The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1941-05-15
MR%I
XIWu~
@hH~ CORNELIUS
VANDERBILT. JR.

Lunched at the city's beautiful coun-
try club and spoke at a dinner BAN
quet in the evening. They went
frantic at the mention Of continuing
aid to Britain, China and the other
democracies. Many members stood
on their chairs, threw napkins into
the air, roared their approval
Rained all evening and then
changed to sleet. En- route to depot
past midnight taxi ran out Of gas.
I nearly missed northbound Wash
ington Express.
Seven R. X. O. cameramen were
at Fort Benning, Ga, nearby, TAX
ing movies Of army parachutists in
action, for a picture to be called
parachute Squadron" in which
Harry Carey and Buddy Ebsen will
act. More than 3d. 900 feet Of film
had already been shot. Parachute
troops are splendid physical speci-
mems. All are volunteers who had
at least one years training with in
fantry outfits. In preparing for par
achute training. they were taken
aloft and given two commands to
jump. II they don't jump at the
second command, they are not al
lowed to go on with this sort Of
work. Parachute work is highly dam
gerous but there has been only one
fatality at Benning since it started.
A parachutist must make seven sue
cessful landings before he is given
his corps insignia.
Charlotte, N. c.. is not only the
textile center Of the South. but is
also the furniture center as well.
Learned an interesting item:
C"harlestown, W. Va, spends more
money per family on furniture, "a
dio and household appliances than
any other city in the country. Last
year $193 per family was spent thus.
Roanoke, Va, came second with
$154; Miami, Fla, third with $118;
San Francisco sixth with $109; New
York city twelfth with ST; Los An
geles twenty-second with $50. But
as states 60, California rates first
with $72 for the average family, and
Mississippi lowest with $l8. Second
highest state is-guess which? Utah.
with $66!
Reached Washington at the height
Of a storm, said to be the worst u
eastern seaboard has suffered for
AZ years. Wires down; water ev-
erywhere; heavy fogs; planes
grounded; transportation hours late.
Into the U. S. senate press gallery
Just in time to catch the vote on an
important bill. The Johnny Roose-
velts cocktailed with Maj. J.. G..
O'Brien Of the army general staff
and me that afternoon at the May
flower. William S. Knudsen was
prancing about the floor doing the
Conga like a debbie; Mrs. Chip Rob-
erts sulked in a orner as John
Tumulty, Woodrow Wilson'S war
time secretary. slipped the non-alco-
holic drink which Chip Roberts. her
Atlanta born husband makes; the
John J. Ides Che used to be u. S.
civilian aviation observer at our en-
bassy in Paris) danced together.
Ralph Polio, popular manager Of
the Hotel Maylower had died that
night in his sleep from an intestinal
~hemorrhage.
Breakfasted late next morning
with Bill Bullitt. former U. S. am
bassador to France. He is still a
very active force behind the scenes.
Congressman Summers Of Texas.
chairman of the house judicial af-
fairs committee. joined us. A peek
into the future with these two gentle
men was most Illuminating.
Washington is a madhouse. Bottle
necks in congress, and bottles in no.
tel lobbies. Scarcely a vacant room
in town. No wonder the well-run
Statlers are going to build a 1900
room hostelry for which they have
already broken ground here.
Driving downtown from the Shore
ham learned that my taxi driver
was none other than James A. Fitz-
gerald, one-time Hollywood director
for Lillian Tashman and others!
Had spent IL of the better years Of
his life with Metro and Pathe; is a
government registered picture OPP
orator, works in a local post office
by day and drives a taxi by night.
Twenty hours after reaching Wash.
ington was off again for a sleeper
Jump to Knoxville, Tenn. Overnight
ed at the Andrew Johnson hotel.
whose johnson hall is said to be
one of the most famous family din
ing rooms in the South. There are
no menus-the service is family
style, just what you would expect in
the house of a good host. Mattresses
offer a tempting variety Of dishes
and are not allowed to take tips.
SEEING THINGS: Drove on
through beautiful winding roads.
past dogwood-crested thickets to