The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-06-27
EUROPEAN INNKEEPERS :
80 PICK TRAVELLERS CLEAN
BY Clyde A. Beals e
for TheIrnited Press)

I 70.
5(Wr.tten for The United 7Press) Z
Editors Note ::..-Clyde "a. Beals has
written ten stories for the United
Press on European travel after try
| ing out. Beals is from Portland,
Ore. worked in the United Press in
New York and now holds a Pulitzer
School of Journalism travelling
schclarship.---U. P. N. Y.
London. ,(By Mail. The open sea-
son for travelling in Europe is on and
the average American who comes over
will be shot as full of holes as a
decoy duck Every hotelkeeper is
bent on squeezing, the lemon dry for
himself, and, on receiving a, COM
plant against the most unreasona BILE
extortion, smiles ,obsequiously and
murmurs the new European slogan,
But YOU have dollars. 5:v5 =..-t
The only real good the exchange
does Americans, as matter OF fact,
is to make them feel richer. In Cen
trail Europe, Germany and Italy the
prices are still relatively low. In
Belgium the level of food prices be-
gins to approach the American, and
in France, and: strangely enough,
Holland, one pays dollar for dollar
and sometimes a little more. In all
these countries one may find relative
ly cheap hotels and restaurants, but
they are both we'll off the beaten tour
lists tracks, and dirty. The line be-
tween the good and bad places is
rather sharp. 49,: r., ,..n,,, - 4
No American need fear the food
shortage, even in Austria. There it is
still practically impossible; to s;g1t
white bread, though this in the sur
rounding countries Is readily avail
able. .x K sH4H ,ss e ia ,. -, =, /:
It is discouraging to try to travel
for pleasure, however, in any of the
countries except those along the At
lantic and North Sea. The train SER
vices, owing to the coal shortage,
have been SO curtailed thai the cars
are hopelessly overcroWded. =
The hotels are continually filled.
One must reserve rooms from one to
ten days ahead. And, the complete
traveller must be equipped with a
full assortment of bug and itch ONT
ments. The bugs have become SO
brazen that they don't wait to begin
operations even until the lights are
out. r. ~ ..5a%. .G3 IL. T. III
In italy, also, the hotels as well as
restaurants have evolved w h a I
amounts to be double tipping sys-
tenn Placards announce that no tips
will be accepted, and that instead a
service charge of from ten to fifteen
per cent Will be made. But, to get
out without tipping takes an accom-
plished burglar One proprietor,
when asked if the: service. was paid
for, replied "well. yet, butt"
| A cover charge is also in the list
of refined extortions. 4 In one tiny
restaurant lin Venice the cover i
| hah certainly had made more than
enough to buy a clean one. The SER
vice was rendered by the 'proprietor's
small son. Both charges were never
theless among those present. ~
| There Is, however, one new con-
venience Almost every man who
went home from England or Amer
lea to fight has now become a waiter
or porter, so that knowledge of an
extra language, except for arguing
with the taxicab drivers, is almost SUI
perfluous 4, 49,. ri q ( ,5.st ri q. i.{sS
Though Holland is to Monaco as a
washtub is to a finger bowl, it is for a
visit to the most pleasant country OF
all. One is sure of courteous treat
ment and the inhabitants radlate
ccntentment. It is not necessary, as
it lis in Italy. and, to a less degree, in
bFrance, to tip everyone for the most
Eelementay courtesyost The place is
extraordinarily clear and the food ex-
fextracrdinary clean and the feod ex-
also to talk to the Hollanders--.most
Icf them speak English, French and
German. They are broadminded and
Impartial. When there is so much
I Jealousy abroad it is refreshing to
! find a country small enough to know
lit is small and yet big enough not to
! try continually to intrigue to get big
ger. When Holland wants more terri
tory 1t pumps some more water out
Cf the Zuider Zee.