New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-09-03
IN ToW strange sre the workings Of
Providence, As stroll up Main
~ ~ Street, Manhattan, on enc Of our

street, Manhattan, on enc or our
peerless midsummer days | note that
It's towering walls are lined by three types
IF edifce-namely. apartment houses, Office
buildings and clubs. 1t is the last named
category which prompts the ejaculation which
now repeat IS to the strangeness Of what
must be divine agency
This strangeness lies in the fact that the
clubs are still there. Looking about me /
marvel. Can this handsome structure really
De the Union Club? Is this the Knicker-
booker, still housing its aristocracy? Is yon-
der pile the University Club, with its accus-
toned population of nimble octogenarians9
Under the shadow Of the university linger
The library windows are open, and from the
dim recesses comes the sound of concerted
snoring. Yes! 1t is the same old club It's
members are doing their usual afternoon read
ing.
pass on, relieved that none of these digni-
nea institutions has been metamorphosed into
vulgar apartment house or still more com
nercial Office building. / breathe deeply, re-
assured that as Browning says, Gods in his
heaven and everything is jake
Perhaps my relief needs explanation.
gladly give it: in fact, that is the point of this
article
Less than decade ago the clubs of New
York We're beginning to crumble. mass
meeting Of club directors and governors
would have included all the gloomiest men in
the city. In lesser degree the statement is
true of other sections of the country. These
United States were distinctly overclubbed
Between 1900 and 1910 We as a people
were having rush of clubs to the head with
olit knowing it. We can see now what we
cid not realize then. 1t was an era Of good
times and we devoted large part of the pro-
ceeds to the building of huge plants for every
sort of social group, Not only must the
coegers, the Elks and the engineers have
their separate establishments, but there must
be handsome buildings for the chemists and
the hardware trade and the silk finishers.
From being social trade organizations these
latter grew overnight into nifty clubs with
their own clubhouses or luxurious suites of
rooms in smart hotels.
The result for the individual spelt ruin.
For time each tried to keep UP with the
joyful procession and joined everything he
thought he ought to belong to- The result
for the college man who happened to be an
Elk and an engineer is obvious He enrolled
himself in the clubs Of his alma mater the
local B. P. O. E. and the Engineers Club
This was only the beginning. The habit of
joining and the habit of club redupication
led him inevitably into affiliated organizations,
until his club dues were something he care
fully concealed from his wife and was ashamed
of himself.
Then came. hard times. The semi-annual
dues notice (the third) accumulated dust at
the bottom of the pile. The club treasures
began to feel the strain. There were deficits
in the yearly accounts. The annual state
ment had to be very artistcally worded to
prevent the old board from being thrown out
on its neck. designations poured in. Inter
est on mortgages went unpaid There were
assessments, followed by more designations.
There was talk of consultations: The Yale
Club was going to absorb the Harvard Club;