The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-02
what FLU" DOES
Epidemic Gives Kansas Brand
New Experience.
Many Business People Hard
Hit by Closing.
ORDER HAS CONVERSATIONS
Some Men Get Acquainted With
Families Mt Last.
Women Learn There's Bottom
to Darning Basket.


to Darning Basket.
For the first time in recorded his
tory the whole public educational. de-
votional, and recreational life of Kan.
sas has been brought to a standstill
by order Of officials to prevent. the
spread of contaSien. The influenza
did in Kansas what Asiatic cholera,
smallpox, yellow fever, the black death
and the white plague never was able
| to do to any people in all the GEN.
turtles wherein those diseases have,
from time to time. ravaged cities and
nations.
A sneeze. a wheeze. a cough, pain
back of the eyes, and you are landed
behind a big colored card that says:
| Keep out-influenza here" Then
some health officials lean forward in
| a. creaking office chair and add an
other clause to the closing order. Add
ing restrictions to the incemings and
foutgoings OF the local public has been
the chief ind0or sport of the guard
ians of the public health in Kansas for
more than thyee weeks.
Holiday for Riddles.
| The children of Topeka have been
turned loose from the tyranny of
teachers and the 'bug-bear of books.
Scarcely had the authorities begun to
exercise the controlling hand over the
irecalcftrant pupils after the summer
vacation, when the closing order turn
ed the students out again to the
winds will" and the long, long
Thoughts of youth"
| Except that the sacrifices of war
have dulIed the public mind to any.
sense of minor calamities, 1.-The sus-
lpending of the normal activities of the
country to SO startling an extent would
be the subject of endless complaint.
But the business as usual idea died
a violent death shortly after the first
liberty loan.
THE hardest blow fell on the theater
men, and next to them. the propa-
gandists suffered most. Everyone who
l>had a scheme to promote labored I'M
rder the handicap of being unable to
call a mass meeting. Topeka, the city
of mass meetings-the town that has
a deIirium Of mass meetings whenever
the gas goes low OF a defeated candf-
date has some revelations to make
for three long. weary weeks has not
been able to operate upon the body
polite thru a stampede of its citizens
to the auditorium. The war relief or
carnations that are scheduled to raise
their thousands of dollars in Shawnee
county, have not been able to bring
one fire-eating spell-binder to town to
play upon the sensitive. emotional
strings that connect directly with the
purse OF the Opulent citizen.
i Big Theatcr losses.
The real heroes OF the closing order
are the theater managers. They are
cut off from every cent of revenue,
and many of them are still paying
: heavy expenses, not wishing their help
to suffer thru the enforced idleness.
Some of the picture show managers
are paying thier operators and other
: employees. at least a part Of their fegu-
fo ,nfr in, ttA h
, tory of great national calamities in
? this country that the men and women
Of the theatrical profession can lend
no aid in the way of benefits. and in
easing the public mind of its load OF
. anxiety thru the relaxation its enter
,, Itainments customarily offer. However
thin the financial ice on which the
stage people are skating, by reason OF
their enforced idleness. there is yet to
!, be heard any s. o. s. calls from them
Either they have sailed down enough
during the fat years to tide them over
: chair at the hotef>and wait for the
bills to come in. or else they are help
ing each other. The show business
= will probably take care Of its own
! even tho it Is the greatest financfa
sufferer from the plague.
The extent Of the chansein the hab.
. it's of Topekans Gan be realized wher
: one considers that every night of the
week the principal theaters in towr
> sold. altogetheE approximately 5000
: tickets That number is in addition t.
the matinee crowds. the crowds thai
normally attend parties. lodges. clubs
church MEETINGS. sewing clubs
! schools and colleges.
Some Complications.
Still. the period of nothing to do ant
no place to go has had it's cempansa
lions. With no church services am
s time on Sunday. the golfist who wa
J.. also q churchman could spend thu
whole OF Sunday on the links with NJ
n pangs OF conscience. At last he coult
= play from sun-up till sunset, while h,
!, remained solid with his spiritua
s guides. The billiard fan. turned on
= fnam the pol haoll into the rain. wa
: Obliged to go home and get acquaint
y ed with his family. Some Of them &C
= acquaintance we'll enough. With N
n club meetings to go to. no church so
y cieties to boss and no politics to ad
s just publicly. many women of Topeka
2. found the bottom Of the mending has
n ket for the first time in years. TIL
s winter sewing is being done. ana thos
c treusseau dish towels have bee
" stitched. The sale of books, paper
and magazines has more than double
since the closing order compared t
sales for previous periods Of the ga m
! length. Topekans have Harmed tina
| a good beck, q pair OF house slipper
| anda warm fire furnish pretty fair en
| torta.nruent.
II What with the adjournment of pol
j itics last before election. and with fu
nerals and hospitals the only availabl
rlaces not closed against amusemen
&c Topeka has kept pretty cheerful.