Food Without Profit (Vol. 1, Issue 3)

During the past four years few problems have proved as ubiquitous and as vexatious as that presented, by the dining-room situation. Periodic revelations of the deplorable conditions that have prevailed  in the dining-room and the subsequent camouflaged negotiations and compromises have become an accepted feature of the school year. Most pronounced, however, is the fact that student protest has proved lamentably ineffective in remedying conditions in this department. It is no secret that our “bloodless revolution” of last month was a glorious failure. True, one of our demands  has been met, Our complaints, however, regarding the treatment of labor and the quality of the food have not been satisfied.

We do not wish to open this matter anew. It is merely our purpose to point to a few lessons that can be gleaned from our bitter experiences of the past.

We are firmly convinced that as long as the dining-room is operated on a profit basis we can hope for no amelioration of conditions. The tendencies to raise prices to the highest, possible level, to purchase food of the cheapest quality that can be served with: impunity, and to maintain

service and cleanliness of the lowest standard are inherent in any venture conducted for profit rather than for service. Complete reorganization of the system under which it is being opérated is absolutely essential if the dining-room is to be established on a sound and satisfactory basis.

We recommend to the Women’s Organization of the Yeshiva that arrangements be made for the establishment of the dining-room next term on a non-profit basis. Competent management; for

the dining-room can be secured without difficulty. The ‘Commentator has learned from those qualified to speak with authority that food of a superior quality can be supplied to ‘the student body at much lower prices and under far better conditions than those…[illegible]...