South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-01-29
SALOON MEN ABOLISH
FREE LUNCH COUNTER
Meet at Turner Hall and Decide
That New Health Laws Will
Not Permit Serving of Food
With "TaII Ones"

Free lunches in South Bend saloons
are almost thing OF the past or
soon Will be. No more will the succu-
lent wienie. the juicy cuts of roast
beef, the winsome pickle and the ct
cetra accomplishments, greet the sight
Of the thirsty as they step into the
liquor emporiums OF the city.
No more will the hungry tramp
with just a nicked in his trousers be
able TO come in and calm his gnawing
Vitals
These pictures of metropolitan life
Will soon be forgotten and the future
generation will only know of them
through history or perhaps the
movies.
For why?
Because a quiet little meeting Of
held Wednesday afternoon at the Tur-
ner hall and they decided among
themselves to 'cut IL out" They
agreed on it. went on record. that
henceforth from now on they will not
set out any more free lunch.
When asked Why they answered
thusly: The recent stringent enforce
ment OF the health laws of the state
are going to make it too difficult for
the saloonkeeper to keep up the pace.
The law says they can serve free
lunch. but the patron must not help
himself. the saloonkeeper must pro-
vide a servant or waiter to serve il
Each patron must be given his indi-
vidual sandwich on plate. the
waister must put it there with clean
fork; and the supply must be contin-
ually kept under a cover.
The effect OF the agreement was
noticeable Immediately after, in sew
eral of the downtown saloons. Food
had disappeared from the usual place
on the counter and in some instances
the counter itself had already been
moved. A few places still served. the
proprietors asserting they had not yet
heard of the agreement and were
serving according to the letter of the
law. According to a report that
leaked out soRe OF the saloonkeep-
ers at the session were at first in
clined to evade the law regarding free
lunch by adopting method employed
one time in Michigan where a SINH
lar law is in force. The patron
bought sandwich and was given the
beer free. But the majority of the
saloonkeepers did not like this plan
and il was dismissed from discussion.
Get Club Privileges.
Another subject anent the saloon
question since the lid" regime and
one being rumOred about the city is
that regarding the formation of
clubs among saloonkeepers TO evade
the Nicholson law. Whether IL was
discussed at the salOonkeepers' meet
ing Wednesday could not be learned.
The story goes that certain saloon
prOprietOrs having access or leases on
rooms over their premises are con
templating converting the same into
club rooms and in that way secure
the right TO sell liquor.
One of the leading saloonkeepers
down town was asked regarding this
rumOr last night. but ridiculed the
idea and said further that he did not
believe il was true. at would not be
profitable" he said.
Another saloonkeeper said he re-
membePed that it had been tried on
one occasion in South Bend but that
it had not lasted And he did not be-
lieve it would succeed now.
The first salOOnkeeper said he had
rumors of parties outside of the sa =
looms talking of the club plan, but
whether they would go through with
it he could not say.