Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-19
NEW RULE ADOPTED
TAILoRs DECLINE TO PRESS
CLOTHES FREE OF CHARGE.
Resolution Adopted at Meeting Held
Thursday Night-The Vote
Unanimous.

Washington tailors have taken measures
to correct a custom that has come to be
what they are prone to term an abuse. For
years the makers of suits of clothes have
cheerfully pressed the same without
charge, whenever their customers deemed
it necessary. 1t has been a great source
of annoyance at many times, it is said but
the tailors claim they could not refuse to
do it without compensation unless there
were a unanimity of action on the part OF
the trade.
For several months there has been a dis
cussion of the matter, but nothing tangible
was brought about until Thursday night.
when meeting of custom tailors was held
at the Board Of Trade rooms. There was
general attendance and the question was
discussed from every phase. Some Of the
taflors, it is understood. were inclined to
the belief that it would ALLEVIATE some of
their best customers to make the change,
unless there should be a unanimity of pur-
pose.
Resolutions Adopted.
The resolutions that were adopted declare
that, on and after May 1, the merchant
taflors Of Washington shall not do any
cleaning or pressing free of charge" A
minimum price for the work was decided
upon. This is not an tablished price that
shall be charged generally. 1t means that
none of the tailors affiliated shall charge
less and that they may charge as much
more as they desire.
The discussion at the meeting held in the
board of trade rooms brought out some in
tereSting facts. One tailor made the ad-
mission that he had pressed one suit for
customer 49, times. In many instances he
was compelled to. send to the customers
house for the suit, thereby entailing an ex-
pense for fare that more than ate up
the original profits in the production of the
suit.
One Tailor's Views.
You would be surprised how many times
we are asked to press and clean suits that
we make" one of the tailors who attended
the meeting said today. 1T is a positive
loss in many cases. Yet we have to do it to
retain our customers. Understand, there
are many customers who do not ask to
have their clothes pressed or cleaned more
than two or three times in a season. The
rule that has been adopted will be unpleas-
ant to them. The action of the tailors was
for no other purpose than to correct an
abuse that is the result of persons who be-
leve that paying for a suit of clothes
means the preservation Of the suit by the
tailors for all time to come"
is this action taken by the Merchant
Taflors' Exchange?" was asked by an
Evening Star reporter.
NO; although many Of the talors who
attended the meeting, and who have agreed
to stand by the resolution, are members of
the exchange. 1t was a meeting called for
the purpose of enlisting the custom tailors
Oh the city IN correcting what has come to
be an abuse"
Among the tailors who attended the meet
ing We're George T. Keen, F. J. Heiberger.
J. A Griesbauer, George o. Wood, NJ F.
SeltZ, Norris & Johnson. Hebbard & Wine
man, Owen Owen. Edward Potbury, l.. A.
DoWney. Harry ]. Lee, George c. Berg
ling, NJ. s. Johnson. ]. D. Burns & Com
pany, L. K. Devendorf, George w. Herold,
j. j. COStinef + ell Iob Ii
man, W. c. Motz- George W. Mobray,
Bobys & Bobys.