The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-11-03

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ness, where only we who have
trodden the trail before may find
the way.
Its beginnings lie in the village
of KraSnaShlitz, so small as to be
ignored by any casual map-maker,
yet the center of our boyhood
world. Poland was under car
list regime, and for us there were
many prescriptions. There was
no free entry to the schools for us,
indeed no road to learning-royal
or otherwise.
Assembled by Stealth
We assembled by stealth in a
deserted stable, and there from
the lips of a courageous and
patriotic teacher we learned
never-tO-be-fOrgotten lessons.
One always stood sentinel to
guard against the sudden swOOp-
ing of the shopping pOliZei and,
when the first low whistle
warned of the patrol, pupils and
teacher crawIed from the barn
through q concealed tunnel to
emerge in a cemetery. This by
age-Old tradition and lOng-eStab-
lSihed custom was inviolable.
A lowered spot in memory'S
lane still stands out. It was the
decision Of that freedom-loving
soul, our stalwart father, Benja-
min Warner, to strike out for the
Land Of Freedom. Our corner Of
it proved to be around the juno
ton of Pratt and Light streets in
Baltimore. The Freedom" part
meant freedom for us boys to
help the family by selling papers
and shining shoes. All we had
to fear were the raiding hood
lums who destroyed our papers
and stole our boot-blacking boxes.
Our father, truly imbued with
the spirit of the pioneer, turned
westward in search Of greener
pastures. At 10 years Of age,
Harry turned ''little father" to
his nine brothers and sisters, quit
his newspaper Industry" and be-
came manager" of our fathers
shoe-making business"
Slogan Helps Business
Harry's first innovation, indi-
eating, perhaps, how completely
the up-and-at-'em, hurry-up atmos-
phere of America had pervaded
his system, was the invention OF
a new slogan and the establish
ment of a new method. The shoe
shop sign now reads: "Shoes Re
paired WHILE YOU WAIT"
Soon three shops flourished where
one had struggled along!"
We remember our ne1O home
on South HGnoUer, and finally
on Harrison Street and another
the pulling up of all stakes and
the establishment of neU roots
in Youngstown, Ohio.
In 1902 Harry was a salesman
in Kaufman's Department Store
in Pittsburgh. Later Albert had
a bicycle shop. Brother Sam, the
favorite of the family, and, for
that matter, of all who ever knew
us, was a casey JoneS"-a fire
man on the Erie.
Vivid, indeed, in our memory
Is the recollection Of a meet
ing in the bicycle shop. Sam
called us together and told of
a strange, new business which
was springing up. 1t was one Of
those ScOffed-at things like the
telephone, air-brake, locomotive
of other days. 1t was an improve
ment on the magic lantern, and
it was called moving pictures.
We went to see one called "The
Great Train Robbery"
First Film Venture
"What do you say?" asked
Brother Sam. And when we hest
tated, he added:
Come on, let's take a chance.
If we go broke I'll get my job
back on the Erie!"
We quit what we were doing, got
rights" to the picture, and toured
the tanks with film can, protector
and a photograph which provided
sound effects. We played halls,
barns, "opery" houses anywhere
that we could throw 1.-THE Great
Train Robbery" on a sheet. It's
"star" was Max Aronson-later
Broncho Billy Anderson.
We were in the motion picture
business!
And that was no bed of roses.
There were bad little boys in the
movies, too, just as there were
around the Baltimore corners. We
had to learn to hold our own with
these. They resented "intruders"
and wanted things all their own
way on their own terms.
Naturally, we'H neDer forget
our first theater. 1t UGS the Cas-
cGde, at Ne1U Castle, PennSyl-
OGnid. Harry 1UaS head man. AL.
bert took the tickets. Sam op-
Grated the projection machine.
Sister Rose played the piano, and
Jack, the Warner tenor, sang