The San Francisco call., 1913-08-03
HOTEL employees
IN GERMANY Use
SIGNAL SYSTEM
Those Who Do Not Tip Lib
orally Find Themselves
Handicapped in
Travelling
BROKE MAN IS
MARKED AT ONCE
Trunks Srneared With Chi
nese Stink Bomb Essence
Is Favorite Trick


BERLIN. Germany. Aug. 3.-The con-
viction of two hotel employees, charged
with damaging trunks, has led to the
revelation of an international secret
signal system between hotel employees
on the subject of the generosity OF
guests. The system is similar to the
old sign. language of the American
hobo who left on the fence of the
solicited farmhouse a hierogIyph con-
corning his reception.
Half circle, with a rine drawn
through it. marked with chalk or lead
pencil on the travellers trunk indicates
in the light of secret intelligence that
the guest has plenty of money and
pays no tip. If in the corner of the
trunk is marked a triangle with a small
cross. the hotel employe translates:
The man has money, expects every
sort of service and remunerates not
at all, or only with cigars" A wavy
line signifying the snakiness of the
guests character means, He expects
the best of service, promises large tips.
pays his bill at the last minute and
then sends a porter from the station
for his baggage"
ssBROKEc MAN is MARKED
The real disgrace is to have the
initials IT B." on the trunk, for that is
translated I'm bruch," meaning in
good United States ..busted.' Such a
one is visited by the servants as soon
as he is in his room and he must pay
in advance.
If the guest is a gambler PLAYING
card is sketched on his luggage. If he
wins, he pays good tips; If he loses,
there is nothing.
Then there is still another form Of
signal, the much coveted hotel label
If it is stuck on with a great deal of
glue it means "he doesn't pay tips"
Such a practice is sometimes supple
mented by using acid in the glue. which
eats the leather. As rule, the more
hotel labels there are-if they are
neatly affixed-the more generous the
guest.
The luggage is not alone marked.
the shoe sinners. The Watchful boots"
can read.fro mans shoe the history
of his generosity. And if the guest
does not watch out the servant may
mix vitriol in the polish.
One form of revenge, fortunately not
often practiced. is to smear trunk
with one little dab of a Chinese es-
sence used in the filling of stink
bombs" The trunk is then marked
for long season, and from station
to station. from hotel to hotel, st
proclains the stinginess of the trav-
eler
ORIGIN OF SYSTEM
These forms of secret signaling may
have had their origin In the practice of
the police of one country in passing on
suspicious traveller of marking little
secret sign on his passport, which was
interpreted to say: we have nothing
on this man. but we suspect him. Keep
your eyes OPEN" The hotel mark is an
evil that is hard to combat. The anti
tipster. who examines his baggage care
fully and removes all chalk and pencil
marks and who forbids the affixing of
labels. will ssoon be suspected for the
very fact that he evidently knows the
code and becomes thereby a thrice dan
gerous man.
European tipping. on the whole. is
rot such an expensive necessity as in
America. In Germany smaller tips are
accepted with thanks almost every
where The 10 per cent rule is ac-
between are the walters who would
refuse Is pfennig ON cents) for 35
cent meal. The cabby never expects
more than 10 pfennig .(2H cents). for
25 cent fare. with tips increasing pro-
portionately with the amount of the
fare The taxi driver is equally mod
est. Tipping on the streetcars is COM
mon, though by no means universal.
If the conductor has given some in
formation or shown some special court
esy he generally receives 5 pfennigs
IN cents) sand returns for 1t most
German and most delightfully."- obsc-
quious salute, delivered with complete
dignity. II the passenger gives him 10
pfennig the conductor will return 5, for
is the conventional tip. Even on the
'1uxus" omnibus, which caters to
wealthy patronage, charging as much
as so pfennig (12h cents), the con-
ductor will return pfennig II the
patron offers 10 pfennig tip.
The American In Germany. unaccus-
toned to German methods. has won a
reputation for braggadocio tipping.
which makes 1t expensive to be known
as an American.