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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
V O L . L V I L N o . 15
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Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 373 Fourth Ave., New York, Oct. 11, 1913
SING
$ 2E of 0 PEif S YEAR ENTS
IPS—and now the governing power of these United States defines what are legal tips. In
a recent order the Postmaster General informs all persons who are traveling on depart-
mental business that a train porter is the only individual who may be tipped at the expense
of Uncle Sam.
But why the train porter?
Why not the waiter in the dining car or in the hotel, or the chambermaid or the barber or
the boy who takes your hat, or numerous other uniformed and non-uniformed employes whose
hands are out for anything from a nickel up?
I cannot see why the Government, through the Postmaster General, should figure that the
employes of the Pullman Company are entitled to a tip for making up berths and brushing shoes
any more than some of the others who render special services and for which their employers pay
them regular salaries.
There is no half way about it. One either should or should not tip, but very few of us have
the moral courage to withstand the wrath of the untipped servitor as he withers us with a glance
when his itching palm goes unscratched.
So we go through life, scattering our largess to right and left, growling under our breath, but
never trying to raise our voice in protest, only hoping that some Moses will appear to lead us into
a tipless Promised Land, and now the Federal Government, which is supposed to be able to regulate
everything from the sale of a postage stamp to the running of a road, takes up this subject of
tipping, and instead of solving this great problem we are only left more befuddled than ever.
Most men cheerfully pay for special services rendered them, and so great has the tipping habit
become in America no servitor seems satisfied unless he receives a liberal tip for what frequently
amounts to atrocious service.
We talk about the tipping system in Europe, but in comparison with America it is absolutely
perfect, because there the ten per cent, system for the waiter's services is almost universal, and
no waiter takes offense at the smallest tip when this rule is followed. But here in America the
Government now steps in and recognizes a particular form of tip as legitimate, and all others must
be paid by the individual who is employed by the Government and not be counted in as expense
money.
Many employers who send men on the road object frequently to expense bills, and yet I
question if ordinarily a traveling man ever figures in all of his fees to the various people who
render him some sort of a service. It totals a considerable sum at the end of the week, but given
out as it is in very small coin it is not large at the time, but, like everything else, it forms a leak-
age and in time amounts to a very material sum.
If it could be systematized it would be very much better for all.
But to tip the porter and no others will hardly do.