Evening star., 1932-12-20

American newspapers from one end
Of the country to the other are having
fun commenting on the incident which
in; Olives the tall silk hat of Postmaster
General Brown and his official auto
mobile.
Postmaster General Browns silk
hat, which made it necessary for the
department to buy another automobile
Of expensive make so that he could sit
erect with the proper dignity of cab
met officer, may become as famous as
the hat of another great and immortal
Republican" says the Springfield
(Mass) Daily Republican. recalling the
story about Horace Greeley. whose silk
topper was crushed on a railroad train
by fellow passenger who failed to see
it on the seat. Red with rage above
the famous fringe of white whiskers.
the great man snapped out, You might
have known it wouldn't fit that end of
you" The Republican goes on to re-
mark that the head-cn collision be-
tween tradition Of the past, as repre-
Sentcd by Mr. Browns hat, and the
fashion of the present, as represented
by the modern low-hung automobile in
which a tall man is expected to sit On
the back of his neck and like it, may
make social history, with the aid of the
drive for Federal economy" and pre-
diets that the already somewhat rarely
used silk hat may pass out altogether.
suggesting: THE time may come, and
be not far distant, when hat of that
kind will be so rare that they will begin
putting speciments in the museum
under glass"
However, the Providence Evening
Bulletin, protesting its full understand
ing of the Postmaster Generals "atti-
tude toward his plug hat eXc,aims,
The Government insists upon cere-
monious behavior: very well. then, let
it pay for it," This journal querie-:
With other departments spending
money right and left. why shouldn't he
have a limousine with a roof high
enough to accommodate him and his
plug hat in an upright and dignifed
position?" 1t is a distressing picture
1t paints OF what would have happened
had Mr.. Brown not taken the bull by
the horns: What would the foreign
correspondents and visiting diplomats
think to see the Postmaster General sit
ting hunched up in the car provided
him by the Government with his plug
hat Squashed down over his ears like
low comedian?"
AS the Spokane Spokesman-Rev
sees it, Mr.. Brown should realize that
he is doing a public service by bringing
hats and low ceilings. Many other men
Of high official standing have suffered
from the predlcament," atteStS this
paper. declaring that "the motor car
manufacturers have sighted them. In
designing cars they have passed by on
the other side. They have, in fact,
do fn1, n
Well-dressed man to wear even a derby
or iron hat in his goings about town.
Now the issue is clear, and Postmaster
General Brown may go into history as
the man who made democracy safe for
the plug hat"
But the circumstance of the Post
master General ordering large car
because the smaller previously pur-
chased did not permit him to wear his
plug hat, called attention to a plug-hat
state of mind among Government Off
cials," contends the Newark Evening
News, as 1t suggests that "Mr. Brown
would have done we'll had he contented
himself with a fedora or got one of
those accordion-like toppers which are
designed to withstand occasional impact
against q car roof without damage"
The Meridian (Miss.) Star voices a
similar thought: Perhaps, it has never
occurred to Mr.. Brown that a new
topper might prove cheaper than q
brand new motor car If the hat does
not fit the auto-buy another car. If
the car does not match ties or hose or
srats-order out another limousine "
He hasn't let little thing like a
deficit or increased postage cramp his
STYLE" asserts the Roanoke World News,
though, according to this paper. "some
one has figured it out that it took the