Milford chronicle., 1947-11-07

and modern equipment
in the kitchens. The
failure is in the indif-
A ference, the lack Of
skill and the ignorance
of the people who run
the eating places.
Through the influence
of such saboteurs of good food ex-
tending over years, the public has
been psychologically whipped into
submission and no longer even ques-
tions, much less complains.
The drug store restaurant is
dreadful institution, most Of
them manned by dirty, ill-tem-
pered churls who slap sIop at
their unfortunate clients. This
evil grew out of the soda foun-
tain, which began in a drug
store and therefore has been
strongly identified with the re-
tail drug business ever since. In
strange contrast to the bartend-
er, the s0da-jerk - which may
be the origin of the unpleasant
slang word Jerk" meaning q
jerk-always has been a fellow
of distinctly nasty disposition,
serving drinks in dirty glasses
and frequently engaging In gos-
sip or deliberately puttering at
the far end of the counter and
making the customers wait.
When he was put in charge of the
food which some millions of people
require in a few minutes during
their lunch period, and his dirty hab-
its were extended to contact with
their meals, his power Of oppression
was greatly extended. The bartend-
er has much more trying problems.
but he generally is courteous at
least.
1T CREPT UP ON US
I am sure the department of COM
merce could come up with statistics
which would show that only in the
past 40 years or so have Americans
become dependent on public restau-
rants. Like all unmatched, gradual
developments, this one grew up with
bad faults.
WOrkmen, and students who
lived a distance from school, for
merIy carried their lunches. The
preparation of these lunches was
a chOre, although here was
way to make coed use of the
rest of the Sunday roast which
was a tradition then but now, In
the more abundant life, is only o
memory. So the IunchrO0m
fiOurished. InfOrmaIity and haste
were accepted, for these were
not faStidiOus customers. Most ;
of the Iunchroom men were just
skillet cooks. You could get q
scrawny pork chop between two
layers of bread for nickel.
What more did you want? A
kiss?
We then had some really great
first-cIass restaurants In prac-
ticaIly all of our cities. In the
small towns the Greeks and the
chop suey joint served fine
T-bOnes for a quarter. There are
only a few good places In New
York today. Their prices are un-
thinkable to the greatest num-
ber, but several Of them are the
political, social and theological
headquarters of the New Deal.
Washington has few now. and the
only cities which are still noted for
good restaurants are San Francisco
and New Orleans, where, again, the
majority of the people are excluded
by the prices. AS the business grew
enormously the quality improved
only in a few old chains. Some Of
these are now decadent.
EVEN IN FAMOUS HOTELS
In one of the great old hotel res
taurants in New York a captain OF
walters, an old friend, advised me
to go somewhere else. He could
serve a decent drink but he wouldn't
recommend the food.
We see the meekness Of the peo
pie. the surrender to vulgarity in q
function that should be a sensitivs
pleasure, in the uncoutn names o.
eating places. Some actually are
called shanties, shacks and ever
barns. 1t is not out of delicacy bu
merely because nobody has hap
pened to think Of it that we haven
some whose neons proclaim then
to be dumps. Nothing makes us sick
Recently l had business at Wes
Point and intended to lunch on tht
way. AS we drove along. however
1 recalled many places where hac
had revolving, experiences in years
past. Others. on sight, could b.
passed up as no better. At the place
finally chosen, loathsome female
with filthy fingers served US some
lukewarm soup and some eggs frieC
in old gear grease.
The hungry Europeans nigh