Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-08-07
Let's Laugh
Is Hollywood
Ace SeIec+ino
Allied Chief?
Technique Used Likened
to Scarlet Quest
BY HENRY McLEMORE

truth in the rumor that Mr..
David o. Selznick of Hollywood
has been given the task of
selecting a supreme commander
for the United Nations forces,
and the time and place for the
opening of second front?
We doubt it, but there can be
no denying that up until now
the technique employed in To-
eating suitable head for all
our armies has been more than
family remindful of the tech
nique Mr.. Selznick created and
brought to a point of perfection
in the selection of a Scarlet
O'Hara" for his production of
Gone With the Wind"
1t will be remembered that
Mr.. Selznick required almost
two years to find the proper
Scarlet O'Hara." He did his
best TO overlook no one.
He tested mattresses in Maine.
seamstresses in Ohio, drum ma
inretteS in Louisiana, dehutantes
in Maryland. telephone operators
in Arizona. trapeZe performers
in Delaware, cat show judges in
Georgia. cotton choppers in Ala
bama and oyster openers in
Rhode Island.
IRON the moment he opened
Il the drive 10 locate a suit
able actress for the role. until
he finally decided on Vivian
Leigh, there were always half a
hundred supposedly red-hot can
didates in the field.
Mr.. Selznick tested their eyes,
ears, nose and throat. He pho
tographed them doing every
thing from operating a single
oar scull TO cleaning the barrels
of shotgun. The public was
in constant state Of suspense.
Just when il thought that
Maggie Van Buren,. a home eco
nomics expert out of South
Carolina. was to get the job,
she would be passed by and some
other favorite would be estab-
lished.
That's about the way il Is
now in the search for a general
issimo for the United Nations
forces. There has been talk OF
one ever since we got in the
war. but authority is still split
up like the money in a penny
ante poker game.
Every one has been mentioned
for the job save few scattered
sergeants. corporals and pri-
Yates.
For a while General MacAr-
thur seemed 10 have the inside
track, but ne now seems to be
getting the bird 's-eye treatment
in Australia.
General Wavell had his day
but his profile must have been
too sharp because he hasn't been
mentioned lately.
THERE was a time when Cen
Il eral Marshall seemed a cinch
for the job. but he has lost
ground recently and General
Eisenhower has made a move
from the top of the stretch.
But. General Eisenhower's
challenge was met bN General
Auchinleck, and he in faxn was
overlooked when boom was
started for General de Gaulle.
Just when this dashing, fight
ing Frenchman was going
strong, talk of giving the job to
General CHARACTERISTICS took
the attention away from him.
CHARACTERISTICS in turn was
forgotten when General limo
shenkos name was introduced
into the muddled picture.
The guessing as 10 who will
finally get the supreme COM
mander's job has been made
more difficult by the insiStence
from some quarters that it will
not 60 to any of the men with
stars on their shoulders. but will
finally be given to either Presi-
dent Roosevelt or Prime Minis
ter Churchill.
We can only hope that some-
one will get it, and soon.
S FOR the time and place OF
"A a second front, il has this
country's citizens guessing like
nothing has since Charley Ross
disappeared.
Every home has lis living
room general. every street cor
ner has its wise and knowing
strategist. every bar It's tacti-
clan.
In the space of a day a man
Is almost certain 10 have behind
the-lines Bonapartes give him a
score OF explanations as TO why
the second front should be
opened at a score of points.
There is a Norway school.
There is French Coast school
There is an Italian school. There
Is a school that maintains that
bombing raids provide the Sec
ond front.
The civilians apparently are
not the only ones who can't
make up their minds on the best
site for a second front The
military minds appear to be just