The Washington herald., 1914-05-03
LONDONNOW HAS
THE night HABIT
Society Now Flocking to Bo-
hemian Resorts to Chagrin
of Hotel Keepers.
DEMOCRACY AT OXFORD
Charing Cross. Busiest Station in the
World. Touched by $500 Trains
of Four Railroads Daily.
special Cable to The Washington Herald.

Snec1Al Cable TO The WAshinZtOu Her1d-
London. May 2-The growth Of the
night club London in one short year
has been one Of the most striking depar-
lures in the life OF West End. Some years
ago Londons night clubs were establish
ments which the police viewed with sus-
picion. For the most part they were pro-
prietary institutions hidden away in
some quiet side street where the mem
bers could enter unobserved by critical
eyes. 1t was not what society could call
good form to resort to these Bohemian
places, for the class of frequenters was
not good.
But all that is changed. Today society
talks Of night clubs.
will you sup with me at this or that
nocturnal rendezvous is as common
an invitation as a request to dine at one
OF the leading hotels.
London has the night habit. The young
bucks OF the West End. the idle rich
have no need for an extensive wardrobe.
Figuratively speaking. a suit OF pejamns
and a boiled shirt are the only essential
articles OF apparel for it Is a case of
sleeping by day and emerging from the
bedroom when the hour for donning
evening dress arrives.
Near PiccadiIIy Circus.
There is by no means so much truth as
night clubs belong to the list Of things
which they do better in Paris or in Ber-
lin. Vienna, and New York. The gilded
ball or the subterranean cellar where the
sounds of revelry are to be heard by
night abound within two minutes OF
Piccadilly Circus.
The popularity Of the night club has
alarmed the hotel proprietors. They are
kicking against the conventionality and
t,aI Nf1HT - Nk Tny.
all hotels must close at 12:3O. The In
corporated Association of Hotels and
Restaurants has appealed to the govern
ment for relief, and the home secretary
has promised to include the night clubs
in the restrictions imposed by the new
licensing bill to come before Parliament
shortly.
The hotel keepers feel the hardship Of
having to close their doors thirty min
utes after the stroke of midnight. while
the elaborate proprietary clubs are per-
mitted to cater at all hours Of the night
for their members and friends intro
duced by members.
What the hotel proprietors are asking
Of the government Is an extension OF the
closing hour to / o'clock. so that their
clientele can have reasonable time to
partake Of supper after leaving the the
ater. Even as things are, the hotels are
n IOT Ihe IaNOTS OF the noe
turnal diners. 'Soupers Dansants'' are
the newest diversions and at several Of
the hotels favored by American visitors
to London special tango experts dance
their mary way between the tables.
Every one may dance. and at the Savoy
Hotel the ballroom adjoining the restau-
rant is open throughout the supper hours
1t is a sign OF the times. London Is
making up-just as far as the law will
allow-but whether the government will
come to the rescue Of the hotels or limit
the operations Of the night clubs Is an
other matter. II takes an age to change
the old order OF things in this country.
Democracy is evidently eating its way
into the most exclusive British circles.
and the newest departure here is the es-
tablishment of a cooperative store by
the University OF Oxford. 1t is to be
opened in a week or two. and Lord
SALISBURY and Sir Horace Plunkett, a
great authority on cooperation, are
members of the honorary management
council. The control of the stores will
he In the hands of five senior and twenty
Junior members OF the university. so that
the principal burden OF executive work
Will rest with the undergraduates them
selves, from whom the idea sprung.
The stores will begin ny stacking
groceries. tobacco. and similar Commo-
dities. The ambition Of those RESPONSE
ble for the scheme is, first Of all, to teach
the men principles OF cooperation by
practical experience Of its advantages.
Principal among these will be less ex-
pensive goods and distribution of profits
among those who support the stores
1t is hoped also that the stores will deal
a blow to the credit system in vogue at
the universities. which is a direct temp
tation TO members to run up" heavy
bills out Of all proportion to their allow
anccs.
$500 Trains a Day.
London now claims the busiest station
in the world. a "four-decker' station,
through which $500 trains pass each day.
This remarkable railroad center was COM
plcted few days ago. and is situated at
Charing Cross, adjoining Trafalgar
and a point which Is generally
as the hub of London. Three
Of the four railroads. which have Just
been linked up. are underground. The
District Railway has been working l,OsS
trains day over this section OF its serv-
Ice, and deeper in the ground SO
trains run daily on the Bakerloo Rail-
way. Add to these figures the 5n trains
that pass around a loop line at the ter
minus Of the Hampstead Tube Railway
and all the full service OF the South
Eastern Company's Southern Continen-
tai and local routes and you arrive at
The record total OF 900.