The Washington times., 1935-07-06
BAR 7 { n DERS
To Be GIVEN
SKILL TEST
Drink.MixerS Must Prove AbiI.
ity, Union Rules, as Hidden
Bars Vanish
Bv CARROLL PEEKE
Dear Boss:

Dear Boss:
wonder if it would be all right
with you if I took a side job. Be-
cause I found out today that the
SWEETEST job in Washington is
about to be opened.
It's a job of giving examinations
to prospective members of the Bar,
tenders Union, which is going to
hold its first meeting since repeal
of the hidden-bar law tomorrow.
They expect to have between
500 and 900 members in the union,
and each one will have to be ex-
amined to determine his qualifi-
cations.
Just think! The examiner will
meet with the applicant and tell
him what drinks to mix. He will
watch the applicant put in the
gins, WHISTLES, vermouths, and
other ingredients, observe how
we'll he yields a mixing spoon,
how deity he puts in the required
drops or dashes of bitters, and
how decoratively he places the
mint, orange, cherries, and othe
fixingS.
Will Taste, Too!
Then, of course, boss, the eX
aminer will have to taste each
drink mixed to determine if it
is a proper connection. What
wonderful job! With 900 mem.
bers to be examined, and each
one will have to mix dozens OF
drinks. I feel I am qualified to
act as an examiner and hope you
will approve.
Aside from that, boss, I found
out that the bartenders are still
not pleased with the local law.
They say the new bars aren't
really bars, because you can't
stand up, put your foot on the
rail and say:
"Well, professor, how about
fixing me some of the hair of
the dog that bit me last night"
Charlie Sands, the organizer Of
the union and one of the men
who led the fight that resulted
in repeal of the hidden bars, says
that he is going to continue the
fight until the old-fashioned bar
is back.
He feels if a man walks in to
get a bracer or pick-me-up he
should be able to walk right over
to the mahogany and not only
have the spiritual solace, but
the soothing conversation of the
bartender as well.
Too Many Licenses
While Charlie wants to see the
old-time bar back, he feels that
Washington today has too many
places dispensing alcoholic bev'
erages, and he hopes to see the
District Alcoholic Beverage Con,
troll Board cut down on the mum
Der of licenses.
He believes that with fewer
places and higher license fees
real temperance will be achieved.
Places then, he says, can make
fair return, and they will serve
better liquor and observe the law
carefully.
AS it is now, he says, there is a
certain amount of chisellng' be-
cause many places are losing
money, so they serve inferior liquor
and sell liquor to those they
shouldn't, hoping to pull out OF
the red.
With fewer places, they would
be operated on a higher plane, he
believes, and would pay their EN-
ployes better wages.
BY the way, boss, you might tell
our picture editor that Charlie and
members of the union got a great
laugh out of a picture, he used
yesterday, showing the bartender
mixing a Martini. The picture
shows him using a cocktail shaker,
and Charlie says a shaker should
never, never be used for MAJ
rini. Use a mixing glass and Stir
it gently with a spoon, he says.
Out of Practice
That's just why the union is
going to give examinations, he
says, because in the long years OF
prohibition the, old timers have
got out of practice, and the new
corners in the business have been
trained under dry days, when a
cocktail shaker was the most COM
mon utenSil in use.
The union. is going to have two
classes of bartenders, one to mix
plain and fancy drinks, and the
other just to serve beer. Almost
anyone can classify in the latter:
he says, because anyone can plG
the cap from a bottle or turn
Spigot.
But for a man to qualify in the
first division, he must know how
to mix dozens and dozens OF kinds
of drinks, how to chill wines prop
erly and other technical data.
I hope you will approve OF me
trying to get to be an examiner,
and if you like I will try and get
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