The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-09-27

There are Just about fifteen thou
sand first-class walters in the United
States. according to Auguste Webn,
president of the administration of
L'Union Genevoise in the United
States, and until recently dining
room captain in the Hotel Astor. By
the phrase 'first-ciass waiter" is
meant one who is thoroughly versed
in all branches of the trade, besides
being able to speak several Ian
guages.
Eight thousand of these men are
members of the L'Union Genevoise,
and are mostly French, Germans,
Italians and Austrians. Many of
them have passed through regular
course of training, best exemplified
by the Academic" at Friedewaldt,
near Dresden, Saxony, where every
thing is taught which is necessary for
the equipment of really good
waiter. There the student learns
cooking in all its branches and mem
orizes the endless variety of strange
and unusual names given to 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 be-
fore a waiter can venture to recon-
mend any particular wine or special
vintage.
If one ask the hotel waiter about
his work he will find that he looks on
1t as profession--one which has its
standards and traditions, and which,
in keeping with many other present
day occupations, has a worldwide
organization. The average hotel
guest has probably never heard of
L'Union Genevoise, or the Interna-
tional Hotel Employe Society, as it
is also known. The first in the prop
er title, and, as it implies, the So
ciety was formed in Geneva, Switzer-
land II does many things for the
quiet men in black who serve the
hungry in hotel dining-rooms. After
having been thoroughly trained and
made competent to hold place in
any civilized country, the waiter is
sure of assistance wherever he may
be, from Bloomfontein, South Afri-
ca, to Boston. On arriving in a
strange city, he has only to present
himself at the Offices of the associa-
tion and exhibit his membership
book, which shows whether he has
paid his dues and whether he was
honorably discharged from his last
place.
In case of illness, after a man has
been a member from six months to
five years, he receives eighty five
cents day. If, on the other hand,
his membership has spread over five
years, the amount he gets is S1.25
a day; IL more than ten and up TO
fifteen years, S1.60, and for every
thing above fifteen years. 50 for each
day. Since it's organization in 1879
the society has paid out $80,550 in
sick benefits and for burial fees.
Loans and gifts and obtaining en-
ployment for members bring the
total to $155,550. In order to quail
ify as a member of the club it is nee
essary that a candidate be of good
character and shall have been con-
nected with the hotel and restaurant
trade for at least two years. Above
ALL he must be thoroughly compe-
tent and experienced waiter.
"A firstclass waiter is born, not
made says a former head waiter of
the Hunting Room of the new Hotel
or hn hat q
man enters on his duties as the most
insignificant piccola, or omnibus,
we can tell whether he is going to be
an efficient servant. He must be at
tentive without being servile, must
be noiseless, defthanded, and, above
all, must be careful not to break
things.
Even If he has a natural apti-
tude for the business, the amount of
careful instruction required to form
him is very great, although his ma
tionality makes much difference in
the matter The best men are gen.
orally French, German or Swiss, and
these have often had the advantages
of attending academies or even kim
dergartens established at foreign
hotels in the off seaSon, when they
break plates, spoil silverware and
generally sustain parts in a universal
comedy of errors, to the great dis
gust of the guests upon whom they
practice their trade. The walters
academy in Vienna is the foremost
in the world.
knowledge of several languages
is a very necessary qualification, and
hardly any scrap of general informa-
ton comes amiss, but tact and dis
cretion are the walters chief virtues.
His attitude should be that of a SOL
dier, always at attention-always
ready for the word of command. He
should answer politely when ad-
dressed, keep at a respectable dis
tance from the table, yet always be
near enough to be easily called when
wanted. In fact, really good waiter
should need no calling. but makes a
point of watching the guests face, SO
as instantly to observe what is want
ed almost before the guest himself
has had time TO form wish.
In the hierarchy of waiterdom the
head waiter stands first Next comes
the assistant head waiter, followed
by the captains" who supervise each
his own part of the dining-room, the
serving walters and the "piccolo"
and Omnibus men, who keep the