New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-08

4 Dining Car Waiter Reports Upon
the Mem BUYERS of LUXURY

the Mem Buyers of Luxury
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: On July The Tribune printed
an article captioned "Laborers Riding
in Pullmans Cause Equipment Short
age; Day Coaches Empty, and No More
Travellers Are Seen Eating Sandwiches
from Paper Bundles; Families of
Workers on Trips Break Records"
The first number of "The Bulletin"
monthly organ Of the Brotherhood of
Dining Car Employees, an organization
of dining car cooks and walters, for
March, 1920, commenting on the un-
usual Christmas holidays rush, said:
Belief justified by long and diverse
experience has been confirmed from
authoritative sources that the 1919-'2O
holiday season was the heaviest ever in
the eastern territory.
From December 20 onward it was
like Thermopyla, and still they come. ;
Such unprecedented travel strained the
equipment supply. Equipment in dis
card became important as equipment
de luxe, according to modern standards.
and reminded oldtimers of the dear old
days before the coming of the all-steel
car with its metal construction, and
thus Its inevitable companions,
draughts and rheumatism, freezing in
winter and roasting in summer.
"Of all kinds and degrees was the
rush composed Women in profusion
with children galore; and they crowded
the excess fare limited as they did the
more leisurely, lesser appointed fam
lily expresses.
what they missed on account of
their timidity, due to lack of experience
in the way of DESTINATIONS, self -glori-
fication going, they over made up for in
bombast and arbitrariness on the re-
turn. One shoe store clerk going was
the president of his employers whole
saler's firm coming.
money flowed like water (for trans
portation, sleeping and parlor accom-
modations and meal tickets). Gratui-
ties were in inverse ratio to the rush;
and had it not been for the regulars
God bless 'em-the knights of Nor
pheus and the white-coated, white
aproned first (ahd last) line of pas
senger department defense and their
wives and children would have been
IS. O. L. for Christmas. Such was to
be expected, however, for most of the
excess travel came from the ranks of
the ordinary folk, benefciaries CD of
the high wages now prevalent among
the lower middle classes. Probably
never before did Christmas bring so
much JOY to the ordinary folk of the
workaday world, and it is certainly not
begrudged them. Though the brother
hood did not gain by the invasion, it is
severally and individually glad of its
contribution to the role Of Santa Claus
to the greater American travelling pub
| lic."
AHO WAAtCI IIdS u6veT regarded CN8
Pullman, whether sleeping or parlor
car, as luxury, except by way Of
comparison with the best service to be
obtained in the best day coach. Ger
tainly the Pullman car is the place for
woman with children, whether by day
or night, even if only between New
York and Boston or New York and
/ Washington.
| A laboring man who has toiled for
! years, and each year hopeful and con-
fident that the next shall find him able
to send his woman and young ones of
on little vacation, surely cannot be
blamed for SO doing when he finally
becomes able; nor should he be faulted
for making them comfortable during
the trip.
There is, however, q grave menace to
/ the peace and prosperity Of our com
mon country lurking in the present