Evening star., 1936-09-27

b RT6dUer eAJeuC III Clues 1laIOeSC lllL.
In smaller cities, where the store
manager knows Mary, the clerk, and
the first names Of every member Of
her family, Mary is nevertheless
sometimes tempted by the stream of
silver passing through her hands. In
large cities like Washington there is
Just as much danger of dishonesty in
May as in December. Many Of us,
it seems, are honest only because 1t
is the best policy, rather than be-
cause of superior moral equipment.
Psychologists say that no one is
born with respect for the possessions
Of others 1t is acquired with train
ing Witness, they say, the rage of
Billy, years old, when told that
he may not take teddy bear home
because it belongs to Johnnie Every
one recalls that pillaging swept Bos-
ton a decade ago during the famous
police strike, and that property losses
were enormous.
Stealing to meet q specific obliga-
ton Is commonest, it has been found
A gambling debt, a bill undertaken
in spirit Of optimism, relative out
of job. hospital bills, girl friend
with high notions about entertain
ment-such circumstances make pill
ferers of honest folk.
FURTHER explaining why employ
ers are inclined to try to prevent
stealing rather than hire personnel
above reproach, Mr.. Leven said that
he asked the vice president Of large
company, a man of wealth, what he
would do If. when making a 81 long
distance call on pay telephone, the
money was returned accidentally.
Would he redeposit the 81? The man
thought for some time and said that
he would not. He would figure, he
said, that he wasn't taking anything
from an individual, but from large
company. He'd pocket the So and
go about his business, he said. Re-
tailers have found that employees,
trusted beyond their strength like the
vice president in the telephone booth
are likely to develop similar atti-
tude.
Hotels are extensive users of shop
| ping services, which test every one
from managers to bellhops about
that stern messiah of the innkeeper
service. For an annual fee computed
according to size, location and mum.
Der of employees, the hotel is shoppeo
from to IL times a year. usually
by a man in the guise of travelling
salesman.
A hotel that can please travelling
salesman can cater to any one, il
seems. He worries the manager more
than any other class of patron, be-
cause he regards hotels as home
spending so much of his life in them
and expects to be made to feel al
home as soon as he signs his name
at the desk.
Making his reservation ahead, the
hotel shopper arrives. He proceeds tt
his room and calls for all kinds o.
service, never giving more than
small tip, and sometimes none at all
These methods, 1t Is agreed, are de-
singed to spot the service escutcheor
of any hostelry. Then he goes out anc
calls himself up several times, leav'
ing complicated messages whose ac'
curacy he checks when he returns
He sends a suit to the valet with cash
in a pocket, to see If the money i.
returned. He gets conversational with
chambermaids to check whether or moi
they will break the rules Of the house
by encouraging friendship with guests
In the dining room he demands fruits
out of season. When in Seattle he
wants Florida stone crab, when In
Florida he wants reindeer meat.
In fact he tests the ingenuity and
courtesy of every one without crossing
any ones palm with silver. He makes
an inventory Of everything in the
room, even the dust. Are the needles
in the pincushion rusty? Are they
threaded? Are the pen points instru-
ments that will elicit curses rather
than neatly written notes? Are "dc
not disturb" signs handy? He makes
notes on all his observations and sets
them down in complete report
which is forwarded from the com.
pany's divisional office to the hotel
owner or manager.
Thus the management gets q
guest's-eye view Of the hotel stan In
! 1Continued on Pa0e ~