CANADA: Chateau Laurier & Old York

The Right Hon. Richard Bedford Bennett is a solemn, pious and abstemious citizen. But like New York’s James John Walker he has friends always anxious to do him favors. Premier Bennett waits for no summons. Last week, anxious to throttle a “whispering campaign,” he hurried before the Canadian Parliament’s Committee on National Railways to explain about the rent he is paying for his suite in the Cháteau Laurier.

In the U. S. it is generally accepted that great hostelries harbor public characters for something less than the usual rate be cause of their advertising value. Under such an arrangement Calvin Coolidge lived at the New Willard in Washington when Vice President ; under such arrangement, Vice President Curtis lives at the Mayflower.

Canadians are sensitive. They wanted to know last week why Premier Bennett was paying only $400 a month for an apartment in a hotel belonging to Canadian National Railways (owned in turn by the Canadian Government) when it had just been testified that the 17 rooms were altered and redecorated for his use at a total cost of $110,743.94.

Alterations were made at the insistence of Premier Bennett’s good friend Sir Henry Thornton, president of C. N. R. When he discovered how much money the redecorating would cost Mr. Bennett ordered the work stopped, but Sir Henry went ahead anyway. Asked Liberal M. P. Ross Gray:

“The rent comes to something over $13 a day for 17 rooms. … Do you consider it a fair price?” “I pay what I am asked to pay,” boomed Premier Bennett. “Does a guest usually pay more than he is asked to pay? . . . Do you desire to know what I pay for my boots and the bills I pay my tailor?”

Mr. Gray: I suppose you pay retail prices for your boots?

Premier Bennett: I pay what I am asked to pay.

Sir Henry Thornton came forward to take full responsibility for the $110,000 suite, but there was the additional matter of the Premier’s private railway car. Mr. Bennett had been using a wooden private car known as Old York, once used by Canada’s Governor Generals. Ever thoughtful Sir Henry built a brand new private car of his own, offered to swap it for Old York. The swap was made. Explained Sir Henry:

“The officials of the company never felt quite comfortable while the old car was being used.”