The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-02-28
CUSTOMS
ABOLISHED IN
HOTEL CR|LL0N
AmeriCanizing u, s, Quar-
! ters No Mean Trick,
BY Jay Jerome Williams.


a,ing a one time French hotel on an
American plan is a twen,y.iour- day
affair, with many tribulations and also
many laughs. The United States gov
ernment has now been in control OF
the Hotel de Crillon. which houses the
peace commission and its staff, for
many weeks, and in that period
gradual process OF "Americanilation'
has been evolved.
II has come slowly and haltingly,
and in its wake Nare any number OF
shattered French customs, but everyone
seems now TO he fairly well satisfied,
even 10 the gentlemen whose particu-
lar missions IN lie are TO catch rats.
Therein lies a story.
Prior TO American occupation" the
Crllon management had system
whereby all employees who could prove
successfully that they had captured
and slain a rat within the confines Of
the building would he rewarded with
half a franc This system was ex-
planned in detail TO the American army
officers who now run the hotel, and
they thought il good one to continue.
They neglected, however, to reckon
with human nature, which, when com
bned with llieleSs rats, proves to be a
rather otnery proposition.
Enter Whiskefed Rat.
The first rat captured and slain
alter the American occupation proved
10 s a large rodent, with particularly
long whiskers. The French servant
who proudly bore the animal to the
managers Office was given hall
franc, and the manager turned the rat
over TO a subordinate. A little later
m the day another French servant
showed up and danglcd rat before
The eyes OF the manager. lie, too. was
given a hall franc. This incident re
produced tour tunes the ilrSt day and
six times the second. aroused SuS
picion. and when Mr.. Deiunct Rat
next showed mp a close examination
al his features was made. The half
franc had paid for the same roden, in
each instance, although his carcass
had attained a composite value OF
about fifteen francs. The result OF
The discovery, however, Is that when
ever rat Is killed and Ills body is
produced u IS erepaicd instantly.
The working Stati oi the Cflllon is
'ility-iiity' Franco American. That
IS, the entire rtiuuf ui servants. en-
ployed IN the hotel m normal times.
were retained when our government
took over the place, and their numbers
were ampiiicd by enlisted men OF the
army. Practically all OF the enlisted
-men, employed IN and about the hotel.
are casualties S'-men who have been
injured or wounded in battle.
In one way It seems rather a severe
Punishment TO take an enlisted man
who has fought at the front for his
country and make him perform the
inenial duties OF the ordinary hotel
lackey But every man of them, no
matter what his thoughts may be on
the subject, performs his duties with
smile.
The Crillon has 2S0 room, and
capacity crowd Each day more than
',SD persons are led IN the dining room,
where meals are served as near COS,
~ p'NHlUlts uut even cost prices
could compare iayorahly with the bet
ter New York hotels until the man
agemen, began an investigation OF the
subject OF food. 1t discovered that the
produce merchants, aware OF the fact
that Americans were IN the hotel, had
Systematically raised their prices, and
were continuing TO raise them as each
week went by. So an American iorag-
ing expedition consisting Of several
motor trucks, a soldier carrying cash,
and number OF enlisted men, now
leaves the hotel at o'clock every
morning and roc, into the open mar
Yet Much food, however. is obtained
l'om the American commlSsary at
so'l, and TINS helps IN keeping down
expenses