Evening star., 1926-08-15
RISING TOURIST TIDE
BRINGS RICH HAUL
TOCAP|TOL GUIDES
25-Cent Regular and 15-
Cent LOB Lot" Fees Reach
Big Daily Total.
SOME OF ATTENDANTS
DECLARED UNQUALIFIED
Many Places of Interest Are Over.
looked in 40-Minute Trip
Through Building.

With the tourist tide sweeping into
Washington with ever-increasing We
loCity, the position of official guide
at the Capitol has ripened into an
attractive and luscious plum TO
be shaken from the old political tree
There the business of reaping
quarters from tourists has become
SO extensive that the official guides
not only escort individuals and small
parties through the citadel of de-
nocracy on a strictly retail basis, but
they have a definite agreement with
the big sightseeing companies 10 job
lot their parties through at the re-
duced rate of Is cents per head
Although it has long been known
that the Capitol guides eXacted d fee
of 25 cents from each person they
escorted through the building, the
wholesale end of their business was
not learned until a reporter for The
Star Joined party of tourists at
1nion Station, boarded sight seeing
bus with them and started out to
see" Washington.
Fees Reach Big Total.
ASS a result Of this journey he learn
have gone into the wholesale business.
but he was informed, too, that the
guide who fails TO make something
more than SIS day would consider
that the business was not a paying
one. One thousand tourists day at
the full rate Of % cents per head. he
vas informed. would not aggregate
enough revenue to pay l6 guides an
adequate wage.
The big bus in which the tourists
made their journey set out at 1890
o'clock The Pan-American Union,
the White House and the New Ma
tiOnal Museum were visited in order
with the Treasury and the SmithsO-
nian institution being pointed out en-
route. Finally the ponderous vehicle
rolled up TO the broad front of the
Capitol. dazzling white in the hot
morning sun. Throbbifg with excited
anticipation, the % tourists hurried
up the long steps to the bronze portal
Of their own United States Capitol.
Suddenly the form Of a big man
stepped across the open Threshold and
called upon the eager visitors to stop
where they were. They were care
fully herded over to one end of the
portico. while the custodian Of the
doorway called out to an attendant on
the bus. who had been tardy in
escorting his charges up the steps:
Hey, how many va gOt?
Turned Over to Guide.
"Twenty-three." responded the pant
ing attendant. who by now had reach
ed the side Of his wondering tourists.
Carefully the guard counted the mem
hers of the PARTY to check on the
veracity of their attendant, made
some minute notations in a small book
and finally invited the visitors to
enter the Capitol. There he turned
them over to a guide. who. they were
told would take 40 minutes showing
them through.
Scores of times before the reporter
had been through those same halls,
and he longed to point out one inter
esting detail after another that the
official guide either neglected or
knew nothing about. The Senate
was visited and its galleries we're
duly explained. a peep into the
United States Supreme Court was per-
nissable en- route to the House cham
her. On the House side. however.
the lobby" was the nearest the tour
lists got to the chamber proper.
The name OF the artist who painted
the ceiling and walls of the PreSi-
dents room on the Senate side was
confided to the tourists: they were
hustled past the historic paintings
that were hanging here and there.
and spent most Of their time in Statu-
ary Hall. Here, the guide declared
was a mysterious floor" He said he
could stand at one side of the hall.
place his charges at the other and
carry on a conversation In whisper
which they could hear. The reporter
strained both ears trying TO catch
even murmur, but he had heard
no sound from tho guide up to this
time.
Joins Second Party
Out beneath the great dome once
more. the tourists were escorted
60 the portiCo and again turned over
20 the bus attendant. Here. however.
the reporter deserted his tourist
friends and quietly sauntered up to
tho door again. this time behind a
party Of eight typical automobile
tourists. Each. was equipped with a
newfangled sun visor, the women and
men alike wore khaki knickers and
all carried unmistakahle evidence OF
having hailed from the great open
spaces.
beamed the same guard who had so
efficiently blocked the doorway for
Che sightseeing party.
Yes" murmured the first man.
Well, that will cost you 25 cents"
responded the guard.
Sorry. but we don't get paid /bv
the Government. you know. So we
will have to charge YOU 25 cents"
The money produced and duly
transferred 10 the guide. he next
turned to the anXiously waiting re-
porter:
And would you like to see the
Capitol?"
''Why, yes" replied the reporter
well. that will cost you - cents.
kc., etc" repeated the guide.
Explains Different Procedure.
What. 20 enter the Capitol of the
United States" CALCULATED the re-
porter.
"Oh. we'll, If you don't want TO learn
ANYTHING all right. but these people |
want TO learn something. even if you
don't" frowned the guide contemptu-
cusly.
His identity revealed ny the re-
porter, the guide was asked TO explain /,
some things.
Now, first. how does il happen /,
that ] came in here with a sight see
ing bus party and was not asked TO !
nay. but that when | attempted to !
enter alone you wished to charge me :
o5 cents" the guide was asked.
We have a special rate for the |
CONTINUED on Page I. Column 81