The Washington herald., 1919-11-02
NEW YORK CITY
By o. o. McNTYRE

New York. Nov. Lit used to be
that white collar was the sign Of
affluence-but this Is the day OF the
blue-shirted gentry. The white-col-
Jared employe is an object Of pity.
Thousands Of white-collared employees
infest the noan-made mountains which
make lower Broadway a valley.
They are mostly married and round
shouldered and they stink down In
their seats studying the morning
papers and reflccting on the high cost
Of everything. Their heads are bald
and their bodies lean. They live In
Brooklyn or away out in those Jersey
towns with the wild. untamed names.
They get weekly salaries and live
In fear OF dismissal. Some make rs
much as $50 a week. but the majority
near 80. And they are paying day
laborers ss a day.
The white-collar squad gets very
little notice in the newspapers. Often
they are among those mentioned as
being present at a lodge meeting II
Is true that rich men wear white coll
lars-you see them on Charlie Schwab,
Archie Andrews. Johnny Rockefeller
and others-but It is just a habit they
have and means nothing.
The plumber who wears a checkered
shirt makes 81 a day and the head
Of a subdivision in some large ofiice
WHO wears white collars may make
only IS a day.
This Is indeed the day Of the blue
shirt. 1t is not unusual to see a man
In a blue shirt occupying the best
seat at the theater and the bald
headed meek little man with a shy
way up In the balcony in the back
row.
The white-collared men report for
work at 9 and quit at with an hour
for lunch. They spend an average of
80 cents for lunch. ana often must
walk four blocks for IL. The blue
shirts ride to work In their automo-
niles. I saw six plasterers going to
work in automobiles the other morn
ing They hoped out of their cars In
front OF huge building under course
of construction.
And the financial sharks say the
country is in for five years of amaz-
ing prosperity. This Is not a guess
or a prediction. 1t is the opinion of
20 per cent of the big manufacturers
and business men interviewed by w.
II. Meadowcroft, formerly private
secretary and personal representative
OF Thomas A. Edison.
Mr.. Meadowcroft returned to New
York recently from a six months trip
TO the Pacific Coast during which time
he spent many weeks investigating
business and industrial conditions In
score Of States for Thomas A.
Edison. with whom he has been as
ISOLATED for thirty years.
The country is on the verge of the
greatest industrial development the
world has ever known, according to
Mr.. Edison's investigation. Ninety
per cent Of the manufacturers and big
business men with whom Mr.. Meadow
croft came in contact asserted that
this period OF prosperity would con-
tinue for 2 period of at least five
years. In short. the business outlook.
despite the high cost of living, strikes
and other drawbacks. has never been
brighter.
Naturally this era of industrial pros
pcrity will be reflected by specula-
ton. There is no doubt that We are
on the verge Of the greatest era OF
speculation this country has ever
known Two million share days are
at hard and the 100000 share day Is
predicted within ninety days. And the
tlue-shirts are going to be In at the
killing-if there be any.
sat in the Republican Club the
other night and listened to the views
of a well-known jurist on the per-
pleXities of prohibition. He Is a stu
dent and a thinker and he was quick
to voice his belief that the low type OF
saloon was a menace and should have
been wiped out years ago. He brushed
aside the merits of the question
whether prohibition can be made to
work In any country and took up
what he called the human or pathetic
side" of the whole question.
II believe" he said, that the
friends of prohibition have been re-
miss In resting on their sweeping VIC
tory without making due efforts to
provide the substitute for the saloon.
1t is up to them. and they should not
lose time in making this provision, to
take the sting and hardship for the
poor out of the poor mans club.
Where" he asked. ARE the free
reading rooms and movies and cheap
coffee and cakes and tea and toast and
cheap candies with which it was pro-
posed to ease off the habit-fostered
thirst of the rest hours Of the day!
Why should there be any standing be-
tween the thirsting multitude and the
profiteering in coffee and tea and
candy which complicates the situation?
1t is peril that must not be lightly
handled"
William Randolph Hearst is in the
spotlight in a fine political row. Gov
ernor Smith has hired q hall to meet
Hearst in a public debate and Charles
Murphy. of Tammany, has sued for
libel. And in the meantime one may
see Hearst enjoying a walk up Fifth
avenue every afternoon at -outward-
ly complacent.
A LINE O. CHEER
EACH DAY O. THE YEAR
By John Kendrfck BanSr,