The Colorado statesman., 1912-07-13
COLORED WATERS TO
give UP POSITIONS
Can Remain in New York but
Do Not Think It Profitable.
RECEIVING BIG MoNEY-DURING
STRIKE NEGROES GETTING So A
DAY-GOlNG TO SUMMER RE-
SoRTS-GEoRGE w. HoLsERT
WRITES.

the future colored walters will be en-
ployed by the leading eating places of
New York in large numbers. In fact,
within the next week or ten days 1t is
highly probable that there will not be
a single colored man carrying tray
in any of the first class hotels or res
taurants in Manhattan.
At present there are about one hun
dred negro walters working in the
best hotels, chiefly at the Plaza,
Breslin and Marseilles. Their exit is
expected to take place within a few
days as the striking whites are going
in, and each day finds many returning
to work. The hotel managers, while
making some of the concessions asked,
have fatty refused to recognize the
international Hotel Walters union.
The colored walters at present en-
ployed could hold their jobs if they de-
sired They have not been notified
that their services could not be need
ed much longer To the contrary
they have been told they could remain
as long as they pleased If their work
was satisfactory. At the Hotel Breslin
the entire crew is composed of colored
men and the management has in
formed them that there was no dis
position to make a change unless they
wanted to leave.
1t Is claimed by those familiar with
conditions that the colored walters
working at the Plaza and other hotels
will soon give up their jobs because
they can find more profitable situa-
tons during the summer at the vari
Gus resorts throughout the country.
Since the colored men were installed
I'm the white eating places they have
been paid at a rate of SO a. day work
ing seven days. together with their
board and lodging. When the white
walters struck they were only getting
$25 month and board, and protested
against the quality of food they were
compelled to eat
With the strike over, which will be
a matter of a few days only, the col
ored walters will be offered $50 a
month. which is at rate of $50 less
than what they have been receiving
during the strike They do not think
they would profit by working in New
York at $40 month and tips, when
they can go to a summer resort where
business will be good and make $500
during the season.
1t was given out at the headquarters
of the Head and Side Walters asso-
citation in Fifty-third street that the
colored walters do not contemplate af-
Walters union.
Negro walters throughout the coun-
try are showing more than ordinary
concern in the proposed conference OF
colored walters, although there is a
difference of opinion as to what lines
should be followed in organizing.
George w. Holbert. financial secre
tary of Local No. 634, Minneapolis
Mimi, writes on the subject as fol
lows:
In your paper of recent date there
appeared an article entitled "A Con
ference for Colored Walters" The
article touched upon things that are
so vitally important to us as walters
that | (being one of the craft beg
leave to offer a few suggestions.
| am heartily in favor of organiza
tion, but not along the lines as laid
down in the article mentioned. If we
are being dispensed with every day
and everywhere, somebody is taking
our places and 1t must of course be
the white waiter. So, just as long as
he stands ready to supplant us, all
the organizing we can do among our
selves will avail us nothing.
over so per cent of the white wait
mo.
jority of that so per cent. are mem
bers of the Hotel and Restaurant EN-
ployes' international Association and
Bartenders' International League OF
America This is a very strong or
ganization, embracing as 1t does all OF
the practical working force of any av
ersge hotel or cafe: namely, cooks
walters, bartenders and mattresses
Now, It seems to me that if we should
Amalgamate with these people, the
most serious obstacle would be re-
moyed-that of their opposition as
well as competition.
have given this subject much
thought in the past, and as long as
ten years ago | was severely criticised
by the fellow workers of my race that
ineN were last loslhB thelT pTestlSe
and they themselves were as much to
blame by their inattention to business
their failure to keep abreast of the i'm,
proyements in service that are being
demanded by the public and by their
general deficiency and untidy habits
declared then that in few years we
would have employment in only sec
ond- class places, and maybe not all OF
them They laughed Mt me and said
was crazy. Since that time there
have been erected in Minneapolis six
first class hotels, and we stood by with
mouths agape as one by one. upon
their completion, they were manned
by white crews.