The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 84

Page Two Head Waiter to Chevalier The Almost Mythological "Maitre dHotel" an gust Executive and Host Who Rose From the Position of Head Waiter to One Where He Epitomizes the Personality and Prestige of One of New York's Most Exclusive Hotels "Oicar," Who, Many Declare, Ha Extended the "Glad Hand" to More Notable Than Ha Any-Other Hotel Hott in America By Nunnally Johnson Illustrated by Arthur Sins''-' HIS real name is Oscar Tschirky siii so it is inscribed onymemorials from ihi-ee govern- ments which have honored him with decorations. But Oscar Tschirky means little Liiore to nine out of ten people than that tjie owner is a foreigner. Indeed, few ever recall that Oscar of the Waldorf must have a surname. Oscar of the Waldorf Everyboay knows it in Xew York. The most fluent of foreigners who have visited Xew York know it.

Six Presidents of the United States knew it and hint- A king or" two, a score of princes, admirals, erals, ambassadors, all know Oarar of the Waldorf. In point of fact, be himself has rejected Tschirky. In a recent made for five more years at the Waldorf-Astoria, he put in a stipulation that he shall be known in all matters, in advertising and publicity, in all connections, as Oscar of the Waldorf. That's his name. "Mr.

Oscar will see you soon." "Mr. Oscar is not in now." "Mr. Oscar asks you to come What he is at the Waldorf-Astoria, excepting that he dominates the whole executive works, is not clear. Ask a hundred people who the most famous chef in the world is and ninety-five will say, "Oscar of the Waldorf." But Oscar is 'not and never has been a chef. Ask another hundred who-the most famous maitre d'hotel is and ninety-five will say "Oscar of the -Waldorf." But Oscar isn't maitre d'hotel of the Waldorf.

1 He came teethe hotel when it was built, thirty-one years ago, as head waiter. Presently he became maitre d'hotel, to be sure, but he did not hold that position long. He rose above it, gained more power and responsibility, until he reached his present elevation, which is an office of no definite limits. Nor is there any tangible record of his rise. It was vague, irregular, never by order" or promotion.

He simply extended his sway, permitted his genius for organizing and maintaining an elaborate system for the entertainment of guests to move where it willed, and eventually, by proving his ability to conduct various departments, better than anybody else, he became what he Is today Oscar of the Waldorf. He was a legend for awhile. Fanciful gossips, with an eye for the said that Oscar's-nod of recognition was a social help. Like that other feature of the Waldorf-Astoria, Peacock Alley, down which beautiful women and women not so beautiful parade each evening, he became just about as well known as the hotel. Conceivably they were wrong about this Influence, but there is no doubt that his nod is astonishingly complimentary.

The same thin-haired head has nodded to many of the crowned heads of the world. He has, though, become the supreme host, the best known of all those personages who give the glad hand to the more prominent of the guests registered for a stay. Recently he received his third when he became a Chevalier of the Ordre Merite Agricole by the courtesy of the French Government, which took this means of paying tribute to his entertainment of many distinguished Frenchmen, including the members of the Anglo-French "War Commission. These services had already been recognized by King Ferdinand of Rumania, whose parchment acknowledgment of obligations hangs in Mr. Oscar's office, and the Belgian Government, which presented him with La Medaille d'Or de l'Ordre de la Couronne.

The only American tribute comparable to these was Commissioner Emight's appointment of the dis-1 tinguished host to the rank of Honorary Chief of Police. How many minor honors, relatively speaking, have been bestowed on him is undiscoverable. He himself doubtless could not recall all of them offhand. Eventually every organization which has its festive occasions under his direction elects him to honorary membership. This commander of the forces is a middle-aged man, tremendously broad of shoulders and thick of chest, and not a little inclined toward obesity around the middle.

His hair is thin and graying, his eyebrows heavy and black and perpetually wrinkled -in thought. His features are strong, forceful, and he is 1 Three Governments have decorated him. 2 He Is I now to more notables than any other "maitre d'hotel" In America. His real name Is Tschirky, hot he Is known Internationally as "Oscar of the Waldorf." 4 Legend declares that Oscar's nod Is a boost op the social ladder. 5 Be rl9es at eight and never goes to bed un til the Tast hotel is "tucked In" for the night.

His "place In the country" is a palace, and the "chicken farm" an estate of several thousand acres. 7 Among those he has greeted personally at the Waldorf doors are: Seven United States Presidents, Prince Henry of Prussia, Lord Curzon, the King and Queen of Belgium and the Prince of Wales. The "place in the country" is in reality a palace located on an estate of several thousand acres, and the chicken farm is an enormous breeder of chickens, which is Mr. Oscar's hobby. He is married and has two sons, graduates of Cornell University, and one of them manages the estate.

The other is in business for himself. Also at the estate is Mr. Oscar's mother, now ninety-three, who is "ailing a little, as a woman of that age must," he explained, "but who is otherwise In wonderful condition." She has been with him ever since he has been in America. Oscar of the Waldorf has been with three hosieries in this country. The first was the old Hoffman House.

The second was Delmonico's, which he left when William Waldorf Astor startled New Tork of the early 90 by erecting a thirteen-story hotel for George Boldt to run. wrge Since then he has become known all over the world. During the war and shortly after New Tork was a hotbed of distinguished world citizens. Oscar was to be seen daily at the Thirty-third street entrance of the hotel, his hand outstretched to clasp that of another There he has greeted Grover Cleveland, William McKinley. Theodore Roosevelt.

William Howard Taft Woodrow Wilson. Warren Harding and Calvin Cool-idge. LI Hung Chang, the most famous of modern Chinamen, was one of the first guests to whom Mr Oscar offered his greetings. Prince Henry of Prussia was another the eaTly callers. Admiral Dewey General Wheeler, the Crown Prince of Siam, President Diaz of Mexico, Sir Thomas LIpton, the Crown Prince of Abyssinia, Japan's great field marshal, the Marquis Yamagata; Lord Curzon.

the King and Queen of Belgium, the Prince of Wales! Cardinal Mercier, and many others, less distinguished perhaps but still world figures, have known him and called him "Oscar." You may see him occasionally, at the most pretentious of the affairs, standing at the head of the room, while waiters and waitresses and busboys scamper by like rabbits, harassed little creatures who go by, laden with trays piled high Oscar of the Waldorf commanding, his heavy eyebrows wrinkled in perturbation at tha responsibility, while he snaps orders latt aja rihL the executive in every detail of his appearance, so thoroughly so that even his slight accent, sometimes placing odd sounds on names, cannot detract from his impressiveness. It is a hard pace that he sets for himself. once, when I attended a hotel men's convention and was away ten days," he said, "I have not been three days away from the Waldorf in twenty years. I work all the time." And he does. He has an apartment at the Waldorf, and every morning at eight o'clock comes the call, "Mr.

Oscar, time to get up." The day begins. He has service in all of the diningrooms of the Waldorf to superintend. There are luncheons, elaborate affairs, the kind organizations have once a year and which demanded much gorgeousness. The luncheons are cleared away. There are then dinners, dances, suppers, banquets.

Mr. Oscar watches over all of them, until late at night. "Sometimes," he said, sitting behind the desk of a bank president, I never put on my hat or overcoat from Monday morning until Saturday night. Always I am here in the hotel. I've made a success of sticking close to business.

"I have a place in the country, up at New Paltz, New York, and I go up there every Sunday. That's my relaxation, my recreation. During some of the summer months I so up on Friday nigbt. i have a c-hJvkes term." -i.