The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-06

per cent. Congress could relieve tne people of this enormous tribute through the interstate commerce clause of the Constitution.
 The Democratic Etate Platform, 1918, included clause as follows: We favor legislation which will com pei sleeping car companies operating in Illinois to pay their employees suf- ficient wage to prevent the public from paying the levy made upon the travelling public.'' So far, as known, this is the first platform opposition to tipping.
 The Boy Scuots of America include in their code a ruling against the ac- ceptance of gratufties for any cour- tesy or friendly service while wear ing the uniform of the order.
 The Bursar of Harvard University in 1916 issued this. instruction: "The University hereby requests that there be no giving or receiving of money or other gifts between students and em- ployes except on rendering an equiva- lent service.''
 The South Shore Country Club, Chi cago.. voted 20 to 1 to abolish tipping.
 The Consumers League, of New York City, in an investigation of 1,O17 women workers in restaurants in that state, found the tipping system un- qualifiedly bad as a form of compen- sation, and recommended it's aboIi- tion.
 Bell-boys in St. Paul threatened to strike if the anti-tipping bill should pass, alleging that tips constituted the major part of their incomes. Where the tips are large employees n Qf lY oy,iI fisI,4 stitute wage system
 The Society for the Promotion of Useful Giving, New Tor City, probably IS the first organization having as it's purpose the abolition or regulation of gratutit1es. Its membership is limit ed to girls and women
 The Western Union Telegraph Com pany strictly prohibits the solicitation of gratuities by it's messengers. But there is DO. ruling aganst their accep- ting gratuties when offered-a dis- tinction without any practical differ ence to the public.
 The great travelling mems organiza tions, The Travellers Protective As sociation, The United Commercial Travellers of America, and The Illinois Commercial Mems Association. among others, exert their influence against tipping.
 The Young Mems Christian Associa- tion generally discourases the custom, in it's restaurants and buildings. The White Rats, the actors organ izatfon. has found the custom of tip- ping stage hands burdensome. Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, con- siders tipping an undesirable form of compensation.
 Government statistics show that ap- proximate1y 5,000,000 persons in the United States are engaged in domestic and other lines of work where they regularly or occasionally receive gra- tutis9.
 Hundreds of hotels, barber shops restaurants and other public service places voluntarily have abolished tip ping, but through the lack of any or ganiZation of public sentiment their efforts are unheralded. Clippings talk en from newspapers and magazines all over the United States show a prac- tically unanimous editorial opposition to tipping. It is proposed to give this sentiment an adequate channel of ex- pressfon through an anti-tipping asso- ciation. In the ranks of the workers who receive gratutities are many whose self respect rebels at the cus- tom, but who must conform to it or lose their means of livelihood. The cooperation of these workers will be welcomed by the proposed associa- ton.