The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-06
WATERS CONSIDER
WORK A PROFESSION
Only $4,000 Glass Walters
in United States
HARD COURSE OF TRAINING
Members of the Geneva Union Must
Speak Several Languages and
Have Remarkable Memory
For Details of Art
HARD COURSE OF TRAINING

New York, August 5.--(special. There
are just about 1000 first-class walters in
the United States This statement is
made on the authority of Auguste Wehn,
president Of the administration Of L'Union
Genevoise in the United States, and until
recently a dining room captain In the
Hotel Aston
By the phrase "hrst-class waiter is
meant one who is thoroughly versed in
all branches of the trade, besides being
able to speak several languages. Eight
thousand of these men are members of
L.Union Genevolse, and are mostly
French, Germans, Italians and Austrians.
Many of them have passed through
regular course OF training best exempl-
fled by the Academic" at Friedewaldt,
near Dresden saxony. where everything
is taught which is necessary for the
equipment of really good waiter. There
the student learns cooking in all its
branches and memories the endless varie-
ty of strange and unusual names given
to very simple dishes, in order that he
may be able to describe and explain the
contents to bewildered diners Wine lists
are also perplexing puzzles to many, and
these must be carefully studied before a
waiter can venture to recommend any
particular wine OF special vintage.
Consider it Profession.
If you ask the hotel waiter about his
work you will find that he looks upon
.
standards and traditions, and which, in
keeping with many other present day oc-
equations, has a world wide organization.
The average hotel guest has very likely
never heard of L'Union Genevoise, or
the International Hotel Employe society,
as it Is also known. The first is the
proper title, and, as 1t implies, the So
eiety was formed In Geneva, Switzerland.
1t does many things for the quiet men in
black who serve the hungry in hotel din
ing rooms After having been thoroughly
trained and made competent to hold a
position In any civilized country the walt
er is sure of assistance wherever he may
be, from Bloomfontain, South Africa, to
Boston. On arriving in a strange city,
he has but to present himself at the Of
fees of the association and exhibit his
membership book, which shows whether
he has paid his dues and whether he was
honorably discharged from his last sit
uation.
Gets Illness Benefit.
In case of illness, after man has been
member from six months to FIVE years
he receives So cents per day. IT, on the
other hand, his membership has spread
over five years, the amount he gets Is
81 20 per day, over ten and up to fifteen
years 81 CO. and for anything above fifteen
years, 81 for each day. Since its organ
ization in 1879, the society has paid out
$50. $50 in sick benefits and payments for
burial fees Loans and donations and
securing employment for members bring
the total to $155,550. In order to qualify
as member of the club 1t Is necessary
that each candidate be of good character
and have been connected with the hotel
and restaurant trade for at least two
years. Above all he must be a thoroughly
competent and experienced waiter.
"A frst-class waiter is born, not made"
says the head walter of the Hunting
Room of the new Hotel Aston. From the
moment that man enters upon his duties
as the most insignificant 'piccolo or
omnibus we can tell whether he is going
to be an efficient servant. He must be
attentive without being servile must be
noiseless deft handed, and above all, must
be careful not to break things.
Even If he has a natural aptitude for
the business the amount of careful In
struction required to form him is very
great. although his nationality makes
much difference In the matter. The best
men are generally French, German or
Swiss and these have often had the ad-
| vantages of attending academies or even
lSindergartens established at foreign ho-
| tells in the off-season, when they break
plates spoil slverware and generally sus-
| tain parts in universal comedy of er-
rors. to the great disgust of the guests
upon whom they practice their trade. The
walters academy in Vienna is the fore
most in the world.
Must Know Several Languages.
knowledge of several languages Is a
very necessary qualification; and hardly
any scrap of general information comes
aniss: but tact and discretion are the
walters chief virtues His attitude should
be that OF a soldier always at attention
| always ready for the word of command
| He should answer politely when adj
dressed, keep at respectful distance from
the table, yet always be near enough to
| be easily called when wanted In fact,
a really good waiter should need no call
| ing. but make a point of watching the
| guests face, so as to instantly observe
| what is wanted almost before the guest
himself has had time to form WISH
Head Walter Stands First.
| In the hierarchy of walterdom the head
| waiter lands first. Next comes the az
| sistant head waiter. followed by the cap
| tains." who supervise each his own Sec
ton of the dining ROOM the serving wait
ers and the "piccolo and omnibus"
men. who keep the water carafes filled
remove dishes which have been used. and
generally supply the tables with what
small articles may be required from time
to time. According to Auguste of the
Hunting room. the head waiter should al
ways meet the guest as he enters and
courteously commit him to the care of
one of the captains, who places him at a
table.
at Is the duty of the waiter to help
people to eat" says Auguste. How can
a man who nearly always eats at home
learn how to eat at a hotel without some
assistance? The menu Is to him almost
a Chinese puzzle. which he studies la
boriousiy and with little profit. In despair
he orders three steaks when one would
do. then he is angry at having to pay for
so much that is not eaten-and all this Is
bad. both for the walter and for the
house, because the dissatisfied guest will
not tip and will not come again. Such a
man does not know what he wants, and
therefore the waiter must know"
1t is surprising what an insight into
human nature the waiter possesses. He
can instantly read new guestss char