Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-09
WOMEN BARTENDERS
IN CAMDEN FACING
EXCISE BOARD VETO
Rigorous Enforcement of the
Bishops Law Impending
With Advent of New
Year.

| The new year is likely to bring more
than good resolutions to the city of
Camden. When the new Excise Board
meets on January Excise Inspector
Jacob Schiller will receive explicit in
structions to see that the bishops law
in regard to saloons is strictly enforced.
The "back rooms" must CO. and an effort
at least will be made to prevent women
from acting as bartenders in Camden.
It is we'll known that there are at least
70 saloonkeepers who are evading or dis
regarding the bishops law. When the
new board is organized the first OF
tho year 1t will be composed OF the fol-
lowing members: Howard Lee and Ed
mund AIN, who were reelected, and w.
Taylor Wright, Matthew Banes and Rob-
ert Vanmater. and the members have
announced their intention to see that the
provisions of the bishops law are car
rled out to the letter,
1t is expected that the new board will
help to elevate the tone OF the liquor
business in Camden by barring women
from behind the bars" There are no
barmaids in Camden. strictly speaking.
That is, no women or girls are employed
to serve liquor to men across the bars
or in the back rooms OF the saloons. 1t
is well known. however that quite
few women in Camden serve as bartend-
ers. but In practically all cases they are
the wives OF the proprietors OF the sa-
looms and are, therefore not employed.
The husband acts as barkeeper, but dur
ing the rush hour or when the husband is
engaged the wife, like a good, dutiful
wife, as one man expressed II. Is only
too willing to lend helping hand,
Nothing much Is thought OF it-that is,
by those who buy the "drinksl'- but the |
fact remains that several women or |
wife bartenders' in the city are fine |
saleswomen, so to speak. They are also !
expert in the art of mixing drinks. They |
can measure the contents of a cocktail |
glass to the last drop and pousse-cafes, |
sherry eObblers and all kinds OF fizzes and |
frappes could not feaZe them. so far as /
the mixing is concerned.
However, the new board will make an |
effort to stop women from serving as i
out OF the barrooms entirely. But the |
new board will undoubtedly meet with |
difficulties when II attempts 10 adopt such |
a resolution. In the first place, where /
sandwiches o. meals are served the fe- /
male members Of the family play an |
important part in the business. There |
are also several women who hold saloon
licenses In Camden. In practically all /
cases they are the widows OF former pro-
prietors, and the licenses have merely |
been transferred to them. In all, there
are many intricate points Of law In
volved
Another move threatened by the new
board is the strict enforcement OF the
ordinance prohibiting the sale OF intoxi-
eating drinks 70 girls just out or still In 1
their teens" A newly elected Exciseman
said today that his attention had been
called TO several saloons where that law
Is brazenly violated. He also stated
that from what he could learn from talk
Ing with other members OF the board, the
vote would be unanimous for the adoption
Of a resolution placing the board on rec
ord as favoring the revocation OF an H.
eenses where the laws are violated.