The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-06-02
COOKS TO TALK
OF CONDITIONS
AT June 6 MEET
Scorn Bill Now Before
State Legislature
By PAsoUALE RUSSO.

| euuCdIlOudl BdLuSbluR 10 % nelQ at
the Hotel Morrison, June 8, $3.50 p. m.
On this occasion they will discuss the
merits of a bill introduced into the
general assembly Of the State of I'LL
nois.
Theodore D. Smith of the 18th dis
trict is the author Of the bill and he
will be in attendance at the gathering
to show reasons why cooks should be
required to have a state license.
From our meager information it ap-
pears that the bill will not benefit the
cooks. However II is plain that it will
increase the revenue flowing into the
pockets of crooked officials. Smith,
as politician. can be trusted not to
introduce a bill that will benefit the
slave toiling in filthy and unsanitary
kitchen. To provide for the health
of the workers would be inimical to
the interests Of the food barons and
this Smith will studiously avoid.
Workers Health Comes First.
The bill states: at shall be unlaw-
full for any person to follow the occu-
patton of cook or chef, unless he shall
have first obtained a certificate of
registration" From this we are led
to believe that registration is Of prime
importance. But is it7 We think not.
The first and most important item Is
the cooks health.
Since Mr.. Smith is to attend in per.
son, and since the seance is to be
held in the Morrison Hotel, a notori-
GUS sweatshop, he will have an ex-
cellent opportunity to obtain some
first hand information. The conditions
at the Morrison are filthy and II Mr..
Smith chooses he may study tho sit
uation, and If he does he VIII be
forced to conclude that health should
be considered before registration.
Let US enumerate some Of the condi-
lions actually existing at the Morri-
son Hotel right at this very momsnt
The main kitchen is located in the
third basement, below street level,
and here the heat is terrific. On this
same floor there IL large, well-kept
toilet with plenty Of soap and towels.
Unfortunately its use is restricted to
that Of guests. 1t Is a violation Of the
rules for any employe to use the
toilet. frequently they use It but at
I the risk of their jobs. Other times
they use the less freQuented places
behind the range or stock pot
The toilet for the use Of kitchen
employees is In the basement below.
There are two, one for men, one for
women; no soap or towels and the
odor is nauseating. On the second
floor there is another, but here the
conditions are even worse.
No windows, no fresh air, no ven
tilation. The smell is offensive and
all the employees complain, tho no
heed is paid to the complaints. There
is no provision made for shower
baths.
Bad Food Served Public.
Come-backs and scraps are all used
and worked over. AS a rule chicken
skin is mixed with the other scraps.
The cook takes this and molds Il with
his hands, smearing It with bread
crumbs. Each day It is served and
reserved under the following names:
First Day; Chicken outlet with
| green peas"
Second Day: "Capon outlet with
sweet potatoes"
Third Day: Turkey outlet with
green peas"
Fourth Day: ~Sweatbread outlet
with cream sause."
In most cases these outlets are sour
but are served to the public. On May
%, Waitress No. 10 served several
orders of capon outlets that had
soured. Is this fraudulent or not?
The soup pot contains all manner
OF scraps; 1t is not covered and
reaches and flies have free access to
1t. On May 10, Waitress No. had
her attention directed to a roach in
the soup by customer.
The bread dressing served TO the
public is handled in the Same manner
as at the Hotel LaSalle. It is soaked
In filthy sink where pots and pans
are washed.
Not infrequently food is actually
taken from the garbage can and
served to guests. This seems incred.
Idle, but the following are the facts:
On May %, cook whose card num-
Der is 11SO received an order from a
guest for pot roast with potato pan.
cakes The cook in looking about
saw that the potato pancakes had dis
appeared. Turning to Frank Purdy,
the steward he inquired: What has
become Of the pancakes?" The stew
ard answered by saying: Look in
the garbage can" Again the cook
queried: What do you want me to
dog" to which the steward repliedu
Take them out Of the can, they ara
all right and use them" Needless to
say, the cook obeyed orders. Incl.
dentally, we challenge the manage
ment OF the hotel to dlsprove or deny
any or all Of these charges.
| In short, this condition is not CON.