The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-05-27

OF AMERICA
Prohibition Does Not Prohibit and
Clothing and Food Cost More
Here Than it Does
in England.
IBy Ed. l. Keen, European Manager
of the United Press.]

| by Ed. l. Keen, European Manager
of the United Press
NEW YORK, May N.-Rediscover'
ing America is far more interesting
than was anticipated, although |
haven't yet revisited any portion OF
the United States proper-merely 1t;
principal ally, Manhattan island.
The first impression was sur
prise. Nearly everybody was wear
ling real clothes, instead Of overallS
tHaying in mind the stories recently
jcabled over TO London by the corro'
spondents in America of the British
newspapers, describing the rise and
spread of the overalls movement,
had expected to find the whole poDu
Ilation attired in blue denim or brown
canvas. But so far l have seen very
few workmen, even. in overalls; lt
+ fact, a good many men here engaged
| in mental occupations are wearing
what appear to be silk shirts.
The next~was a shock. I suddenly
discovered that my English-made
suit didn't fit. That I hadn't OBJ.
served this before is probably due, 70
the fact that where it came from
other mems also didn't. SO l dug up
another suit, made in America, which
iI had purchased at an American de-
martin ent store in London only a few
weeks ago. It fit reasonably well,
but comparing the cut and style with
American clothes I had seen since my
return there seemed to be something
not quite right about it. An obliging
friend to whom I appealed promptly
diagnosed the suit as a leftover from
the crop Of 1916, but when he kindly
offered to introduce me to tailor
friend who as a special favor to him
would make me a proper up-to-date
suit for s125. I decided to wait a
while in the hope of a revival Of the
!overaIls campaign.
Now my English-made suit had
cost in London s55, and the American
leftover SOS. Precisely the same SOFT
of clothing could be bought in Eng
land before the war for from SIS to
Is35. It is true that MallabyDeeley,
M. p In his laudable effort to break
the middlemen's strangle-hold in that
country. is now selling "made-to-
measure" suits for from $25 up, but
he has so many orders on hand that
the prospects Of ever getting one are
almost as hopeless as going on the
waiting list for membership in the
Metropolitan club.
II. C. L. generally appears to have
hit America as hard, if not harder
than England where the prices Of
foodstuffs, hotel accommodations,
etc, have always been lower than in
this country. My first dinner in New
York cost $3.50. Four years ago l
atS the same kind of meal at the
same place for $3.50. In a restau-
rant of the same class in London the
same meal today would cost s1.75, as
against S1.00 before the war.
Another discovery has been that
prohibition doesn't prohibit-in New
York Reports reaching London from
America had indicated since the first
of the year a steadily increasing de-
gree Of dryness throughout the United
States-as we'll as in New York,
which, according to latest advfces,
had become practically arid. My dis
illusion was early and thorough.
On the night following my arrival
I was one of a dinner party at a
prominent Broadway cabaret. Cock
tails and champagne cup were served
at number of tables and throughout
the big room glassware containing
fluids Of suspiciously similar appear