The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-15
FROM TIPS, U. s. A., TO CUMSHAW, CHINA


 and matter of forced assessment Tn another; 2 virtue on one side of political boundary and crime Cn the ether" according to bulletin on the tipping customs in various coun- tries issued by ths National Geo Grapl ic society.
 Tn 1917, few weeks after the lcng awaited Russian revolaeion had started" the bulletin continues. American travellers in Petrograd cheerfully paid a percentag1 of their bills for service and were spared the necessity of buying their hats sew eral times over as modern man does If he frequents some restaurants in America. It was almost impossible to give tips in Russia then. One man was questioned regarding the matter and his reply was that if he took a tip he could not call the giver to- varische'-he could not exact a gratuity from 'comrade' During Il months in Russia the tipping bill of one traveller would not have satisfied metropolitan bellboy for showing a 4 guest to free check room.
 Last summer, in Prague, a charge of 20 per cent for service was added to hotel bills. This high rate was due to the fact that the price of rooms was strictly regulated, but the price Of wages was not. In Carlsbad, now called, but little known as Karlovy Vary, at one of the best restaurants fused to accept tips. The 15 per cent added to the bill satisfied them and they seemed glad to be able to look one in the eye instead of in the palm. The 15 per cent was as much part of the bill as cover charge CT the cost of bread and butter and could be counted on in advance.
 Such self discipline on the part of those whose fingers have had fly paper qualities in former years, may be monopoly of the Slavs, for there | etl . LCW PlaCCS WAtIt d SGIVdHL pldC6S self-respect ahead of his financial in- terests. And there are few expense account travellers or others who do not have to count the cost of the add ed 10 per cent, but like the sensation of dolling out largesse.
 "In West China a few years ago chair coolies, after many days of hard toll, were delighted to receive lit- tie present to be used in providing a pork feast. Throughout remote re- gions of the world the gratitude that is evoked by 8 small present grac iously given is very charming to one whose pocketbook is the subject of siege every time he makes move in civilized zones.
 Last summer a traveller arrived at Trieste at midnight to find the city in darkness and without trans be- cause of a strike in the electrical plant. Another strike had wiped the carriages and taxicabs off the street. For a tip, the custodian of the bag gage room opened his storage cham Der, for another tip porter carried the checked baggage from the train. night arrival was that the money was cheap.
 At 2:30 a. m. the traveller was in bed and out 50-lire tip, although the price of the room was only IS lire day. A week later this traveller was in the prize hostelry of Venice blessing the Italian race. and the founders of the city because the DOT ter at the desk allowed him to pay for a room without forcing him to pay for the privilege.
 Throughout the east, tipping is so general and so moderate in the scale of donations that it seldom causes embarrassment or hard feelings But the outgoing guest sees more servants than the incoming traveller dreams of. Speeding the. parting guest is Asia's one best bet. The most satisfactory pldn lOE lHc tIdNClCl io tO HI Q bearer, tell him in advance how much he will allow for tips and then let the tactful employe gamble his desire for | good against his willingness to have his ancestry cursed unto the dawn 1 of time. On one Indian railway a servant recently offered to have a special car added to the train for the accommodation of a single traveller for consideration of one rupee. The traveller refused the offer indignantly and suffered mAch inconvenience be- cause of changes which he would have avoided by accepting the prince ly gift of private car. Later he found that as a holder of through ticket he was entitled to the car anyway.
 In central Europe a hotel room is prize to be won by painstaking eff | fort. In Bucharest one may have to visit so many hotels that his car riage bill will make other expenses seem impossible. After such fruit less search for quarters g traveller recently obtained a letter 1fom cab | inet minister to the chief of police. After that worthy had risen from his monday nap he sent police ser geant with the searcher demanding in the name of the law that he be given room. A porter then consent ed to do what he had refused to do two hours earlier.
 "One sometimes has pleasant mem ories of gratitudes given. tour ;& srakh from, col1ace was doing