New-York tribune., 1919-03-24
Door of Little Green Room,
Home Of Corned Beef and
Cabbage, Barred by Two
Strong Guardians of Law
Would.Be Diners Protest
None Dares to Make Test
Case, and Early Morn
Yearning Is Unappcascd


other corking authority on the West
Side. dropped dark blue brass but
toned plug into the entrance of Josie
Palmer's Little Green Room in the base
ment of POT West Forty-eighth Street
Mt 1910 yesterday morning Thence
forward the two policemen at the door
informed all corners that they couldn't
20 into Josie's restaurant and would be
arrested if they tried it.
Many came. None got in. The
vearning for corned beef and cabbage
and ham sandwiches, in which Josie
specializes, attacks Broadway about ths
time more pretentious eating places are
dousing their lights. The two stout
policemen. who had marched from the
West Forty seventh Street station
when the platoon was turned out at
midnight. anticipated by several min
utes Broadway's corned beef and cab
bage appetite.
Some of the men who hoped out of
taxicabs with young women on their
arms and a mighty longing within for
Josie's homely viands have names that
headwaiters recognize from Forty
second Street to the Circle. But the
rames were as ineffective with the two
guardian policemen as we're the young
women and the gnawing hunger the
men were escorting.
A man whose position a few years
ago was such that he controlled the as
signment of most of the uniformed
force was met with the imperturable
police stare. He couldn't get in and
neither could the women who we're his
guests.
When the two policemen had be-
come the centre of considerable
throng of starving men and women,
Josie came out to see why her tables
were empty. A most alluring cabbagey
odor drifted out with her. Everybody
shifted, especially Josie when she saw
the policemen and the policemen, when
they saw Josie.
Josie heartily invited all her friends
to come inside. Cautiously the crowd
edged forward. The policemen drew
closer together. The forward move
ment of the tantalized cabbage hunters
was frozen into immobility.
Come in," advised Josie. II have a
right to run restaurant and you've
got right to eat in it. This is law
abiding place"-she spoke with a con-
fidence born of two acquittals when
she sold liquor without license
"and if it wasn't that's between me
and the police and no affair Of yours.
ITS up to them to get the evidence,
arrest me and convict me if | break the
law But | don't and they have no
right to prevent you from coming in.
] pay my taxes, ! pay my rent, run q
decent place and try to make decent
living and now the police are inter-
ing my business without any right. 1t
was never like this in Russia!"
There were no Bolsheviki in the
crowd, however. Josie got sympathetic
glances, but not customer. Picking
out wistful looking man who was the
centre of group Of five young women,
Josie particularly invited him to
chance the policemen and have some
cabbage.
Owe got thousand dollars right
here in my st-purse," she cried, slap
ping the spot where her right hand
trousers pocket might have been had
she been christened Joseph, "and Ill
90 bail for anybody they dare to arrest
and make e test case Of it, tool"
The wistful looking man looked even
more wistful.
You see." he explained, idgeting q
bit, "the trouble is Pm married
mani"
He paused, but Josie and the police
men and his other auditors were paus-
ing too.
"And none Of these ladies is my
wife" he concluded.
By o'clock most Of the frequenters
Of the place had come and gone with
out getting in and without getting ar
rested. Josie went inside. The police
men never moved. Orders, they said.
They didn't know whose, but no one
was to get into Josie's and if anybody
tried ne was to be arrested.
"On what CHARGE" said one Of the
huge wardens of the gate, repeating
a query with evident scorn. why
felonious assault, to be sure.
Here we are right in the door and
under orders; nobody's going to get
past without he touches US, and any
guy that lays finger on us-and US
in uniform and on duty-he commits
an assault, and an assault on an Off
Ger is felonious assault, see?"
Inspector Henry, interrogated con-
corning the embargo upon the Little
Green Room, expressed bland surprise.
Why, that's closed" he said; "been
closed three days"
1t was open in the pre-dawn hours
Of Friday, however, and uniformed
patrolman was sitting at one of Josic's
tables. He sat there for long time
writing painstakingly in a notebook.