Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-11
RED CAPS LEARN
L|BERALITY VARIES
Station Aides, Who Work for
SIS a Month and Tips, Learn
ii of Human Nature.
eRed.cap, porter. hey port err

( -Red-cap, porter. hey porter!''
The temporary custodian OF ones
WOrldly goods scnrries along the
cement expanse Of Union station,
. touches his visor +civilly to the pros
pectivs patron, and dashes off with
the hand luggage. be it baby. bootleg
or golf bag, to- the netheI1nost limits
Of the Capital terminal.
The esprit de corps or the 155 red
rap porters of the Washington Termi.
nal Go. Is easily recognized by the
cOnmuter and globe trotter. but few
stop to realize what a gamble it Is to
comply with the travellers various be-
lists. The amount in tips that a
porter culls during his eight-hour shift
is entirely a matter of fate, for
whether he stands watch at the train
platform, the waiting room or the
taxi cab chute, it Is an unwritten law
OF the profession that approaching
customers are served by each porter
in rotation.
Generosity Often Varies.
They also serve who only stand
and wait"
Toting satchels is an honest call
ing withal, as the long roster of
porteTs who have sojourned at the
Union Station for 20 years or over
Mitchell, a comparative youngster
with 10 years to his credit, warmed
right up to his subject when asked
for pointers on the tricks of the trade.
It's pretty hard to size up the PEG.
pie that come in here every time,
he allowed. You'd be surprised at
the number of generous folks there
are who look as though they didn't
have a cent. On the other hand. there
are some rich patrons who are mighty
Gtingy."
Mitchell said that they We're paid
IS a month by the station superin.
tendent, and that porters had to sup
ply their own uniforms.
1T would be exaggerating to say
that we averaged So a day in
fees" confessed the foreman. Some
times we have a. streak of luck
and then again we may go home with
only two bits for all our rushing
about. Often you know we don't get
paid red cent for caI-ting stuff
about; mostly folks that honestly
haven't got 1t to spare though" he
continued. "Of course, we can't dis
cfiminate between folks on this job.
We have to treat 'em all alike.
SerVtce Men lhDeraI.
.'You can't particularize about the
various humans we run across, the
porter sohloquized, but as a rule sol
diers and sailors are generous with
their dough, especially If they ask us
TO help them with their kits. which
are usually quite a load. As for mem
bers of Congress and such we don't
come In contact with them as much
as the Pullman polters do, becau
they have their own servants take
them to the trains and meet them. =
Mitchell frightened his belt as he
spied his turn at an incoming taxi,
Gosh, all hemlock, people asks us
some Of the most peculiar questions.
They must think we're walking en-
cyclopedias," he added in a tone of
flnality.
The Red Cap Porters' Association
will go on its third annual excursion
to Atlantic City on July %. in their
own private car well supplied with
refreshments to last them through
the day. The officers of the associa-
ton are J. o. Wood, president: Marion.
r. Johnson, vice president; T. E.
Perry, financial secretary; O. G.
Hobbs, assistant financial secretary;
r. 1. Moore, recording secretary;
u. E. Johnson, treasurer; B. w. III.
Parker, general manager; b. w. Bur-
rell. chaplain. and Ben Jones, chair
man sick benefit committee.
The assistant foremen of the
porters are j. r. Thomas, M. Bacon,
George Washington, w, r. Brooks
and Ben Jones. Among the veterans
OF the organization with their length
Of service are +. N. Jordan, IS years:
Amos Sharp, 80 years: !. ). Triplett,
and E. F'enwick. 2 Years; ID. +. John
son, 25 years: John Woodward, %
years, and Ira Mason, 20 years.