Evening star., 1939-02-12
Nations Celebrities
Get in Your Hair
Al Miami
There's Fun for Money,
Plenty Of Chances to
Woo Lady Luck
By JOHN WHEELER,

BY JOHN WHEELER.
MIAMI, Fla, Feb. II (N.A.N.A).
Some sage in the early days OF
this century-perhaps 1t was Frank
O,Malley the newspaperman-re-
marked that, II one stood at the
corner of Broadway and Forty
second street in New York long and
patiently enough, he would see
every one Of prominence. Now the
same stream of celebrities passes
through Miami, during the winter
months, drinking In sunshine and a
little liquor and exuding wit and no
little cash.
The social register is represented,
but not so strongly here as by the
residents Of Miamis neighbor, Palm
Beach, from where the real set Is
inclined to look down its nose a
little at the efforts and antics OF
this metropolis. The top members
of industry. sport, the theater, the
movies and literature, all answer
the roll call as they crack their sum
tanned faces into smiles, not to
mention the fringe who arrive by
bus and trailers and have as much
fun, spending their days IN the
skimpiest OF bathing suits on the
beach or at the end Of fishing poles.
Even the President is reported plan
ming a brief stop here before start
ing on his cruise to inspect the
battle fleet.
The aristocracy Of horsefiesh Is
stabbed at Hialeah, where. If one
is lucky, he may 60 any day except
Sunday and exchange 81 mutual
ticket for $50 or $1OO if the right one
comes home first. Former Heavy
weight Champions Jack Dempsey
and Jess willard treat the lucky
ones to view of their manly figures,
although these are not as stream
lined as they were in the old days,
especially the chassis Of Mr.. Willard.
Plenty of Tests for Luck.
Three race tracks, two running
now, four dog tracks and numerous
roulette, craps, bird cage and other
games operating now and then,
depending on the attitude OF the
law, furnish opportunities to while
away an afternoon and evening
until daylight Notwithstanding a
determined effort to drive them out,
bookmakers are as numerous as
grains of sand on Miami Beach, and
easy to meet socially. For example.
YOU might wander into a drug store
to buy a bottle of aspirin when a
kindly soul comes up to you with a
pleasant smile and asks whether
you would be interested in joining
a bridge club which has fine view
OF the Atlantic Ocean. An inspec-
ton disclosed 1t came up to specif1-
cations as far as the view went, and
there we're even bridge tables and
cards, but the attention of the as
semblage was held by raucous-
voiced fellow calling out the names
of horses and their relative positions
as they raced at Hialeah.
So, you see, a sucker has no COM
plant about Miami, since 1t offers
him or her every opportunity, day
and night. All one needs is a bank
roll and q strong constitution. In
the upper bracket We have three
more or less exclusive clubs-the
Bath, the Surf and the Indian
Creek. The members Of these in
stitutions and their goings-on fur
nish a carbon copy Of Palm Beach,
in some places a little faint and
usually somewhat saner and not so
extreme either in costume or be-
havior. For example, at any one
a member and his guests can get
a f1rst-class 75-cent lunch for about
SO without any beverages, which also
run into money, while at Palm
Beach the lunch may not cost more
either at the source or retail, but
my recollection is the dues and trim
mings are more expensive.
Public Can Be Overdone.
Some of the social boys got to-
gether recently with a couple Of
respectable" gamblers, who have
spent most of their lives scrutiniz-
ing suckers across a roulette table
or on the horizon of a craps game,
and opened something dressed up
like a club, but really just a gam
bling joint for the genteel. The
opening was a gala occasion, with
white and black ties, beautiful wom-
en- of all ages and gallons of cracked
ice bought by the carat and by hus-
bands and other admirers. You had
to have a membership card and a
nodding acquaintance with the front
man in tails to get in, and check
book to get out. After the first
night, so have been told, this very
garish and gay joint began to fade
and die on the vine, which would
indicate either the rich are not
getting any richer, or they're getting
smarter. and I suspect the first
diagnosis is correct.
If one goes out on the beach, espe-
cially around the Roney Plaza Hotel,
celebrities get in your hair, but the
scenery is fine. For example, a
short time ago you would find Sonia
Henie there, and she wasn't wear
ing pair of skates or a costume
to go with them. Rudy Vallee has
been favoring the town and a we'll
known night club recently with his
presence. You may find Ben Jones,
the trainer of the Kentucky Derby
winner. Lawrin, and enc of the solid
men of the race track, at Hialeah
every day-that is, unless he has
a horse in race, and then try to
catch him before they go to the
post. He is as silent as the Sphinx
and as elusive as an eel.
BY the way, the spectators at
the track are divided into four
strata, the bleachers, the grand
stand, the clubhouse and the Jockey