The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-08-21
In New York.
BY PAUL HARRISON

New York Aug. 21-Black Har- lem is stirring from its summer lethargy. They're refurbishing the night spots catering to the down town trade, and the proprietors will tell you that from this distance it looks like a white winter.
 But wouldn't be too sure about that. Right now 1t seems to me that there is an undercur- rent of antagonism. It is some- thing you feel as you walk along broad Lenox or Seventh Avenues, or the dark little side streets. And sometimes 1t is something you hear. r.u
 Several months ago there was a race riot in the black belt. am told that trouble-makers have been working to keep alive that ill-feeling. And now there is the Ethiopian difficulty, with street. corner agitators doing their best to broaden the Halle Selassie- Mus solini argument into an inclusive alignment of all blacks against all white. .r4r Black Reds
 Your night-blooming correspon- dent strolled Lenox Avenue the other evening and listened. to some of the spellbinders, and was discomfited no little on two occa- sions by being pointed out for the inspection of large audiences as a hinkty, stunning white man and one of the united enemies of the African people. I also watch ed collections being taken up for the defense of beleaguered Ethio- pia. Since the country several times has refused cash contribu- tions for its defense, 1t is only fair to assume that the torch-waving speakers pocket the proceeds.
 Later I mentioned all this to a night-club manager, who exploded in wrath against the fred agita- tors who been gettin' themselves rich all over Harem jes' by yellin' bunch of lies" Mostly they're foreign" colored people, he said West Indians and such. And one of these days "the descent folks is gonta chase lem so far they never\can come back"
 
 Hi.De.Ho Flourishes
 Sightseeing buses still bring white tourists to see the Savoy Ballroom, which the artist Matisse once declared was the most inter- esting thing he had found in Amer. ica. Two bands engage in a mu- sical duel on adjacent platforms, and some of the tourists dance, and a few Negroes sit around look ing bored, until midnight. By that time the tourists have gone and groups of natives come in for a few morning hours of hi-de-ho and some fancy rug-cuttln'.
 They still do the Lindy Hop, and with gymnastic variations which call for marvellous reflexef in order to avoid breaking each others shins. The Lindy never has become popular downtown fol the same reason that -adagio dane ing is done only by specialists But the sepian whirlwinds take their dancing seriously. and every other pair you watch is likely to be a team of amateurs practicing for a contest. Many of their pred. ecessors have gone out of the Sa. voy into vaudeville and the bis money.
 Long and Short of It
 Take George Snowden and Bea. trice Gay as the most prom inent examples. George is five feet, two inches and Bea is five feet, ten inches, and they are ths unequaled pair who have beer touring with Paul Whiteman'i band.
 It may be disputed, but Shorty generally is credited with invent ing the Lindy Hop. He was in { marathon dance back in June ana July 1927. And after eighteeI days and nights he got tired-no tired of dancing, but tired of do ing the same steps. So he got ts skylarkin' around. kickin' hi heels and swingin' his gal thi way and that. Other contestant initiated him. and he called thu dance the Lindy Hop becaus' Lindbergh had just flown th' Atlantic.
 Shortly is married. but not t' Bea. His wife would like t, dance with him but he doesn' encourage her. Too strenuous.
 spottins Night Spots
 The Cotton Club still is gettinl most or the tourist bushes among the hot-spots. but tn ubangi Club and smaii's Para disc soon will be making thei bids with new shows. The show are all very rhythmic. very ieui and very smutty. calculated c