Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-22
MUMMERS TO GUARD
AGAINST THE LURE
OF FAKE" PRIZES
Representatives of Clubs
Will Meet Tonight to De-
mand Cash Guarantees
From Business Men.

The New Year shooters, who delight
thousands of people every year, do not
propose to be hoodwinked on January 1
by fake prizes.
Last year many clubs were lured to diff
ferent sections of the city by the offer of
special prizes, only 20 find In many cases
that the prizes were cut 80 per cent. in
value after the sectional sightseers had
their fun. To prevent such an imposition
on New Years Day, representatives of the
New Year, clubs will meet representatives
of various Organizations which offer prizes
tonight in room 496, City Hall, and in
form them that all prize money will have
to be deposited with responsible persons
before New Years Day by organizations
who desire the mummers to parade out
side OF the official route named by the
Councils committee.
Judging from the enthusiasm shown by
the clubs all over the city, II. Bart Nc
Hugh. special agent of the New Year
Committee. believes the parade on New
Years Day will eclipse all former pa
geants.
1t would take many volumes to tell ade-
quately of the novelties and costumes
which will be in the line OF 5000 march,
ers. Then, too. it would be a breach Of
confidence to tell ALL but q reporter for
the EVENING LEDGER was 'let in on
some of the novelties In store on the
promise that he would not tell the public
too much in advance.
The Mexican war will receive serious
attention, and some of the clubs will
carry wireless stations in order to learn
who will have been elected President by
January /. The war in Europe will be
touched upon In neutral manner, be-
cause, as one hummer expressed 1t, 1--WE
want the public to remain neutral"
The pathetic incident regarding the
controversy over ships for the Panama
Canal Zone WILL of course. find express
sion In very graphic illustrations Many
of the shooters believe the Secretary o:
the Navy and the Secretary of War will
have ultimately interpreted Cocktails s
message by that time.
Rancid Transit" lines, the high cost
of riding and the price OF eggs viii be
some of the timely subjects dealt with
by the progressive mummers.
While the shooters are as enthusiastic
as ever. many expressed regret yester-
day that some business men OF the city
and organizations. which are supposedly
interested In advertising Philadelphia, did
not take more interest In the mummers'
turnout, They say there Is great expense
attached to being a hummer and the
prizes given by the city fall far short of
meeting the financial outlay, Some of the
captains who parade with the fancy clubs
eXpend from $500 to 800 for the hire of
their individual costumes and the club
pays the rest Even though they do win
a 500 prize. they lose by their enterprise.
Hundreds OF costumes cost between 500
and 500 to hire for the day. and the
mummers In this class cannot expect to
win an individual prize of more than 500,
The shooters realize that Councils have
done all that was possible at this time IA
view OF conditions. They give especial
credit to Councilman John Bailey. chair
man OF the New Years Committee, who
urged and obtained an increase OF $1,000
in the hummer prize money. This year
there viii be 5000 instead of 5000 to dis
tribute among the pRraders.