Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-08-04

IAtAAA WIN bdAS COhliAo VII W IA
NORMALLY, we are a law
~ abiding citizen.
You'll find us carefully tip
toeing around Don't Step on
the Grass" signs. parking our
car a good so yards from fire
plugs, and in all our visits to
museums we have never placed
finger on articles marked
Please Don't Touch"
But we said to hell with Mr..
Petrillo.
One of our proudest posses
sions is a little home recording
set, beautifully bound In genuine
imitation alligator skin.
For several years, all guests
In our home, whether they
wanted TO or not, have been
obliged TO sing a song. recite a
verse. do few hard shoe steps,
or just plain stammer and slut
ter, for our collection.
The other night, a group of us
were around the house and some
one suggested that we make a
few records.
So 1 got out the home record
Ing set and plugged 1t in.
Ed Cleary was just about TO
do Danny Boy" his best num-
Der, when he remembered the
Petrillo ban and said he guessed
he had better not do il. We
durn near mobbed him.
MATTY TRACY said he was
WI free, white. and 81 and no
guy with lot of bushy hair was
going TO tell him what he could
or couldn't do. ~
So he grabbed the microphone
and sang, Until the Sands of
the Desert Grow Cold" as only
Matty can sing it.
Liz Eastman said her family
had been in this country since
17-something-or-other, and no
Johnny ome-Lately was going
10 keep her from making
record IL she wanted TO. so she
sang Hard Hearted Hannah,
the Vamp from Savannah" a
song that was popular back in
the days when an American
didn't have to ask somebody
behind desk if II were all right
for him TO make a living as he
chose TO.
Johnny PIERCE seid Pc
~ trillo could 60 ahead and
throw him out OF the Lions
quartet if he wanted to, but
that his forefathers had been
battling around this country
since the time OF the Revolu-
ton. and II he ever reached the
point where a guy could tell
him what to do and what not TO
do, he might as well be dead, so
he grabbed the microphone and
recited all he knew of the Dec
laration of Independence.
One by one we defied Petrillo,
Tomorrow we are going TO Of
fer our collection of homemade
songs, recitations and speeches
10 any broadcasting company
that wants them.
The stuff is pretty bad-in
fact, it's awful-but at least II
was made by free human beings
above whose heads no one held
a club.
/ CPEAKING for ourselves, We
~ would much rather lister
TO a seven-year-old boy with 2
squeaky voice initiating birc
calls over the radio than the
finest musician playing 10 so
natas, if we knew that boy wa.
making his calls from a free
heart and larynx, and the must
clan was doing his stuff while
in fear and trembling of an all
mighty boss who had the right
TO cut his strings, smash hi
bow, and tell him 10 go home
and wait for further orders.
Things have come TO a pretty
pass, indeed. when Mr.. Elmer
Davis has to appeal to Mr.. Pet
rillo ION behalf of the people
of the United States and on be
half of the war department. tn,
navy department, the marin,
corps, the coast guard. IN,
treasury department, the Offic,
of Civilian Defense and the OF
flee of War Information" fol
music in these dark times.
We'd like 10 send Mr.. Petrillc
the picture entitled The Spiri
of '76."
II might do him good to lool
at a couple of American musi
clans who were glad to play foi
! the Union, not the union.