 cents
TO s., according to his skill; a housemaid
from 50 cents to s. a MONTH cook from
Sc to SO a month; a coachman or ,gar-
dener from s. TO SD q month, and house
hold servants are entitled to meals. lodg-
ing and medical attendance. II hired by
the year the wages are same, but six
weeks notice is required before parting
Household servants in Germany are
usually found at employment agencies
where the methods used are very similar
to those with which the housekeepers
in the United States are familiar But
here, when servant is engaged she is
offered from 80 cents to 81 according to
circumstances, which originally was in
tended to pay the expense of moving.
II she accepts it, it is as good as a con-
tract, and she is pledged to carry out
the oral understanding. All servants are
registered at police headquarters. where
they are compelled to give notice when
they change their employers.
The Tip" nuisance is even worse IN
Germany than in England or the United
States. although the amounts expected
are small. 1t is customary here for house
hold servants to receive gratuities from
their employers guests at luncheons. /
dinner parties, balls, receptions and all
ether entertainments. If you accept the
hospitality of a friend you are expected
TO tip his servants, and they sometimes
stand in a row awaiting their turn In
wei ordered households only one servant
appears. You are expected to hand to
the man who opens the front door to let
you out whatever you are disposed to /
give. He divides it with the butler the
cook, the footman, the housemaid and all /
others concerned in the proper proportion
Whenever the family gives ball or
big reception the servants reap a har- /
vest. Hence. the servants seek positions /
in houses where there is a good deal of
company and before they make an en-
gagement invariably ask or ascertain I
in some way how much they may expect /
in the way of tips from visitors An /
American lady here to whom the system /
was repulsive, attempted to reach an IN I
Outstanding with her servants on this +
subject, and offered to advance their /
wages If they would agre to decline all /
gratuities rendered by her guests. but /
they refused to do so. They told her that 1
they We're aware of her liberal hospitality
and frequent entertainments. and would /
therefore prefer to take their chances
with the generosity of her visitors She
was therefore subjected to the humilia-
ton Of seing her servants accept money
from her friends.
This has become so much a nuisance
that a new custom has been introduced.
At house parties and hunting parties in
many places it is now the rule to place
a box on the hall table in which departing
guests may drop whatever gratuities
they desire to give the servants of the
household instead Of being compelled to
call them UP one by one and hand
lip to each, In this way, where there a
number of guests. the servants do not
know the amount given by each. and
therefore have no excuse to distinguish
me from another in their attentions.
re money is divided according to a rule
household receiving his or her share.
People who are in the habit Of accepting
invitations To- house parties have also
'ombined and have adopted regular
scale Of tips. as is now the case upon
he ocean steamers.
L was once visiting country house in
England where the butler was man of
IMPOSING and venerable appearance. He
ooked like an archbishop. His dignity
vas overwhelming. 1t was easy enough
20 fee the other servants, but I trembled
when I thought of Offering Tip In him
I 1 might give him q family Bible. a
-old-headed cane. or watch handsomely
Engraved with his monogram. or a set
e theological works. 1t would not have
zen embarrassing, but TO tender an ordin-
ry coin TO q man of his age or appear
Rce was q doubtful adventure. So
ought advice. and approaching one of
he younger members of the family. I
sked; what would your butler think
{ Z handed him a sovereign"
What would he think IL YOU didn't
vas the amused repiy.-Nn. L. Curtis
"a Chicago Record Herald
SALT FOR OKLAHOMA