Evening star., 1939-12-04
Restaurant Men
Meet Here for
3.Day Session
Associations Head
Cites Tax Problem
As Major Worry

Inree tnouSanQ reSCauraLeurS ar.
rived in Washington today to begin
the regional restaurant convention
sponsored. by the National Restau-
rant Association in cooperation
with the Washington Restaurant
Association. They are here for a
three-day session at the Mayflower.
Before tonight 1t is expected that
an additional thousand will arrive
to discuss problems affecting the in
dustry. Chief of three problems is
taxation. according to A. A. McVittie
Of Denver, Colo, president of the
national organization.
"A survey made among leading
members of the National Restaurant
Association shows that the increas-
ing burden Of governmental costs Is
their major worry" Mr.. McVittie
stated today in his suite at the May
flower. with the net profit of most
restaurants at an average of per
cent, or less" the national president
said, operators are experiencing
real difficulty in absorbing each new
form of taxation. The obvious solu-
tion-'to pass 1t on to the customer
doesn't work in the restaurant in
dustry."
In Direct Competition.
Mr.. McVittie, who is the originator
Of the second-cup-of- -coffee-on-the-
house idea in Colorado, claims that
because restaurants are In direct
competition with the homes they
have hard time getting away with
anything that savors Of profiteering,
since most patrons, especially women,
know food prices. However, there
is trick to that, too, for, as Mr..
McVittie points out, when patrons
figure the price Of a prepared meal
they happily forget about rent on
the kitchen or dining room, the cost
Of fuel or light or the value of the
time Of the person-even If 1t is the
good wife-who does the cooking"
At any rate, according to this
authority, the average American
restaurant patron resents and re-
sists any price increase at his eating
place and leaves 1t up to the restau-
rant keeper to meet the tax problem.
Other problems of restaurant keep
ers at the present time are labor
and food costs, 1t was pointed out
today; but these are far less i'm
portant than the inflexible demands
of the tax collector.
Met ut Silver Spring.
About 100 Washington restaura-
teurs motored to Silver Spring this
morning to meet the train from the
West on which rode Mr.. and Mrs.
McVittie and other of1cials Of the
National Restaurant Association.
After breakfast In Silver Spring the
party was accompanied by motor
cycle police of the Maryland State
police department to the District
line where they were met by q
motor cycle squad from the Metro
politan Police Department. A A.
piece band played through the
breakfast hour and afterward rode
with the automobile procession to
the downtown sector of Washington.
This afternoon sessions of the
convention got under way with j..
Willard Marriott, president of the
Washington Restaurant Association,
presiding. After an invocation by
DR.. Harvey Dunbar of the Western
Presbyterian Church q talk was
given by Prof. H. B. Meek Of Cor
nell University and another, Null
tiple Management" by Charles p.
Mccormick, q noted authority on
methods to bring various groups of
employees into closer relationship
with responsible management.
Tonight IS of the prettiest wait
resses in Washington will be en-
tered in a personality contest to be
staged In the Mayflower Hotel.
Senator Edwin c. johnson Of
Colorado will address the entire as
semblage In the hotels large ball.
room. There will be a reception to
the president, a buffet supper and
dancing.