Smyrna times., 1938-12-08
SIDE LIGHTS OF
NEW YORK CITY
Told By L. L. Stevenson in
His Own Immical Way
of DOings in City
INTERESTING SKETCHES

IN END Il1NU DIAHI SllLO
New York is the home of Tin
Pan Alley It is also the home of
a number of weI-known composers
and the part-time home of many
others. On the West Coast, grind
ing out the tunes that are heard in
movie houses all over the world,
are many former New Workers in
whose being is still the tempo and
the feel Of the metropolis. Yet New
York has no theme song. In fact
after two years of waiting with a
cash prize Of $4,000 as bait, it is still
anthemless. Not only that but the
outlook is so hopeless that an an
them contest started away back in
January, 1885, has been called off.
The contest was sponsored by the
American Society of Composers, Au-
thors and Publishers. It was the re-
suit of suggestion made by Mayor
Fiorello H. LaGuardia. In the be-
ginning the sponsors were so opti-
mistic they set six-months limit.
On occasions the time was extended
until more than two years had
passed. But still no antheml
Two thousand dollars represents
lot of royalties especially in these
days when the radio runs popular
song ragged practically overnight.
So there was no lack of contestants
for the A. S. c. A. P. prize. During
the time the contest ran, the award
committee, headed by Judge James
G. Wallace, examined more than
1000 compositions. Included in the
manuscripts were many by compos-
ers with established regulations. Tin
Pan Alley was heavily represented
because $4,000 is 1000 bucks to Tin
Pan Alley. Unlnowns, including
some who had never so much as
seen the city also entered their brain
children. But of all the tunes and
lyrics submitted, all supposedly por-
traying the spirit and color of the
city for all time, not one was found
of sufficient vivid and lasting quail
ity to merit the award.
Gene Buck, president of the A. S.
C. A. P. summed it up thus: I'VE
were looking for a fellow to capture
the city musically. The mayor and
= I subscribed to the belief that this
town had a very denite tempo. If
some composer with song in his
heart and some poet with lifting
lyric in his bosom could have cap
tured this tempo, this city would
have had swell theme song. Some
of the country's outstanding songs
were written with just such pur-
pose and under conditions we have
here" He did admit it was a tough
assignment, however, since some
composers simply must wait for in
spiration-and so the city viii have
to wait for its anthem.
It's rather long leap from music
to women's hats but if someone
would start a contest for the fun
niest one, I could think of several
promising entries. Women's hats
simply can't escape observation, of
a mere man nowadays, especially if
he is a subway sardine. The thea
ter also gives opportunity for con-
tact and comment. In fact condi-
tions today bring back memories of
those old movie slides, Ladies will
please remove their large hats
The appearance of that request on
the screen always brought applause
from the male portion of the audi
ence-and sometimes caused the re-
moval of few hats. Maybe a re
vival of that old injunction might
do some good now. But my knowl-
edge of feminine psychology being
what it is, hesitate to make pre-
diction.
Coming downtown this morning in
the subway, I noted a stylish young
miSs-and well worth noting she
was too, mates-Who not only had
on one of those big skimmers but
projecting from the forward deck a
foot or more was a quill with an
extremely sharp point. Another
fash-back to olden days, when a
young lady, annoyed by firt, fed
him half inch or so Of hat pin.
And now that form of protection, abb
sent for years, has staged a come
back.
Felony court is next on the list.
With a detective as a chaperon,
Maurice Ross, accused of being a
specialist in stealing sewing ma
chimes. was waiting for the magis-
trate. Loud cries arose. Investi-
cation showed that big striped
cat had been caught behind a graf
ing in small window overlooking