Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-07
IN GODS COUNTRY

"WHERE, mourncd Hugh Wnlpolc.
w echoing query that is loosed I'm the
airs OF the United States by almost every
observant traveller from abroad, "is nil your
speed and your jazz thinking going TO get
you people Of this beautiful and amazing
country!'
wen, We don't know. A great MANY
thoughtful people are even afraid TO guess.
but any one who feels that the random
questions of British lecturers deserve serious
attention and n rational answer may turn
MS attention to Los Angeles County, Calf.
Tor the hints and implications necessary to
social prophecy as ii must be formulated in
these high times.
over Los Angeles yesterday were zooming
nirpanes. Submarine chascrs relieved
temporarily. We suppose. from the pursuit
on bootleggers--cut long white swaths in
the sky-blue waters of tho Southern Cali :
fornla coast. Fast motorcars boomed on the
high roads. Detectives lurkcd in the woods
and bloodhounds shifted tho earth and posses
were being formed in the city proper.
All these forces of law and order were
directed in search for n pretty lady who.
having been convicted of killing another
pretty lady with a hammer. nonchalantly
sawed the bars Of her coll and escaped to
what, for want Of better name, is called
liberty.
Los Angeles is close to Hollywood.
Whether Il love Of pictures Is contagious.
whether the circumstances Of Mrs. Phillips
escape were somehow co!orcd by thought
transferencc. whether the plan originated
In the dreams Of an escaped camera man.
we shall never know. because ten minutes
after she left the jail the fugitive was re-
ported 10 be in Mexico. But YOU may feel
tIot ,,in Lniu ,r
what the studios will call "Tho First Great
Woman Hunt Of American History"
As elimination of the spiritual rest =
lessness that finds imperfect expression in
jazzed politics. jazzed economies. jazzed
social philosophers, jazZed art and jazzed
amusements, Los Angeles tlourishes and Is
proud II can add a little fresh color to every
familiar detail Of existence. It's sunsets and
its motorcars are alike spectacular The
citizens Of Los Angeles boast that you can
stand on one Of their pavcmcntS and So"
their city grow. Speed is their guiding
thought. their hope. tho moving passion in
their b'ood. the thing tha,. ~ they So" it.
will got them 20 heaven. Elsewhere ladies
sometimes Kill each other. Only in the
brightest part Of Gods country did on" re-
member to be original and introduce the
novel touch Of hammer.
DO the Ja!lers IN Los Angeles serve saws
with the meals? Did Mrs. Phillips use n
nail file or an acetylene torch TO cut the
| bars that prisoned her? Where were the
watrhmen? What sort of metal do they use
| in tho construction of Western jails? Who
| would be so nsolent and Ill hammered as to
put such questions to community that.
| according to the standards OF popular
| thought in 1920. is fat 100 per cent Amcri-
| can and therefore impatient about minor
dctai'st
| Wheeling airplanos. flying motorcars
| possoS and detectives hUrryIng in clumps are
great diversions. They provide new thrills
| for folk whom Hollywood has hardened to
! thrills. They make life worth living for
| people who had come to feel that il could nc
| longer be interesting.
| Meanwhile. there probably is another side
TO the story Of Mrs Phillips escape. 1t was
too much like movie ~ 1t came over the
| wires. The other story isn't likely to be
| tod. It will be forgotten in the course Of
time. like the mystery at New Brunswick
We are too busy TO bother with long specu-
! lotion. What's next shout the nerves
or this iaa2cd country, Make It snNppy
| ,rhnteypr II is w.