TWO THF t^'ff'*ro*STAR Looking Them...
Transcript of TWO THF t^'ff'*ro*STAR Looking Them...
TWOTHE EAST H AM PTO N STAR. FR ID AY , JULY 3, 1931
THF t ^ 'f f '* ro*STARPublished every Friday morning
Entered at the Po6t Office at East Hampton. N. Y.. as second-class
matter
B. E. B o u g h to n ____ P ro p r ie to r
W e lb y E . B o u gh to n . . . E d i t o r
Subscription Rate
A year, II paid In advance...
The East Hampton Star does not knowingly accept false or fraudulent advertising or other advertising of an objectlonal nature. Readers will confer a favor by promptly reporting any failure on the part of an advertiser to make good any representation contained In the East Hampton Star.
NEWS
To make The Star as oright and Interesting as it should be. we ask everybody to contribute local news.
Stories of parties, and visits, and other items about people, we especially appreciate.
Write the Item and send or telephone them to us. Our telephone number, East Hampton 477, Is available from 8 a. m. to 5 p. m., after that hour telephone 211-W, or 273.
Wanted, for sale, and other classified advertisements may be sent in the same way.
What July Fourth Means
Some people’s conception of the great event celebrated on July 4th, seems to be simply that it was the desire of the old patriots for independence from the government of Britain. But it was much more than that. I f those forefathers had been justly governed, they would never have asked for independence.
I t was not a mere restless desire for self rule, like the impatience of control which is often manifested by ungovernable boys who want to run their own affairs. Those forefathers wanted freedom and liberty, but they did not desire those blessings because of a wild desire for lawlessness. Their action was due to certain beliefs which can be called American principles.
What^are these American principles, that were underlying that declaration of July 4, 1776? They might be summarized as follows:
1. Faith in the masses of\the people, a belief that the people could govern themselves more wisely than any king could do it.
2. A profound sense of justice, which they felt had been outraged by tyrannical acts.
3. A desire for equality o f opportunity, for a chance to work out in their new country the democratic ideals that were denied by the rule of kings, nobles, and privileged personages of Europe.
For these and other like ideals, these signers of the Declaration of Independence pledged their lives and fortunes. There are too many people in our country now who feel that freedom means the right to do anything they choose. They should realize that this old fight for freedom was fought simply that systems of justice and righteousness might be established.
Business Ups and Downs
! Business tends to rise and fa ll inI periodical waves, almost invariably short ones. This regular ebb and flow is well illustrated by the charts of business activity published by various authorities. The Literary Digest had a good demonstration of this kind some weeks ago, showing the rise and fall of business since 1854. The normal line of average activity is shown, with the black spaces above and below this line to indicate prosperity and depression. The chart shows that there have been 12 periods of serious depression in 78 years.
I t is significant that these periods of sub-normal activity usually lasted only one or two years. Only one depression was longer than that, the one of 1874- 1879, which lasted 5Vi years. That was the time when the wealth of the country had suffered a tremendous loss through the Civil War, after which a period of extreme inflation occurred. The stabilizing of the currency system ended the depression in 1879.
A showing like that throws much light on our present business prospects. Business began to fa ll off the peak about July, 1929, while the stock market held at its dizzy peak until September. But we have already had two full years o f depression. According to every precedent for 78 years, except that o f 1879, the time of recovery is at hand. I t may be that the generous action of our government, in postponing government debt payments due from foreign powers, is the stimulating influence that will start the movement directly upward. Already some recovery has taken place since the low point of last January.
“W hat has been, shall be,” said the sacred writer. You can judge of the future by the past. The past says that depressions are short. They will prove so in the present case without much doubt. The sun is rising, and the hum of renewed activity should soon resound all over the land.
Looking Them Over
Machine Made Opinions
The American people are warned against "machine-made opinions,” in an address by the president of the American Library Association, Adam Strohme. How far are we swallowing opinions produced by a kind o f intellectual mass production, through propaganda, political machinery, and partisan spirit?
The United States government is founded upon the theory that every intelligent person is thinking and forming his own opinion. In thousands of grocery parliaments and other hangouts, our people used to meet and compare these opinions. As they thumped the cracker barrel in fierce contending argument, their listeners meditated, and decided which was the better reasoning.
There does not seem to be much time le ft for mediating now. The grocery parliament has adjourned. A t the hang-outs, they talk sports more than they do politics. And yet newspaper circulation has enormously increased, and the newspapers print far more news and opinion than formerly .They wouldn't print it, i f it wasn’t read.
Pursuit of Racketeers
The federal government is showing diligence in pursuing after the racketeers on various charges o f violation of federal law. This action is an encouragement to the police o f cities, to show renewed activity in their pursuit o f these crooked people.
These folks who are preying on the public, have issued a direct defi to the American people. They thumb their noses at us, and ask what we are going to do about it? Well, the American people are easy going, but they do get thoroughly mad after a time, and they will not indefinitely tolerate any element who set out to make war on the community. There j jr e more ways than one to skin a cat, as the racketeers are likely to find out at some not too distant date.
Flying Over the Ocean
The race for honors of flying over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans is again on, and the summer seems likely to see quite a number of ambitious aviators attempting these very great stunts. The country says “Good luck” to all these venturesome folks. Most of them will come out all right, yet some o f them, alas, may never be heard from again. The somber silences of the ocean wastes will never tell what became of them or why they failed.
Out of such pathetic tragedies science builds her great triumphs. Many navigators in the old days of exploration, crossing the Atlantic ocean in their flimsy little craft, disappeared into those mysterious silences. But they all contributed something to the experience that makes ocean travel safe now. So will these pioneer aviators today.
A Hand of Friendship
Chancellor Bruening of Germany, gave a radio address in which he seemed to hold out the hand of genuine friendship to France, and to call for a spirit o f conciliation between these nations whose quarrels have upset the world. I f these two countries would make up and be friends, the worst single danger that threatens peace would be removed.
The American people have always had a warm heart for France. But if this offer of good will is rejected, doubts and questions will arise in the American mind. The French may say that with their terrible experience, they have to be on their guard. But a too suspicious attitude is often as harmful as a too credulous one.
Uncle Sam Borrows
Sound Films in Schools
President Hoover has asked the governors o f all the states to co-operate in tests to be made of the value of sound films in schools. Boys and girls are to go to Washington for tests on the educational value o f such films.
I f the facts taught in such films were merely recited without pictorial illustration, the results might not be superior. But many young people would learn from a picture when they would never do so from a text-book. The facts printed in books do not wake up their minds. I f they see the same thing presented in picture form, they grasp it. It seems probable that such films will play a large part in future education in New York.
The secretary o f the treasury announces that the government will proceed to borrow $800,000,000 on 18-year notes yielding 3% per cent interest. I t would have been considered a low rate a few years ago. But people have been taught that the most vital thing on an investment is not the rate of interest, but the degree of safety. They are sick of buying securities which pay a very little more interest, but the principal o f which is never paid back in full.
Other debtors may be doubted, but no one ever questions the solvency of Uncle Sam. His promise, even at this low rate, will probably command a considerable premium.
A Boston, Mass., man promised to quit work when he had made a m illion dollars. He kept his word. We herewith make the same vow.
My horizon has been widened, this past two weeks, by several hours’ visiting with Tom Heeney, contender for the world’s heavyweight championship who fought Gene Tunney in 1928. Mr. Heeney was staying with friends of ours over at Noyac, last week and the week before; it was his first view of eastern Long Island. This is about the only corner o f the world he hadn’t seen before, I should say. He liked It a lot; his only criticism being of the home-brewed beer produced along the Noyac road; that, he contends, is awful.
The big fighter had a bad dose of poison-lvy, and came over here to be doctored for it the first time I saw him; but it didn’t depress him much; he looked as if nothing on earth would dim the smile in his clear, kind, very blue eyes or take away his big boyish grin. He’s a great big thick-set man, solid as a rock (wasn’t it W. O. Mc- Geehan of the Herald Tribune who christened him “Rock of Ages’’? ); simple, natural, a good talker but a good listener too, never tries to hold the center of the stage. £ Ie is very clean-spoken. W e were all relating anecdotes of strange characters encountered in various parts of the world, especially on shipboard; and once or twice In the full swing of a "ty le " as he called a story) I noticed him pull himself up short, and look at me out of the corner o f his eye, and change a word to one that our grandmothers would approve of.
I had to strain my ears to follow him; Englishmen are hard enough to understand, but a New Zealand accent and a prize-fighter’s slang combined are something else again, harder still!
He doesn’t mind remarks about his accent; and he has quite a sense of humor. He told something an Italian boy said, out In a Chicago gymnasium where he was training once. The Ita lian asked where he was from; he said, “New Zealand.” “How long have you been in this country?" asked the other. “Fourteen months.” “Why,” said the little Italian, “you speak English real good for such a short tim e!”
Mrs. Heeney, a very attractive American girl, made some remark about her husband’s being a messy smoker; strewing cigarette ashes all round, when he did smoke— which of course he never does when training. And Heeney laughed at the way Americans smoke. "In New Zealand,” he said, "W hen you want to smoke you stick a cigarette in your gate (gyte he really said) and leave it there. Over ’ere a fellow keeps taking it out and putting It In—blowing the smoke like a g irl!” ~ His remarks on other fighters were worth hearing. O f the Stribbling- Schmeling bout to take place tonight he said, " I f you figure it as a betting proposition, you can't bet on anybody by Stribling; because when the going gets rough, Stribling knows more holds than a wrestling champ.”
I asked him why they called Phil Scott, the cockney fighter, "Fainting Phil” and he told about that. I loved his telling about encountering Scott in a gymnasium when he was in this country. “ I said ‘Ullo Phil, ’ow's things?'; and ’e said '“ U llo Tom, ’ow’s things, Gor blimey!”
"A n ’ I said 'Now Phil. I want to tell you just one thing: lay o ff that Gor blimey stuff in this country, It don’t go ’ere; the newspaper chaps ’11 kid the life out o ’ you.’ But, he said Scott couldn’t stop talking that way to save his life.
Heeney is most modest. I told him the big news that he’d got his name in the East Hampton Star, and asked if he subscribed to a clipping bureau,
He laughed, and said: “Can you see Heeney taking all that trouble? Once a friend in England gave him a clipping album and started it for him when he le ft for Africa. He fought there for 14 months, and packing up to leave, found the album in a drawer, and gave it away; back again In England, he told his friend that it had been stolen.
Tunney, who beat him in 1928, he said was a good fighter, and certainly deserved credit for getting to the top; but the general idea was that Mr. Tunney’s fancy words, which might be O. K. with high-toned people, didn’t make much of an Impression with his former friends. Heeney said the champion read two lines of Shakespeare and then mistered everybody. Several anecdotes were given to prove this point.
"There was a good guy, named Joe— lived in the same tenement with Tunney; he ran a small boxing club. A fter Tunney had won a couple of fights he started mistering his old friend Joe. Joe never gave him a tumble after that.”
Another was, “A fter coming out of the army, Tunney and some of his pals rented a summer camp and stayed there all summer together. Five or six years later, when Tunney ‘got in the chips’ (translated, got into the big money’ he was in a restaurant where one of his former buddies ran a hat- check stand. Tunney tossed in his hat and overcoat. When he was coming out, he put a tip on the counter and walked away. Then as if his conscience bothered him, came back and said: 'Oh, I believe I know you!’ The hat- check man said, 'You used to; but I don’t know you now!”
"W hy can't he be himself?” the big title contender wondered. I ’ll never forget his remark about the copious tears to Charley Harvey.” (Harvey, Heeney’s manager, is, like Heeney, also of the good earth). "Says Tunney, ‘I 've Just been in to see Mr. Gibson, and I shed copious tears!”
Billy Gibson, in case you don’t know, and neither did I until now, was Tunney’s former manager. He died.
Well, I don’t know Mr. Tunney, except from his pictures; he’s good looking enough. But I'm sure that Tom Heeney Is what he calls a "good guy.” Perhaps that’s his trouble; maybe he doesn't get mean enough or mad enough to win to the very top-notch
of fistdom. But he has been next to the top, at any rate, and I didn’t notice him "mistering” anybody!
I Several pictures of the Tunney- | Heeney fight are In the Encyclopedia , Britannlca, under "Boxing."
Did you notice the cover on the June 'Pictorial Review?" By McClelland Barclay, who is said to be thehighest-paid commercial artist inAmerica, and who arrived on Monday to spend the summer at "The Hedges,” and to continue his work in the Sea Spray studio at the bathing beach,which he is renting for a secondseason.
On the back of the magazine cover was a little biographical note about Mr. Barclay. I t said that he celebrated his fortieth birthday this month; that he doesn’t drink, smoke, or play bridge, but is an accomplished swimmer, boxer and speedboat pilot. Also that he has painted more than two hundred girls, one of whom, Helene Haskins, he married last year.
"Country L ife ” for July has two pages of lovely East Hampton pictures by Gottscho, the well-known photographer. One, a full-page, shows the Gardiner mill, the South End burying ground, and Town Pond; that glorious tall elm. and water reeds at the margin of the pond are shown reflected in the water. Another picture is of the m ill at "Home, Sweet Home;” and a third of Miss Agnes Pelton's m ill at Hay Ground.
The pictures are perfect; but the history printed along with them is not so good. I t says: "One of the oldest and most picturesque towns on Long Island is East Hampton. Many fine old houses llhe both sides of its wide, elm- shaded main street, the quaintest of them being the old home of John Howard Payne, in which he is said to have written ‘Home, Sweet Home.’ An end o f it is shown above, with the typical windmill that was so essential to the comfort of the first Dutch settlers. In the days o f the first settlers, every house had its windmill, to save the labor of pumping water by hand. One o f the ancients is still standing by the little old burying ground close to the duck pond on Main street in East Hampton. The residents appreciate and cherish old landmarks.”
That last sentence is true enough. But oh, what breaks in the rest of it! Why didn’t the caption-writer get some facts from local history books' No one who knew anything about it at all ever said that "Home, Sweet Home' was written in East Hampton; I believe authorities agree that it was written in Paris. Then, East Hampton had only one fam ily of Dutch settlers in its early history, and they were not first-comers. The"* Schellingers are our only really old Dutch family, coming here from New York. A ll the others of very early date were English, coming here from Massachusetts and Connecticut. And as for the mills, they weren't water mills, but grist mills. The “Old Oaken Bucket” and hand- power drew up the water that our forefathers used; pumps were installed later, and the windmills for drawing water were a fairly modem utility here.
"Country L ife " also nas a picture of H. H. Ramsay, president o f the U. S. G olf Association, the "board which controls the destinies o f the game of golf which is so rapidly growing in popularity that it threatens to supplant baseball as the national game." The picture goes with an article called “The Gullible Golfer."
Sunday’s papers announced that a monthly magazine devoted to books and authors will appear In September. "Gentle Reader” will be its title, and its main object will be to stimulate Interest In books. Besides articles on books and authors, the magazine will discuss the arts and artists and general topics. Professor John Ersklne will have charge o f its book department, Percy Hammond the theatre, W. H. Cotton art, and Samuel Chotzinoff music.
We had a New York man down over the week-end not long ago, who was astonished to find a town looking so prosperous and cheerful as East Hampton. “There are no hard times here,” he said; “why, your very robins are so fat they can hardly get off the ground!”
We breakfast out of doors in the summertime. I t is great fun to watch all the little visitors who breakfast with us on breadcrumbs, set out under the apple trees for them. The other morning a squirrel had a big crust of bread up in both his front paws, eating away; catbirds, blue jays, woodpeckers, starlings, robins, blackbirds, and sparrows quarrel over crumbs. Once in awhile an oriole or a little yellow hummingbird appears upon the scene, but they have not partaken of the breakfast, so far; up In the meadow a Bob W hite often calls, but he is rather too shy to come to meals under our eyes.
Our city guest said that morning, when he was awakened by a bird chorus, he could almost imagine himself a John Howard Payne!
"One of Ours."
A Chicago woman went to the dog pound and bought the worst looking cur she could get and gave it her husband's name and when she called his name and the husband answered she said: “ I didn't want you, I want the other animal.” The good judge gave him the divorce.
A Chicago hospital enables people to pay for babies on the installment plan. The unique feature is that the payments are finished In nine months.
General Smedley Butler, the talkative marine, predicts marine corps soon will be abolished. Guess Smedley thinks the marines won’t amount to much after he retires in the fall, but still, we guess the marines will get along O. K.
A pastor in Washington has distinguished himself by delivering the longest sermon on record. I t was not so long as some senate speeches have been, but quite long enough, containing 88,794 words and requiring 12 hours and 10 minutes for delivery. The preacher was sustained by four lamb chops, a chicken leg and a glass of milk. He exhausted gambling, companionate marriage, lawlessness, prohibition, fast living, the dancing evil and himself.
Friends o f Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt o f New York, in Washington, in discussing him as the possible Democratic nominee, in 1932, link the name of Senator Pat Harrison of Mississippi, with him as running mate. They believe the selection of a southerner as running mate would help overcome southern prejudice to Tammany.
New Washington telephone book has George Washington’s picture on the cover. I t looks appropriate, different and as usual, George looks good as well as natural.
As one step in the move to clean | up vice In the national capital, President Hoover has issued an executive order forbidding government employees to bet on horse races or in dulge in other forms o f gambling during working hours. Evidently the President’s idea Is that a government employee is hired to work.
Drastic revision of the methods of prosecution in the federal courts of the United States is demanded in the latest report of the Wickersham Commission sent to President Hoover. The report charges that the offices of the district attorneys have become political plums and that, also, in many localities, state, county and municipal prosecutors are in league with crime through political affiliations. Appointment of district attorneys by senators in return for political favors is a seri- ious menace to law enforcement, the report says, and such offices, too often treated as "political patronage, and thus deprive the president o f the information and support he should have in order to make suitable appointments.”
The imposingly beautiful memoriali the late President Warren G.
Harding, at Marion, Ohio, was dedicated last week. Although Calvin Coolidge refused to dedicate it while he was President and President Hoover had declined until a few months ago, both were in attendance at the dedication, as were a great number of other prominent Republicans. The Republican party knew full well that the Harding scandals would creep Into the 1932 presidential campaign, and insisted that the memorial be dedicated. Many “strings were pulled" to induce both Hoover and Coolidge to attend. Political observers In Washington view the dedication as a timely political move to strengthen Hoover In Ohio and the middle west, as well as with a number of prominent Republicans.
O f President Warren Harding's appointees one man became president, another vice president and then ambassador to England, a third a United States Senator and another Chief Justice o f the United States Supreme Court.
The historic frigate Constitution, now being reconditioned at the Boston Navy Yard, will be commissioned July 1, and will leave two days later in tow o f the mine sweeper Grebe on a tour of Atlantic Coast ports, where the Navy Department has invited the public to inspect her. She is expected in Washington the latter part o f July.
Twenty-five Years Ago in The Star(From The Star, July 6, 1906)
Miss Amy Jones is visiting her friend, Miss Catherine French, at East Quogue.
The Little Sunshiners will meet with the Misses Edith and Alice Huntting tomorrow at 3 o’clock.
Charles Gould has begun the erection o f a building 22x60, on Abram Dayton’s '.ot on Main street, for Banister & Almquist, who will establish an auto garage.
T. E. Babcock has the contract to make extensive alterations in the summer residence o f George Taylor, a well-known New York banker at North Haven, Sag Harbor.
On account of the rain storm on Fourth o f July day the horse races which were to have been held at Long lane track were postponed until some future date this summer.
Persons having articles to donate the L. V. I. S. fair, which it is aimed to have more attractive than ever this year, may send them to Mrs. C. E. C. Homan or Mrs. John D. Hedges, managers.
Mr. and Mrs. Emile Chevalier, who expected to spend the summer in East Hampton, have decided to go to Europe and visit their homes in France and Norway and are now on their way. I t is eleven years since they have seen their parents.
The stewards o f the M. E. church will hold a sale of homemade ice cream, cake, etc., at Odd Fellows’ Hall and grounds on the afternoon and evening of July 11. beginning at 3 o’clock. Tickets for ice cream will be sold at the entrance of the grounds.
The Jolly Three will give a dance at Three-M ile Harbor on Tuesday evening next and arrangements have been made for a large attendance. Meunch’s orchestra will furnish the music. Stages will leave the village at 8:30 p. m. The committee in charge is W illiam Hudson, Wm. Simons and Eugene J. Colahan.
The Fourth was a disappointment to a great many in East Hampton. The day was ushered in with the | •inglng of bells, the explosion of aiuch powder and a down-fail of rain. The village was filled with visitors who had come here to enjoy the holiday, but the weather was out of tune and picnics, excursions, sailing parties, etc., were scratched off the calendar. Some two or three thousand dollars’ worth of fireworks were put off in the evening in various parts of the town. No accidents or fires are reported.
The East Hampton ice plant is daily receiving calls from various parts of the county for ice, but the managers o f the plant are careful
about sending much ice away, as they do not want to run their surplus stock too low for fear a long spell o f hot weather m ight ensue and they would be unable to supply the local demand. The plant has several hundred tons of ice stored but it is now putting out about all the product It can manufacture.
At the annual meeting o f the stockholders of the East Hampton Electric L ight Company, held on Saturday last the old board of d irectors was elected as follows: Henry A. James, president; Dr. Geo.
E. Munroe, vice president; Joseph S. Osborne, secretary and treasurer; Dr. Everett Herrick, C. L. W . Eid- litz, Mr. Irwin, S. M inot Jones. B. H. Van Scoy, George H. Eldredge, managing director.
A t the telephone central station yesterday subscriptions for telephones were signed by W. O. Rackett, W. B. Lockwood and Quenten Broun. There are now one
Three-M ile Harbor NotesOn Saturday last W . B. Lockwood
entertained five at dinner.Mr. and Mrs. Pope gave a dinner
party for their sons and visiting friends on Saturday.
Robert N. Kenyon gave a dinner to eleven friends on Monday last. A fter dinner the company enjoyed the Virginia reel and a moonlight sail.
Mrs. J. A. Tyler and a party of eight friends enjoyed a sail on the Avon on Tuesday.
Mr. Waring gave a birthday party for Harvey Fisk on Tuesday noon. Covers were laid for eight. The entertainment consisted o f a pleasant sail on the Edith S.
Mr. Jefferys brought his motor boat Pearl into the harbor yesterday morning.
Proprietor Lee of the pavilion, gave a dance on the night of the Fourth which was attended by about three hundred people. Excellent music was rendered by the East Hampton Band.
Tfcodus to Long IslandThe exodus from Manhattan and
Brooklyn for Long Island resorts is unprecedented. Tuesday three express trains for Amagansett and The Hamptons, with Westhampton or Quogue the first stop, had fifteen parlor cars and eleven coaches, all well filled, and five parlor cars for Shelter Island were all sold out up to 11 o’clock.
The Block Island express -had 11 well-filled cars on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. I t Is estimated that not less than 5,000 persons came down to the east end of the island resorts and not less than 50,000 people went to various stations in Queens, Nassau and Su ffolk counties, aside from the vast host that went to the Rockaways. Travel is heavier than last year.
"Old Ironsides" is being restored in every detail to the condition she was in at the time o f her greatest victories, from 1812 to 1814.
William Strauss, the oldest employe at the White House In point o f service, has retired. He entered White House service in 1888, working continuously for 43 years. Grover Cleveland was President when he began his duties as an assistant to the gardener at $1.60 a day.
President Hoover is not waiting for congress to assemble to tackle the job of mastering the billion dollar deficit piled up by the federal government during the fiscal year, which has just closed. He is instituting reforms and savings in every department and hopes to cut expenses at least $200,- 000,000, perhaps a little more, as the result o f his work.
Bill Borah has gone to his home state o f Idaho for the summer. Borah hasn’t been home for so long he may have to be introduced, a little handshaking with voters at home is better campaigning than speeches from j Washington.
Mrs. Herbert Hoover receives
many letters, chiefly from girl scouts, that she keeps two secretaries busy answering them. Every letter received is answered, and the letters come in great numbers. There is more correspondence going out from the White House now than ever before. More stenographers and typists are employed than under any former chief executive.
A drunken driver in New Jersey has been held for court under $1,000 bail. A witness in the case is being held under $2,000 bail.
THE STARis on sale at the following places:
East Hampton:East Hampton News Co. James Marley’s
Amagansett:Peter Rana’s
Montauk:W. F. E. White’s Loft us & McGnnlgal's
Southampton:Holden’s Stationery Shop