New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-31
City | Prepares
L on Greatest
New Near Eve
Victory Dinners Will BE
Served at Many Hotels
and Restaurants Tonight
Fleet Adds TO Cayety
Even Threatened Strike of
Walters Fails 10 Put a
Damper on Expectations

with the fleet in the harbor, with
thousands of soldiers foot loose and
fancy free abroad in The city. with all
signs pointing to the prohibition law
being hard, dry fact next New Years
Day and, lat but not least. with a
waters strike threatened possibility,
New York is preparing to welcome the
new year tonight with q celebration
that probably will never again be ex-
celled and possibly may never be
eQralled.
Unless all signs are to be utterly
disrcgarded, i, is to be the night of
all nights in New armistice
nights. peace nights and all other New
Years ewes notwithstanding.
And tomorrow the ld-or such parts
of it as are to be found-s to drop
back into place with dull, sickening
thud.
In the Good Old Way
That Is the programme as it stands
to day, and New Yori; is preparing -
make the most of what time is left it
to celebrate in the good old fashioned
way.
The Retail Liquor Dealers Associa-
ton, with 10000 or more members, is
responsible for the probable short
duration of New Yorll's celebration. Ii
tie members obey the request of the
association r. d. O'Connor, pres-
dent of District No. "a, which embraces
the so-called lobster bolt.' says they
Wlll-every saloon in the city will be
closed New Years night.
Tonight, however, is another story
Practically every hotel and restaurant
IN the city reports that reservations
were never SO great before. And in
keeping, each of the places announced
programmes for the evenings ce]ebra-
ton that will far outshine anything
offered before
In practically every hotel and res
taurant, "Victory Supper" will be
served early in the evening" The
maltres and the chefs promise some
they are planning to take advantage
for practically the first time since the
end of the war of the fact that the
food restrictions have been lifted
The One Possible Fly
While these preparations for feast
of food and deluge of wine are going
merrily on, the one sinister note in the
whole proceeding is the possibility that
at the last moment every organized
waiter in the city will lay aside his
apron and leave the city's celebrating
thousands high and-very, very dry
A threat of some such action was
served on the hotel men yesterday.
The latter. however, insist that they
have assurances that nothing of the
kind will happen. Others in a position
to know hold the same opinion. They
base their belief on the fact that yes
terday Congressman F. II. La Guardia
made strong appeal to the Hotel
Walters Union not to declare gen
eral strike. T. was Congressman La
Guardla's contention that the public
should be taken into consideration by
the WATERS, and that for them to strike
and seriously interfere with the cele-
bratlon tonight. which is to be largely
devoted to victory. would be serious
blunder on their part.
Trnity's Chimes, Too
Thousands. as usual, Will wend their
way down Broadway to old Trinity
along about midnight, and Trinity's
chimes, as usual. VIII welcome the new
though few of the thousands will be
able to hear them. And that too. is
as usual.
At Madison Square Garden the Rand
School will hold victory dance, at
which it is expected there will be at
least 10000 Socialists The announce
ment says that at five minutes before
midnight dancing will cease and the
entire assemblage will ioin in singing
international" the Socialist hymn.
Up at the other end of the CITY great
promises are being made for the Four
Arts Costume and Masque Ball to be
held at the Hotel DIES Artistes, West
Sixty seventh Street. The big event is
set for the hour of midnight, when the
"Masquc of the Bells is to be staged.
New York To Be open House"
1t is the thousands of fighting men,
some in khaki and some in navy blue.
however, who are to furnish the pict-
uresque in the celebration Tonight
and that which is to follow tomorrow.
All New York, judging froom the pres
ent plans, will be one vast "open house"
to the men in the service.
Staid old Gramercy Park has thrown
Oft its restraint, and 100 homes sur
rounding the park will maintain "open
house all New Years Day The scores
of clubhouses, canteens and rest rooms
scattered about the city and conducted
by such organizations as the War Camp
Community Service, the National
League for Woman's Service, the Stage
Moments War Relief, the Y NJ. c. A.,
knights of Columbus, Jewish Welfare
Board, Salvation Army and Red Cross
will not wait until tomorrow, but viii
start their celebrations tonight
The War Camp Community Service
announces entertainments tonight and
special dinners tomorrow at Christ
Church House, the Comrades Club,
the Vacation Association and the
Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Club.
Dinner for Is Cents
The National League for Women's
Service is making preparations to serve
special New Years Day dinner to-
morrow for % cents to any man in uni
form at the leagues headquarters, 261
Madison Avenue; the Harvard Club
unit. Seventh Avenue and Thirty-third
Street; the Grace Church Canteen, 90
Fourth Avenue, at Is East Irorty-hrst
Street, at 40 Broad Street. at Hudson
and Leroy Streets and at the Negro
Sailors and Soldiers Club, 1888 Seventh
Z Avenue. There will be entertainments
at all these clubs tonight.
In keeping with the spirit of the day,
the new clubhouse for policemen, at
1877 Riverside Drive. will be formally
presented to the Police Department by