Evening star., 1925-05-23
PARCHEDU.S. HORDE
AT BORDER OASIS
Self -Conscions Smile Stamps
College Youths and
Other Thousands.
BY ROBERT r. SMALL.

BY ROBERT T. SMALL.
DETROIT, Mich. May 23.-Here-
with are the experiences of an unoffi-
cial observer at the foaming front
over there in the great crowded places
where beer Is beer, even If the kick
in the flowing amber fluid is little
more than a Naturalization.
AS you arrive in Detroit your fel.
low travellers on the Pullman want to
know II you have come for the big
opening. You grin and admit the soft
Impeachment. AT the hotel you grin
as you ask the hotel clerk the nearest
way to get TO Windsor-over where
the Union Jack flies. The clerk grinS
back at you. Everybody is grinning.
There is something in the air. It's
like the last day of school-if you can
remember back that far.
Fare Across Is Cents.
Following complete directions you
go down to Woodward avenue and
turn right to the ferry. Woodward
avenue Is Detroit's great trunk thor.
oughfare. Now that there is beer
across the river. you wonder If 1t
won't get trunkier. 1t is only a short
walk to the ferry house, and two
great blunt-nosed, ck-hulled steam
ers are waiting. The crowds are on
the way. You buy ticket. 1t is only
nickel. That's fair enough-a nickel
TO get to the promised land. And,
ODDLY enough, your particular boat for
the trip is called Promise. Her sister
ship is the Pleasure, yet the ticket
has printed across it's face, Not good
for pleasure riding" What other rid
Ing could there be on the way to
Beerville-on-the-Bo
A five-minute sail takes Won across
the green waters of the Detroit River.
1t Is not much wider than the Po-
tomac where they say George Wash
lngton threw a silver dollar across the
stream. 1t is easier today, however,
to tote them than to throw them.
On the boat there are all sorts
young and old, men and women. 1t
Is easy to separate the regular COM
muters from the beer pilgrims and
thrill seekers. There are painted
girls with roll-top stockings. some of
the women are older, but dressed as
girls. Their eyes are dull with a too
great knowledge of the world. They
are seeking international adventure
college boys, bareheaded and in plus
four knickers-but above the legal
age to buy beer in Canada-18.
Lumbermen i'm Crowd.
Men from the lumber country with
big checked shirts. One of them is
carrying a tiny baby in a blanket
His Wifes pocketbook also Is on his
arm. The wife is there, too. 1t is
all very much like going to the circus.
only the men grin foolish, self-con.
sclous grins. Men like to ppear wise
and blase. But on this occasion they
are walking out into the unknown
and are conscious of it.
AS you leave the boat there Is a
sign saying that everybody with mar
GELS must step inside to pass the Gus
toms. You wonder what they will do
with packages" on the way back. In
the street 1t seems as if you had lust
stepped into another American COM
munity. There are the same automo-
olies' the same traffic cops, the same
stop ana go signs, the same
fruits and vegetables on the market
stands, the same familiar 5 and 10
cent store with its red front, the same
movie illboards-Jackie Coogan, Bet.
" Blythe and the others-eyerythinc
seems the same, yet different There
Is again something in the air, High
adventure lies just ahead But wherep
Ihe big beer signs are not up vet.
mere are no pictures of overfowing
schooners." Everybody hesitates to
ask the big question. Men look sheen.
ishly at each other and walk can.
tiously up the street lest they mass
the first chance" There is a wise.
looking loafer on the corner.
w mere - you begin, but there
is no need to go further.
Right over there, governor he
says with bit of cockney on his
tongue. -'''
TaprOom Crowded.
Already the taproom with its null
uple tables is crowded All the seats
in the dining room are occunied or
engaged. Only standard hotels and
Dona hde clubs may sell the precious
out mostly innocuous brew.
IL Is. very solemn business. this
quest or the stein on the table. There
are no good songs ringing clear to
guide you. But at last YOU find q
pace on the big leather seat running
al the way around the taproom wall.
inen you sit and wait. You make
signs ana call to the walters. but you
care not leave your place. There are
others to grab it. 1t is like waiting
your turn in a doctors Office and Won
don't know what the verdict Is going
to be-or the fee.
FINALLY you catch the white-coated
waiter. He has a fine burr. He ts
from Edinburgh. You might have
known 1t. He wishes it was the good
old Scotch brew, he tells you. but
It's fairly good, SIR" At last your
bottle comes. One more grin. 1t is
Cincinnati Export Beer" That's rub
Ding 1t in on poor old dry Cincinnati
You pour your own. The collar stands
up stiff and white above the amber.
There Is not enough to blow off
King Gets Many Toasts.
God save the King!" says your
next door neighbor.
Il came 400 miles for this" he
adds.
Down she goes. It's beer all right,
miIder than the mildest of the beer.