The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-02-15

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 the humorist intended to fly to Siberia, possibly farther, in a plane that Wiley Post had patched together out of pieces of three ships. flew to California; hoped to see Will and, if possible, talk him out of such a hazardous ex- pertinent.
 Daughter Mary went with me as far as Washington. There we were grounded by mad weather and engine trouble. Next day I put Mary on @ plane for New York, saying, "I'll go on to Cali fornia. I am certain that if Will takes off on this flight he'll never return"
 When I reached Los Angeles, Will and Wiley had gone.
 Tn day or two came the news that saddened so many hearts. I got 1t in the office of Swanney Swanson, authors Agent. A phone call from New York said, Better try to get somebody out there to fill the space in the papers" Swanson drove me to the lot where Fred Allen was working on his first picture.
 I explained to Fred that had always thought him a great hum- orist Gas still do). That I want ed him to do short daily humor- ous piece for the papers, not in imitation of Will, for limitations are always failures, but in his own style. The tragedy had left an important space in the papers which should be filled by someone who could make the people smile.
 Fred turned me down. Three subsequent visits made no im- precision on him. I'm making a picture" he said. That's all I can do just now"
 Later, haunted Fred Allen at the broadcasting studio in New York. All winter I tried to sell him the idea that he should write a funny piece for the papers every day.
 I'm broadcasting now" he an- swered. That's all can do well at present"
 So, I was happy to lunch with this humorist for once without trying to sell him an idea. "I'm not an editor any more, Fred" I said. That's fine," he answered. Fine for me, anyhow" But he assured me he wasn't sorry he had turned down the golden op- portunity; that he would do 1t again if the situation recurred.
 Allen, who comes from Boston, owes much of his success to na- tural wit. He is as funny off stage as on; funnier, I think. He is @ hard worker, and lives modestly, he and Portland, his wife, in 8 two-room apartment in the Dor set, a small hotel that caters es- pecially to theatrical folk.
 Memorial services for sailors of the Maine are always held before the Maine Monument in Colum- bus Circle on this date. The first of the wreaths appeared early this morning at the prov of the stone ship that half emerges from the mass that many believe to be the ugliest monument in New York.
 It was 41 years ago that the American battleship was blown up in Havana Harbor. There remain some widows of sailors who lost their lives in the explosion, and they mingle with the children and grandchildren of those men as the strange and tragic incident is re- membered solemnly.
 Old timers will recall the re- venue stamps, each bearing a pie ture of the Maine, that blossom ed out on almost everything, as a means of paying the Spanish war debt. Anthony Burke, Chicago brick manufacturer, visiting our home, impressed us younger chil- dren by predicting: Neither you nor your children's children will ever live to see the end of those stamps!" As matter of fact, they lasted a few years, and are hard to come by for collections now.
 A tall, strong man, not more than 35 years old, makes a good haul in Grand Central Terminal in an original manner. He leans against a post, facing a lunch ounter on the lower level, dur ing commuter rush hours. He stares at the lunch counter in a hopeless, defeated, hungry man. ner. The harvest of dimes and quarters from sympathetic home going suburbanites is rich. Wom- en, especially, melt before the sight of a man who appears hungry and proud.
 A variation of the trick is worked in front of bakery and delicatessen windows on Broad- way.
 Copyright. 1889. McNaught
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