Omaha daily bee., 1919-10-19
BY George Erard. a Victim.

That the travelling public from
Maine to California is incensed over
the growing increase of travelling
expenses is evidenced by the con-
slant flow of infamatory remarks
heard in every hamlet.
A group of Omaha commercial
travellers seated around cold and
inactive steam radiator in small
Iowa hotel, voiced their sentiments
with greatunaminity. One of them
who has made" the Missouri valley
for 20 years delivered himself of a
TRADE against hotel men in general
that could not be printed in whole.
THE petty mulcts practiced by
the owners down to the cheapest
funkies are getting to be intoler-
able" he said with great emphasis.
THE average hotel man spends most
of his time devising ways and
means to exact more tribute from
the travelling guest. Very few
American plan hotels remain. Meals
are as rule, la carte and it would
take but toy cart to serve a dozen
of them.
War Tax on Sleep.
Mine host ruefully tells you how
his help demands princely wages,
and then, with an arch smile play
ing about the corners of his mouth.
he informs you, that the old room
YOU used to rest in for 50 cents a
night is now $2.l0 to sleep. The 10
cents must be the war tax on the
amusement the boniface gets in
soaking you on his 'suncker list
almost before the words have
dried on his lips he rushes frantic
ally toward his coekroach pen, where
his cook reigns with a super-power
that overawes even the boss, and
almost breathlessly requests the
ham and artist to Immediately re-
duce the size of portions.
Then he issues IL o'clock edi-
ton of his mean card with 10 per
cent raises on everything from soup
to cheese. He crowds his guests to
the limit to exact everything posi-
bic from them" ... DIG,
At this juncture gray-haired
veteran of immense girth edged into
the fray and said:
We'll we are a lot of suckers to
stand all of these things. We are
TOO meek. Hotel owners are getting
rich in a year these days. We
should retaliate like a northern
Iowa salesman does. l travelled with
him short distance last Saturday
He had carefully wrapped pack
age in his lap and confdentially ex-
planned its contraband nature to me.
He travels on fiat expense allow
ance that will not cover his weeks
expenses. He knows the hotels rob
him at every turn. So he retaliates
by swiping towels, soap, table ware.
incandescent globes or any portable
thing that may be handy. He acts
on this principle: Why should |
pay for light globes, towels. etc,
when I am already buying them in
increased hotel costs. The hotel
men are getting their's-why should
| not get mine" -
Another traveller related a list of
his reprisals and told of one fellow
who gathered a peck of plumber in
week and took it home.
Tax man Gets Hunk"
An income tax collector worked
among several eastern Iowa towns,
He spent a week at an ordinary
| fourth-class hosiery. When he
checked out he found he was charg-
ed $500 day for a room that used
TO cost him 50 cents. He called the
proprietor aside and said:
"Was there a mistake made in my
bill? l am charged $500 day for
room g."
II should say notp replied the
hotel man, greatly peeved, :! am
not breaking even at that. Wages
are out of sight, help scarce, and we
simply have to meet our liked
charges, etc"
| "Oh, it's all right replied the
government agent, my expenses are
all paid by the government. But
cannot forebear comparing mat
tiers a little. l am government in
come tax collector and I'll be back
here to check you over in couple
of weeks. So, what you took extra
from me today I'll take over for
Uncle Sam" when | return!