The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-06-13
A New Yorker
In Europe
BY PAUL HARRISON

London, June 13-It's q IL o.
clock town, with electric signs go
ing out and shutters going UP. And
theater crowds ducking down into
underground stations before the
gates are locked.
Even buses are garaged by a.
M, night hawk taxi drivers-just
as they do in Manhattan--offer to
take their fares to spots of du-
bious propriety. A curious thing
about such an orderly city Is that
hundreds Of ladies Of the evening
are permitted to roam the streets
ratiating from Piccadilly and OK
ford Circuses.
AS for bars and cabarets, nc
visitor seems able to understand
the licensing conditions that pre-.
vail here. The much maligned De-
Tense OF the Realm Act, q wartime
measure, laid down various pro-
visions IN various sections for the
sale of liquor. Thus one finds
IL one goes in for research of that
sort--that while places on one side
OF q street have to close at a cer-
tain hour, those op the other side
may ESHhah opSH iatSi'
Nocturnal Nomads.
When the ''chuckin-out" mo-
ment nears. and bartenders begin
calling, "Time. gentlemen-time!"
the customers patiently remove
themselves to some nearby precinct
which has less stringent regula.
tons. This game of moving from
place to place Is called pub craw-
ling" and is so popular that songs
and revue skits have been written
about II. Really proficient pub
crawlers, I'm told--and they num-
Der several titled persons includ-
ing doughty old countess--can
get q drink somewhere in Greater
London at any hour of the day or
night.
Night clubs. as Manhattan knows
them, are mere restaurant cab
arets here, with dancing as late
as Q a. m, and each with one Eek
tension night" O week permitting
the late sale of drinks. Therefore,
each evening of the week Except
Saturday, when everything closes
promptly at 12) provides a diff
ferent set Of hot-spots. On Monday
the Trocadero, remains frivolous
and bibulous; on Tuesday the Car
Teton and Hungaria; Wednesday
the Ritz and Cafe Royal--and so
on.
Night clubs, as London knows
them, are real clubs with mem
berships and dues, and as such
they enjoy extra privileges. True.
there are a few Greenwich villagey
establishments in the neighbour
hod Of Piccadilly Circus which
employ the obvious dodge of selling
memberships to all corners, ana for
pittance. Some of these places
are conducted by expatriate Am
orleans who during prohibition
grew adept at evading regulations
f
waiting for Wales.
The Milton Bronners and / were
guests the other evening at the
uppity Embassy Club, where the
Prince Of Wales comes often for
his decorous high jinksI must adj
init surprise, and maybe q little
disappointment. at the conserva-
ton of the whole thing. A long
foyer, broad stairs to the base
ment, spacious rooms, a tasteful
bar, and the big dinning room
in elegant simplicity Of pale green
glass walls and re-upholstered
seats around the floor. At one end.
balcony full Of more tables, and
flowers.
Here and there a polite touch
of color, with plaques, in honor
of the Kings Jubilee. People en-
tering for dinner after $50. A
memorable meal, from caviar to
souffle, and the only good coffee
I've had since sailing. / ask about
music and am told it is "a custom
Of the house" to allow guests to
dine quietly before the orchestra
appears.
When 1t does appear, the music
is only moderately toe-tingling. A
lot OF rhumba pieces. but no rhum-
ba dancing. Nor anything resemb-
| ling Manhattan's collegiate insou-
Glance: these merrymakers conduct
themselves rather grimly. Many
English women wear these short
trains which make for silly pos
lures when they are held mp for
dancing. They wear scarcely any
makeup, either, and look rather
frankly plain in an unfiattering
light.
No entertainment. No prince.
either. Nearly every head turns
TO inspect each party entering
after midnight. but Wales and hie
one-armed equerry aren't maklnR
the rounds. II he cid show up.
Fm told, he'd sit 1t any vacant
table around the floor and would
be served exactly o. any other
] member.