The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-10
OF GIRLS
Nit white of EmpOria Would
Amend Hotel Bill.
Protect Female Attendants as
Well as Guests, He Says.
never SAW A LEGISLATURE
That's Reason Girls Have Gone
Without Any Notice.
Equal Distribution of Legisla-
ton Is Requested.

Nit White, widely known Emporia
hotel man. wants the legislature TO
repair the hotel inspection bill now
up for passage and urged by the stare
board of health. White, who has
been working for years to safeguard
and protect his guests, now wants
some legislation that will extend re-
lief and protection to his chamber
maids, cook ladies and dining room
girls.
For years the legislature has been
writing new laws for the safety, pro-
lection, convenience and comfort of
the man or woman who spends night
in a Kansas hotel. When the legisla-
ture did not write new laws on the
subject, it extended the powers or the
board of health. The health board
then added new patriots to the state
pay roll, sent them broadcast as IN
spectors and gave the hotel men more
grief and sorrow. Except for a little
two or three paragraph law concern
ing the payment of room rent. the
state legislature hasn't done much for
the hotel men in fifteen years, White
complains.
IT came to Topeka as an interested
observer of this session." said winnie.
IT came to watch the action on the
board of health's bill about hotels
Mind you I am not opposing the Dill.
But 1 think that in justice and fair
ness there should be an equal distri-
button of legislation. My chamber
maids and dining room ladies and
girls in the laundry rooms and kitchen
don't visit many gilded palaces, but
they are entitled to the same protec-
ton we are required to give the hotel
guest.
( What About the Girls?
1.-THE legislature has given us the
Individual drinking cup, individual
towel, nine-foot sheet and lot OF
other things. That's all right. Now.
there is talk of providing that the
hotel protect its patrons against in
fectious diseases. That's all right,
| too. You simply can't be too careful
about your surroundings these days.
But what about my girls?
IF we must provide the most San1-
tary surroundings for customer who
never saw such surroundings before,
what is the legislature or the board of
health going to do about protecting
my girls against chap who carries
all the infectious and contagious dis
eases that shouldn't be running at
large. My girls must clean up the
rooms in the morning. They must
| handle the linens and do lot of
things. The girls in the dining rooms
must be attentive to these people,
These customers are as free to come
and go as the flowers in May, We
| can't inspect every guest and probably
| couldn't do anything if we could. But
every guest can inspect my hotel and
| if the girls get lot of things they
shouldn't get and don't want, what
can we do about it? / am in favor of
sanitation, regulation and supervision.
But l came to Topeka to look after
the interests of the ladies who make
the beds, cook the meals, sweep the
| floors, work in the laundries and wait
on the tables in my dining room. They
never saw a legislature in their lives
Maybe that's why they don't under
stand this system of one-edged pro-
| lection"