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Show STAID OLD LOU HAS NT HABIT Citizens Who Formerly Retired Re-tired With the Birds En joy-Nocturnal joy-Nocturnal Festivities. HOTEL MEN OBJECT Law Closes Inns at 12:30; Clubs Have No Limit to Welcoming Hours. Special Cable to The Tribune LONDON, May 2. The growth of the night club in London in one short year has been ono of tho most striking departures de-partures in tho life of tho "West End. Some 3'cars ago London's night clubs woro establishment a which, tho police viewed with suspicion. For tho most part thoy were proprietary institutions hidden away in somo quiet sido strcot, where tho members could enter unobserved unob-served by critical eyes. Jt was not what society could call "good form" to resort to thoso Bohemian spots, for the class of tho frequenters was not good. But all that is changed. Today society so-ciety talks of night- clubs. ""Will you siip with me at this or that nocturnal rendezvous?" is as common com-mon an invitation as a request to dine at ono of the leading hotels. London has the night habit. Tho 3'oung mcu of the West End, the idle rich havo no need for an extensive wardrobe. Figuratively speaking, a suit of pajamas and a" "boiled" shirt, are the only essential articles of apparel, ap-parel, for it. is a caso of sleeping by day and emerging from tho bonroom when the hour for douning the evening even-ing dress arrives. Easy of Access. Thcro is by no means so much truth as people are apt to imagine in the idea that, uight clubs belong to the list of things which thoy do better in Paris or in Berlin, Vienna" apd New Pork. Tho gilded ball or the subtorraucan cellar where tho sounds of rovclry are to bo heard by night, abound within two minutes of Piccadilly Circus. Tho popularity of tho night club has alarmed tho hotel proprietors. They iaro kicking against tho conventionality and inelasticity of the law which decrees de-crees that all hotels must closo at 12:.'J0 a. m. Tho incorporated associa-i associa-i tion of hotels and restaurants has appealed to tho government for relief, and tho homo socrotary has promised to include tho night clubs in the restriction re-striction imposed by tho new licensing bill to eomo beforo parliament shortly. Tho hotolkeepors feel tho hardship of having to closo their doors thirty minutes after tho Btroko of midnight, while tho elaborate proprietary clubs are permitted to cater at all hours of tho night for their members "and friends introduced by members. Ask Small Grace. "What tho hotel proprietors aro asking ask-ing of tho government is an extension of tho hour of closing to 1 o'clock, so that their clientele can havo reasonable time to partake of supper after leaving leav-ing the theater. Even as things aro, tho hotels arc making a bid for the favors of tho nocturnal diners. "Soupcrs dansants" are the newest diversions, di-versions, and at several of tho hotels favored by Americans visitors to London, Lon-don, special tango experts dance their way octweeu the tables. Everyone may dauce. and at tho Savoy hotel the ballroom adjoining tho restaurant is open throughout tho supper hours. It is a sigu of tho tunes. London is making up just as far as the law will allow but whether the government will come to the rescue of tho hotels or limit the operations of tho night clubs is another matter. It takes an ago to change tho old order of things in this country. Sign of Democracy. Democracy is ovidentl3' catiug its wav into tue most exclusive British circles, and tho newest departure hero is tho establishment of a co operative store by the University of Oxl ord. It is to bo oponed in a week or two. and Lord 'Shaftesbury and Sir Horace Pluukett, a great authority on co-operation, aro members of tho honorary management man-agement council. The control of the stores will bo in tho hands of h'vo senior and twenty junior members or the university, so that tho principal burden of executive work will rest with the undergraduates thomsclvcs, from whom tho idea sprang. Tho stores will bogin by stocking groceries, tobacco and similar commodities. commodi-ties. Tho ambition of thoso responsibj-o for the scheme is, first of all, to teach tho men principles of co-operation by practical experience of its advantages. Principal among those will bo less expensive ex-pensive goods and distribution of profits among those who support the stores. Tt is hoped also that tho stores will deal a blow to tho credit svstem in vogue at the universities, which is a i direct, temptation to members to "run up" heavy bills out of all proportion to thoir allowances. |