TRADESMEN'S BRIBES TO SERVANTS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17118, 13 April 1921, Page 11

TRADESMEN'S BRIBES TO SERVANTS.

A GROWING LONDON EVIL. The practice among servants employed in largo houses in the "West End of demanding bribes from shopkeepers under pain of withdrawing their custom is more rife than it' has ever been before. The head servant—usually the chef or cook —is entrusted with the pipchase of ail food and other articles for the house. He arranges from -whom the avtfcles shall -be bought, and either arranges a commission on all goods bought or requires presents in'kind. The shopkeeper has to submit if he wants to keep a good customer, and once the system is started it is very hard to stop. Yery often the servant in charge assumes that such perquisites are part of his personal income. At some large clubs the cJief lias an opportunity of making a very-large sum of money in •this way. At one club the chef earns between £2,000 and £8;000 a year, and Tie is vbjj much disappointed if this amount is not •increased to £5,000 by a judicious use of this kind of blackmail. Several hotels are affected by the practice. . The net result is that servants increase their income, -shopkeepers retain thoir customers, and the householders pay. Many of them are ignorant of the system.; others ignore it. Yet the householders aws the only people who can check the nuisance. If they would investigate the management of their ; own domestic affairs, and make one or. two examples of- those concerned, they could do a ..good deal towards putting: an end to the'evil. The Bribery and Secret Commission Prevention' League, has- mad? [many attempts to cheek-it, but has Keen much hindered by the Utiles? 7 ojr tiniidity' "of householders,-; who are almost invariably too frightened of publicity to allow a-prosecution. 'ln spite df this, however, within* the last few a number of grocers and other food isellers,' drapers, hairdressers, and tobacconists have ibpen prosecuted, and the. punishments ranged from im-; prisonment with hard labour to fines' of various amounts. A few months ago the league had private conferences with the West End Clubs and with the Association of Hotels and I?«staur:uits to, discuss the evil, . It was then admitted that foiTljery was rife among the employees of clubs and hotels.