The Washington herald., 1918-06-20

Special Correspondent Of The Washington Herald
New York, June BIT is difficult TO
excite New York. When the order
came TO dose TIE gIims'' to forestan
a possible Hun bombing expedition ]
failed 10 find a person-save Z news-
stand girl-who showed the slightest
nervousness.
The order was heard on Broadway
at the busy o'clock period-the hour
when telephone booths are at a prem
ium and when the cocktail shakers
are white with trost.
Under the hotel canopies the curb
stone comedians were as facetious as
ever. The chorus girl scurried TO her
appointment for a terrapin dinner TO
| be ready to recite her deathless line:
"Oh. girls. Here comes the prince"
Taxicab pirates shouted airy persi-
faee 10 fellow pirates as they jock
eyed in and out tn maize of traffic
, and when they doubled on the trail
of an amazed countryman shouted
their stock phrase: How do you like
the city?' with the same old enthus-
iaSm.
When groups stopped and scanned
the skies fo! a possible bomber they
did it with as much seriousness as q
circus clown and always some joke
was fashioned out of the tense sit
uation.
The roof gardens were dark, but
crowds were there to see what was
going to happen. And orchestraS play
ed in the dark and fox-trot."rs trot-
ted in the dark-weaving an irnova
ton out OF an impending disaster.
Crowds fiocked to Broadway AID
tie subway trains rolled into every
station with sardine-like loads. In
the vaudeville houses, the comedians
had their little japeries about the pos
sible bombing and the audiences
. laughed.
Around the news bulletin boards
tn" crowds were thick as flies At
:no.asses time waiting for any ink
ling OF news. To a casual observer
~ would seem that. to put it grue-
sOmeiy. NV Workers wanted go be
in at the DEATH They wanted to
see what it looked like to have a city
bombed. But hack of it all was
certain tautness ready at the Slight
est spark to galvaniZe into action.
ON the surface New York was Ike
the face of the mine whose antics
hide a secret tragedy.
Allan Norton. who edits Greenwich
Villages Rogue. MANAGED dances and
was active in other village stu.ts. re-
turned recently from Ehgland. Nor
ton writes the most ultra of futurist
verse. On this voyage he took notes
in free verse of his impressions. One
Of the verses in his diary read:
As the days grow longer.
The grains Of
Salt.
Grow smaller
And sr7g Ter.
Some officials found these notes and
Norton was detained. There was no
way he could explain free verse. In
fact it can't be done. The nearest
explanation is that they call it free
verse because no one will buy 1t.
But anyway Norton was third-degreed
and he never did convince the ships
chaplain although he was allowed
to return.
In the window of a hair dresser on
| Amsterdam avenue is an American
flag made Of human hair. II was
made from the hair of soldiers sweet
hearts who sacrifced their locks The
hair will be sold at auction and the
receipts will be used to buy smokes
for the gallant lads over there.
The appearance of the C-boats at
New York's docks has shattered many
vacation plans. Deep sea fishing will
be only in memory this summer. II
was not so agitated over the sud
den overturning of my vacation. plans
it might be possible to conjure a
witticism out of the incident.
We are not going to lose the war.
but did you ever stop to think what
\ would happen to US If we did lose ir7
The speed with which we win it de-
pends upon the way you and save
and give the government our financial