The Washington times., 1933-04-05

oSSSANN AAAA SSAAOAJ HS"SAN eAAS
door.
THE sahib, the master and
the big shot Is able to handle
his own baggage" I stated.
Screw"
Gives Hush Money
He seemed to be on the
verge of tears. He insisted
that I needed a servant in
India. He pointed to a sign
on the door that read: 1T is
advisable to keep the door
locked while resting in the
afternoon" He produced let
terS of recommendation. He
bowed. He sobbed. And L
like a sap I am-dug into ny
pocket and handed him a five
rupee note.
Here" I said kindly. This
will get you a square meal.
I'm sorry I can't do more. Now
get out, will you?"
He looked at the note-and
dashed from the room. I
found out later why he waited
for no more. Two of those
five-rupee notes would have
been his complete salary as my
servant for my entire stay in
Bombay!
If you have been in India, I
suppose this will sound like
rather naive stuff to YOU. But
if you have 't-and I'm quite
certain that six of my seven
readers fall into that category
you'll probably understand
the kick I'm getting from liv-
ing in a country that is totally
different from anything I've
ever hit before.
You cannot send a telegram,
letter or cable without paying
for it in advance. And this,
mind you, j.. probably the best
hotel in India-and one of tt'.e
most famous establishments Il
the world.
You cannot order anything
in your room without signing
for it in advance. They will
not serve you without a signed
order.
In America, we worry about
electric fans and turn them
away from us in order to avoid
a draft. Here, the moment
you sit down, they turn on
fan directly over your head.
And if you tell them to turn
it off, they think you're crazy.
Cafeteria Style
A drink must be paid for
Immediately after service, re-
gardless Of how many people
you have in your party. There
is no such thing as calling for
a check. 1t comes with the
drinks, and the waiter does not
leave until he has been paid.
They take no chances here.
A curious thing hppened to-
night. I had gone through the
city and witnessed terrible
scenes of abject poverty. The
poverty in India is different
from the poverty of the Euro
pean. In Europe, unless you
deliberately 60 looking for it,
you sense poverty rather than
see it. But here you see it
on every side. Step outside the
hotel and you are face to face
with stark destitution no mat
ter which way you turn. Pitt.
full, hopeless destitution.
I returned to my room, which
is situated directly on the
waterfront, and looked out Of
the window. The night was
beautiful and the stars seemed
brighter than I had ever seen
them before. Off. in the dis
tance, a thousand lights shone
from the large ships that were
riding gently at anchor. It
was all so peaceful, so soft,
so gentle.
And then I looked down.
looked down at grim reality.
The narrow street seemed
filled with unfortunates. A
crowd of beggarS had spotted
me. They stood there, eyes
up and hands outstretched,
begging for aims. Half-naked
women with tiny babies. Tooth
less old men with sockets for
eyes. All types. All kinds. All
pitiful.
I tried to write, but I
couldn't. A party came over
from the Resolute and dragged
me downstairs to the ballroom,
where a dance was in progress.
We were permitted to sit down,
but not to dance. And why?
Because we did not have our
dinner jackets on!