Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-14
TIPPING IN ENGLAND
Practice, for Which Visiting Amer
leans Have Been Largely Re.
sponslble, Has Become q Curse,
and Americans Are Great.
est Victims
BY GEORGE NOX Mccain
IS..lo- Eo~1and
LNROM being a voluntary contribution for

BY GEORGE NOX MCCAIN
London. England.
LNROM being a voluntary contribution for
i good service on the part of servant,
clipping in England has become not only
a nuisance but an extortion OF the worst
kind.
England invented It. The American fools
and Anglophiles introduced it into the
United States.
1t was not known on our side OF the water
a generation ago.
Now the practice-in the L. s. A.-has
grown to such a point that the War and
Navy Departments have officially recos-
nized It.
They have been compelled to. The Gov
ernment cannot we'll ask its officials to pay
this forced contribution out Of their own
salaries.
Hence the recognition Of tips as neces.
sary part Of an officers bill Of expense when
travelling.
In Englands case the bitter is being bitten.
OUTSIDE my own experiences, the entire
~ British world has been shocked by an
incident Mt big seaside hotel.
The affair, l presume. has possibly re-
ceived attention on our side.
1t has excited wide and bitter comment IN
the papers here.
Briefly, a gentleman left his wife at the
hotel and hurried to London on business.
The lady supposed that her husband had
tipped" all the lackeys and f1unkies about
the place before leaving.
When she departed she tipped only her
chambermaid and the hall porter.
a week later the husband received a letter
from the head waiter Of the hotel. saying he
had neglected to leave the usual gratui-
ties
He threatened to send the gentleman's 8
name to the head of the British Walters
Association.
This would blackball him in every hotel
in the United Kingdom.
WHETHER It is one of the unexpected
w and regrettable outcomes of the war Is
question. this matter Of tips.
Personally I do not think it Is. !.
I have visited Great Britain number OF
ever have lad with English clippers
1t is impossible to get any service at
hotel after the first day unless you show the
color of your money to the head waiter or
the fellow who is assigned to serve your
food.
Under the old system it was customary
to give to each person who had bid you
good morning or sold you a cigar in the
hotel parting remembrance.
1t was in proportion to the service
Now they want their money in advance,
it would seem.
And the English are rising in wrath
over it.
ONE of the best take-offs is being spoken
" nightly at the Palladium in musical
comedy.
a cop who has directed a country
visitor and his wife to a certain street
stretches out his right hand for a tip.
The visitor glances at it, then up at the
sky. and says:
:" f needn't be a 'oldin' out yer and,
lad; I'll tell e when it's rainin'."
TT ISN'T the matter of the tip; it's the
i size demanded. and often the fraud.
In certain cases insult follows the offer
| of n tip that in the estimation OF the lackey
| isn't big enough.
Cabmen are great offenders.
| Cab fares are lower in London than in
New York or Philadelphia by almost two
| thirds.
That is If honest fare and taximeter
| charge are correct.
One day drove from my hotel to poin,
| on Baker street
The fare was two shillings and three
pence.
1t was dark day and the taxi drive,
| thought couldn't read the register.
"IIow much?' | asked casually as
alighted
'Three shillin' nine pence, sir"
handed him two shilling nine pence
| which included his correct fare and a tip o
six pence twice the usual "tip,' too.
He started to create scene but | walket
away and left him haransuing about thu
damned Americans.
was too easy l should have given hin
not q penny more than the registered fare.
Instead, after trying to rob me he howlet
about the size of his tip
ALL England has its hand out for tips.
n The reason is this:
There has been a great food OF visitor
for the last two years from the United
States.
Most of them have thrown their none
around as they did in other years before tn
war. Possibly more reckessly.
England has had hard time Of it. Sh
These fool Americans have created tn
impression that the United States is
pr0ftecr nation that every visitor is wa
millionaire.
i've talked with merchants, business men
tramway conductors, clerks, policemen an
men I've casually met
| Every one thinks we are rolling in wealt
individually, and should not only nferen
TALLY, Of course. be plucked. but as natio
we should forgive or wipe out all {
Europe's war Indebtedness.
.sXIOU'VE got all our gold over there
i What are you going to do to us next;
exclaimed one merchant politely but bitterly
Every Tom, Dick and Harry has a
automobile in America said a brigt
Young tramcar conductor who was ridn
dead head" to- his work beside me on bu
We're compelled to ride bicycles herr
Can't afford autos.
III the British were as wealthy as II
Americans, don't you fancy we'd help yc
out" said n gentleman whom met at tab
In the Holborn Restaurant.
. And so it goes If you mix up with Il
II Won stick around your hotel and me-
no one except those Englishmen who have
business interest in you. you'll get anoth
ont at the Rag" fair l asked one of tv
|, policemen on corner the direction
C'oulston street.
, lie replied civilly brt briefly.