The Washington herald., 1922-06-29
I-ENNINC WARNS
HOTEL GIRLS TO
STOP CRITICISM
Replies to Petition With
Threat to Close Dor
mitOries.
HE SCORES COUNCIL
Government Not Called Upon
To Maintain Housing
Service, He Says.


Peace is expected to settle down
on the government-owned hotels
near Union Station as a result of
the warning sounded yesterday by
Assistant Secretary of Labor Z. ].
Henning that continued criticism
will tend to bring the enterprise TO
an end.
Tenants in the hoteIs-all of whom
are women employed in govern
mental gan to criti-
else about year ago, according to
q Department of Labor official last
night The first criticism. he said,
arose because rates in the hotels
were raised to meet the high living
costs universally prevailing at the
time.
The rates were later brought
down TO the old level. Last sum-
mer. according to the official, pro-
tests arose when the hotel manage
ment sought to close one of the
dormitories for the summer. so as
to reduce expenses. There was fur
ther criticism this summer over the
same thing. he said.
G rIs Signed Petition.
Some time ago a large number of
the guests signed a petition urging
that the salaries Of those in charge
Of the hotels be reduced so that ex-
pcnses might be cut and rates re-
duced- Various other recomme nda-
tions were contained in the petition.
Henning's warning to the effect
that continued criticism may result
in the hotels being closed was en-
bodied in a letter he wrote in an
swer to the petition. This was ad-
dressed to Miss Bertha Anderson,
president of the plaza council. a
group which attends to the interests
cf the government workers -esid-
ing In the dormitories
This warning. it is believed. will
bring an end to faultfinding among
the dormitory girls. because, il was
said. few. if any. of them are so
dissatisfied that they care to have
the hotels closed
Scores Militant Spirit.
Henning in hi letter scored what
he termed the apparent militantly
antagonistic spirit of those domi-
mating the plaza council
Henning Interpreted the petition
as indirectly urging that the hotels
be run on the same basis as COM
mercial hotels. He says in his let
ter that should the girls request the
change il can be arranged. but he
warns that such a change will re-
suit in far greater rates than are
now being charged.
A large number of those who
signed the petition. investigation
showed. did so under misapprehen-
sion. Many of these later visited
the Department of Labor. which has
the hotels in charge. and stated that
they were not in sympathy with the
petition. il was said.
Henning's Letter.
That part of Henning's letter
warninc against further criticism
follows:
You must appreciate that the
continued criticism OF the hotel
manaCement and the faultfindinr
spirit exhibited in the petition sub
mitted imperils the continuance Of
the whole government hotels pro-
ject- There is a strong and con-
stantly growing feeling that the
government is not at this time
called upon to maintain for its en-
ployes the housing service found
necessary during the war.
This sentiment is constantly
gaining strength. and the spirit ex-
hibited in your petition is doing
more than anything else to foster
It, II is clear that the continue nee
Of this course will. more than any
thing else. tend to bring the gov
ernment hotel enterprise to an end.
II might be well for the guests at
the hotels to consider this phase of
the situation seriously in their at
titude toward the MANAGEMENT"