The day book. [volume], March 02, 1914, LAST EDITION, Image 29

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
1
WOMEN ON TRAIL OF ADMINISTRATION MEN
WHO STAND FOR PRESENT POLICE METHODS
Trade union women will use their
influence to kill Carter Harrison po
litically and with him those aldermen
who stand for the police methods that
have been used at Henrici's restau
rant in handling waitress pickets.
In the Speech of Mrs. Raymond
Robins in International Labor Hall,
538 N. Wells street, Saturday night,
war was declared. She explained that
"conspiracy" is a charge on which no
person can be arrested without a
warrant and the arrests at Henrici's
have all been without warrants and
so are illegal.
"It is time to find out why these,
conditions are .tolerated," she said.
"In aldermanic, mayoralty and judi
cial campaigns let us not forget the
police department and the courts and
their handling of these cases. Let us
see if we can't inject a little decency
into the police department. In the
face of the conduct of the police, I am
amazed' at the tremendous self-control
of the women and girls at Hen
rici's that they have not broke
silence."
Carrie Alexander, president of the
waitresses' union, turned loose point
ed comment:
"I hope all women are' not to be
judged' by the two police on strike
duty at Henricite.
"The two stationary fixtures that
decorate Henrici's sidewalk do not
represent the women of this com
munity. - "They have bankers, lawyers and'
business crboks down in the peniten
tiary at Joliet and, they need wait
resses.. Maybe that's why they are
pushing these conspiracy charges
against us.''
John Fitzpatrick, president Chi
cago Federation of Labor, said: "A
combination of the most unscrupu
lous business men in Chicago is back
of Manager Collins of Henrici's.
"If the job of organizing that place
was left to be fought out between!
the waitresses' local and Manager
Collins it would have been settled
early.
"There are business men who be
lieve in giving their employes humane
and decent conditions to work under
and there are others who gouge and
squeeze you to the last penny.
"If the fellows in the loop, some
of the 100 restaurants who are signed
up, can comply with the demands of
the waiters and waitresses, why can't
the big fellows that are taking money
in by the shovelsful?
"Collins told us he was offered $2,
500 a year by an outsider for the
privilege of coming into the Henrici
restaurant and taking control of the
tipping system. 'We didn't take the
offer,' said Collins. 'We want to con
trol the tips ourselves.' Theyhave it
systematized so that waitresses tip
the head waitress, the checker, the
chef, the bus boy, and so on all along
the line. When a waitress has a par
ticular customer, she must tip the
chef in order to get the stuff that will
please the customer and pull a tip
out of him.
"When they talk about police bru
tality, I want to say it's an indict-
ment of you and me. If we attend to
business we won t have a bunch in
the city hall legislating as they are.
It was us male voters that put Carter
Harrison in the mayor's chair. The
Chicago Federation of Labor fought
him, but the male voters listened to
the mouthings of politicians and put
in Harrison. The women couldn't
have done worse and I'm glad, these
sisters here tonight have got the bal
lot at last.
"It isn't police protection the Res
taurant Keepers' Ass'n is getting. It
is police assistance. That was well
illustrated in the policewoman at
Henrici's who said she was there to
protect Henrici's.
"It is the workers that make it
possible there shall be a city hem