Evening star., 1941-09-08

heLemors. will use me for
confetti during a celebration.
The notes were written since I
left New York early in August and
range from Mussolini to q one
armed eating establishment outside
Memphis which used Eat Here
Even If it Kills You've Need the
Money" as a slogan.
Here's bit of scribbling, written
In my fine cracker Spencerian which
says "America-West Point-Powder
Room-Nursery" That's a Norfolk
note and has to do with the former
luxury liner America which was re-
christened the West Point when she
was converted into troop ship. The
Navy, incidentally, frowns on the
use of the word "troopship." Too
many people connect the word with
an A. E. F. They forget that the
Navy has to move men to Hawaii,
the Canal Zone, Iceland and other
Ol1SIlOre american bases.
y y
I went all over the ship and it's
full of incongruities from stem to
stern. The nursery, with its WALL
paper motif of giant pandas play
ing with pink and blue balloons, is
an arsenal and the lovely salons
are sardine-packed with drab hunks,
clear to the modernistic Nceilings.
The handsome dining rooms have
been stripped of their furniture, but
the chromium and murals still
remain. The swimming pool hasn't
been touched and the signs Powder
Room" and "Women's Therapeutic
Baths still light up when the
lights are on and that is always
because every portfolio is painted
black. The America, or the West
Point as she is today, is like a
glamour girl who has been forced
to scrub floors. She has lots Of
her former beauty but she's a
working girl now.
Note: Gene Tunney writes to saw
that the Navy is having a tough
time getting volunteers and that
the Navy might have to resort to
the selective service rolls. Gene
says that Navy ennstments are
higher than ever but that the re-
quirements for the two-ocean feet
are double what we have needed
in the past.
AL I can say to this, Gene, Is this:
Any boy who wants to serve his
country in branch of the service
where the spirit runs as high as
the seas they sail, should Join the
Navy.
Note: Ask why the Government
doesn't whack Mussolini more than
it does. Explanation: Even more
than Hitler, Mussolini is hated In
this country. Those in the Govern
ment who want to get US in shoot
ing war should stress the trouble
our entrance would make for Benito.
Everywhere you go you meet people
who want to see the Duce get his
bumps. They feel that Hitler, bad
as he is, chose the hard way but
that Mussolini with no convictions
Of any kind waited to get In until
he felt the getting was easy. That's
against the American code of sports
manship, and there must be millions
who want to see him have to make
a goal line stand with no chance
Of winning.
Note: Army off1cer-lease-lend.
I remember writing this one down
IN Louisiana. An officer told me
that the Governments policy of
giving Britain the bulk of our de-
tense products was the chief cause
OF poor Army morale. He argued
that we should save enough for our
selves to equip an army decently,
that the business of soldiers having
to go through maneuvers without
proper equipment made them look
on the whole thing as a joke. He
pointed out that the top morale in
the Army was to be found in the di-
visions where the equipment was
first class and adequate.
~ n
Note: Finest wines and LIQUORS
That was the sign hanging over a
dilapidated shack that stood at a
crossroads in Mississippi. I came
close to stopping and asking what
wine OF what year they recommend
ed for hog jowl and hominy.
Note: Konoye =. :. Vichy .. Regent
4-7424 -. Notify proper authorities.
This note has me stumped. I called
the number and it is the number of
a man who judges cat shows. If any
OF you can figure it out I wish you'd
let me know. 1t must be of great
import. I remember just when I
wrote 1t, too. 1t was at the bar in
the st. Charles Hotel in New Or
leans and I know the Ramos fizzes
hadn't affected me, because only
two or three minutes before I had
stood on my head in the corner to
show what Oerfent noptraf L.I