The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-06-18
THE POOR WAITER;
HE IS ABUSED TERRIBLY
Graduate From the Ranks Says They Are Cnderpaid
Unjustly Fined and m-Ireated-Must Depend OF
Tips They Don't Always Get.

1iCITS och - "1o
for several years before he was ad-
mitted TO practice first as a lawyer
and later as a dentist, says the New
York World.
Or. Schwamm, who lives at Port
Washington, L. L., and has an office at
No. so Maiden Lane, was born IN
Austria and came to this country III
teen years ago. He obtained employ
mcnt first as a tutor, but finding that
occupation unremunerative. became
a waiter and during several years
served in some of the largest hotels
in the city. He studied law Wnlle
waiting for customers, and on more
than one occasion was discharged on
being caught reading what his mead
waiter or captain presumed 10 pe
some romantic novel.
When the Belmont walters struck
q fortnight ago DR.. SchWamm en-
Couraged them by a speech ne de-
iivered at the Amsterdam opera
House. and he is looked upon by most
of the union walters who are striking
as their wiseSt counselor.
BY Henry Schwamrn.
The big hotels Of this cou ntry con-
stitute one of our principal Industries.
in which are employed. hundreds or
thousands Of men and women. The.
conditions under which these en-
ployes are working are very little
known to the general public. But
to an observer at close range the
management OF these hotels and the
conditions Of the employees in then
present serious problems for the con-
sideration Of the physician, the law
yer and the SociOlOgiSt-
The waiter in a small restaurant
acts merely as a means Of transport
ing food from the kitchen to the din
ing room and removing the dishes
49, u IN~- % &hN t{nhn M
men acting as walters in the back
rooms Of saloons. In cheap aInuse-
ment places and IN questionable re-
sorts are not walters at all. Some
Of these men are those who find II
impossible to obtain another position
owing to their ignorance Of a trade
or occupation. others are trying to
bridge over" a slack time or q strike
In their respective rades. Still 9TH
ers are using such occupation as q
cover against the police. professional
students and Students OF sociology
can also be found working IN sucn
places as walters"
Accomplishments or q Good Waiter.
a waiter in a modern hotel or
restaurant must be a specialist In the
culinary and gastronomic art. He
must possess a flexible vocabulary in
at least two languages. he be q
student of human nature, he must be
q good conversationalist. have a good
knowledge of current events and he
must be patient and sympathetic, Tor
in many cases he may be the lonely
guests friend and adviser.
The supervision of the hygienic
n sanitary conditions of the sur
roundings Of about a thousand en-
ployes and for an equal or greater
number Of guests is left to the man
agcr. who IN u leaves it to the
steward.
No cmploye is ever asked to sub
nit himself to a medical examination
This is true. although most Of the
dishes. whether cold or warm, raw
or cooked. are handled with bare
hands. Thus for instance. all the colo
meats the trimmings Of fancy dishes
are arranged by hand. Salad, cheese
pastry and bread are all arranged OF
the plate with the fingers. Chopped
fruit is arranged in a glass with ths
fingers and then covered with ict
cream.
Again. the cooks who are compelled
to work long hours in a place whert
the temperature is from 100 to ITO de
grees cannot help perspiring. Tn
cook must work quickly in order t
hold his Job. He has no chance t
stop that PRESENTATION, for he has n
time, especially during the "rusl
hours" The best he can do. which h
does when ne gets q chance. Is TO Oll
his wrist in a can Of ice water.
Their Coats Soaked With Grease.
Walters are compelled to wea
heavy cloth Jackets which they mus
provide at their own expense. A
such coats cost from six to twelv
dollars apiece, it is very seldom that
waiter has more than one. which, @
course, he cleans himself the bes
way he can. The coat is worn fror
four to eight months, but "a waiter
in the big hotels carry dishes ON thej
arms the coats get soaked with gray.
grease and other Dirt within a shol
time.
When off duty this coat is hung
a locker, which is generally situate
near the boiler or some other war;
place. and thus we have the CO;
transformed into an excellent ger
medium. The waiter cannot have tt
caat thnrouphlx cleaned fnf he b: