New-York tribune., 1922-06-08
Hotels Call on
Harding to DRY
Up Broadway
New York Proprieiors APP
peal to President and
> Attorney General TO
Stop Liquor Sales
Situation "Intolerable'
Declare Restaurant Busi-
ness Falls OFF Because
of Alcoholic Competition

Hotel men Of this city. attending the
quarterly meeting Of the Hotel Asso'
citation Of New York last night, adopt
ed resolution protesting against
bootlegeing and the Illicit sale Of
liquor in Broadway restaurants, which
they intend 10 lay before President
Harding, Secretary Mellon Of the
Treasury Department. Attorney Gem
eral Daugherty and National Prohibi-
tion Commissioner Haynes, ignoring
all lesser officials.
II Is asserted in the resolution that
violations OF the Volstead act are
"open, hacrant and brazen in n large
nuriber OF restaurants and other
places in this city" As to bootlegglrg
irresponsible person. are profit
ably and openly engaged in bootleg
ging practices and such violations are
growing il numbers and extent. not
withstanding the effective remedies
which the law affords for the pre-
vention Of these illegal practices"
The condition is described as lin
tolerable" and the authorities are
asked to take immediate steps to ale
viate IL.
II is set forth by the hotel men
that the situation acccts them directly.
they are law-abiding. they say, and
sell no liduor although their refusal
...ttah hafh in Hf-
rect revenue and in that which is dl-
verted 10 the eating places that do sell
IL.
Complain Of Loss Of Custom
Their taxes, they point out, are based
upon an earning capacity that was
6xcd when they had a profitable and
legitimate trade in liquor That trade
mas been eliminated, but the taxes nave
not been reduced. On the contrary, IN
some instances. they have been IN
creased.
aThe illegal traffic in liquor and
other alcoholic beverages II is said
in the resolution, sis on the increase
IN other restaurants 10 the extent that
the restaurant. business OF the hotels,
heretofore conducted at profit, Is
now. in many instances, operated AZ
serious loss
The hotel men say that they have no
intention Of abandoning their law-aoid-
ing stand, but want immediate feliei
from unfair and illegitimatc competi-
tion.
The association approved plan TO
confer with the Attorney General OF
New York State regarding the act for
handing taxicabs which goes into eject
next month, and voted 10 oppose any
attempt TO inyalidate the law. Utto
Saek. reporting for the baggage dm-
n,ittee recommended abolition OF the
ordinance under which public porters
arc licensed.
Instead OF regulating the porters, he
said, the ordinance conferred upon any
one who paid the 25-cent fee the right
20 annoy passengers. .,
Among those present were L. IL
Boomer, Of the Claridge' and McAlpin
hotels; +. NJ. Statler, OF the Hotel
Pennsylvania; Fred c. Musehenheim,
OF the Hotel Astor: August Mule, OF
the Waldorf-Astoria; Thomas ID. Green,
OF the Hotel Woodward; ]. Fluegelman,
Of the Hotel Hamilton; Mark Caldwell,
assistant secretary OF the association;
Edward c. Fogg. Of the Hotel Plaza,
and Edward NJ. Tierney OF the Hotel
Ansonia, and president Of the National
Hotel Association.
Reply TO Traye,cr' Charges
A statement was given out in behalf
OF the association In reply 20 the critic
ism OF hotels made Tuesday by dele
gates TO the convention OF the Ma
tional Travellers Protective Associa,,
tion at Atlantic City, who asserted
that the hotels OF the country were
prohteering and ought 20 reduce their
rates 25 per cent or more.
The hotel men declare that they did
not advance rates in proportion 70
costs increase and that they cannot re-
turn 20 the 1915 rates because costs
still arc far above the level az which
they stood in that year. Food prices
In hotels have been reduced. II 10 said,
in proportion to the decline In food
costs.
Comparison Of menus with those OF
few months ago, IL is said, will show
that hotels have reduced food prices
in proportion 10 the decline In costs.