The Washington herald., 1917-10-27

New York. Oct. 24.-Despite the fact
that Martin Justus started out in
life as a piccolo player, he has been
successful. When he threw of the
shackles of piccolo slavery he was
in Keokuk. Ia. which ought to be
enough to discourage anyone-but it
didn't Mr.. Justus.
He moved from Keokuk to Cedar
Rapids and became a chalk plate car
tonist for S12 each and every week.
not including Sundays. It was from
such a beginning that Martin Justus
became perhaps one of our best known
illustrators, profession he has only
recently abandoned for a moving
picture dictatorship.
1t was during the days of migra-
tory jaunts as an artist that he met
Joe Lyendecker-the fellow who draws
those handsome boys in the new COL
lars-and it was LycndeCker who
tried TO save Justus from being fired
on Chicago newspaper.
But even a Lyendeckcr couldn't do
II and so Justus and the late Homom
Davenport, who were working in the
same art room, We're given the Blue
Envelope at the same time and start
ed to New York.
'Chicagos loss was New York's
gain" as the Keokuk paper so aptly
put it and in few years time Justus
became one OF the foremost illustra-
tors Of the country.
| dropped in to see him at his studio
on Long Island where he is direct
ing a biz film the other day. There
was a young woman there WHO 1t
appeared was annoying him by her
persistent inquiries on how she could
get on in the profession.
She was a female Jess Willard in
size and avoirdupois and as Mr.
Justus is very slight there was moth
ing to do but answer her questions.
Mr.. Justus" she gurgled. 'if was
seated in the back seat of a flivver
and 1t skidded what expression should
l register?
Madam" he said "if you were
seated in the back seat of a flivver
it would not skid
Those old familiar words have
another" are doomed to so down in
history as relies of the Great White
Way. Incidentally, while the often
heard and pleasing information goes
down. as it were, the price of distill-
ed liquors l. going up with leaps and
bounds.
A glass of whisky over the bar is
now selling for % cents at the Ritz.
Waldorf. Knickerbocker and Astor.
And liquor dealers estimate that by
the end of two years. unless peace is
declared, whisky will be selling at
fifty cents a drink at a minimum
and along the Rialto in the res
taurants and cabarets at anywhere
up to a 81 a drink.
In fact it will not be long before
whisky is selling by the ounce.
Treating is already being discouraged
in many bars. Even beer, will soon
be selling at 20 cents a glass.
1t was under the shadow of Old
King Cole the other afternoon that
there stood, with fleXed elbow and
one raised foot, a group of the
atrIcal managers in their customary
five o'clock, devotions at the altar OF
Bacchus.
Naturally they talked shop. Said
one: 1.-THE best definition l ever had
of a burkesque audience came from
an elderly actress who accompanied
q rather snobbish and younger actress
to my Offices, looking for engage
ments.
"I had only two openings in a bur
lesque show, I was sending on the
road. and I offered that to them. The
younger woman gasped her indigna-
ton.
"oh really" she remarked min
cingly. "I wouldn't have the face TO
go before a burlesque audience. I'm
out of that class you know. But
her companion turned an experienced
head at her.
There. there don't worry kiddo'
about that. 1t amt face that a DUR
lesque audience comes to see.'