Evening star., 1942-08-30
The Travellers Notebook
First Wortime Labor Day Carries No Threat of
Abrupt Ending of Summer TroveI Season, os
Late Corners Begin to Toke Over

month or two-week vacations would
come in the fall Some executives
confined their respites to weekend
| trips, punctuating the season with
short breathing spells.
| This year the trend was more pro-
nounced. Early in the spring had
come warnings of real gasoline ra-
! tioning and crowded buses and
trains. The clouding conditions ar
gued sensibly for avoiding peak
summer vacation months of July and
August. Two prospects appeared
taking vacations early or waiting
until September or October.
Now comes the chance of the late
vacationists. In keeping with the
spirit of spreading vacations over
six months instead of two, resorts
are stressing the assets of the sea-
son, especially places in a back to-
nature setting-cool, invigorating
days, when brisk sports are played
with more relish; the riot of color
in the forests, the ease of getting
accommodations on desired dates.
Travel habits, so long geared to July
and August vacations, did tax facil-
tiles OF popular resorts in their peak
period and the usual pressure will
ease after Labor Day. But resorts,
knowing that not all their prospec-
tive patrons have arrived, are
planning to maintain their summer
programs of activities for those who
feel the letdown of a summers work
creeping upon them. For many a
civilian furlough is yet unfulfilled.
X x
Southwark, another change Is
taking place. The sun tanned fin
ger of land called Florida" is plan
ming to bridge the gap between sum-
mer and winter by inducing its De-
cember and January visitors to come
early. Transportation even more
crowded than usual is expected dur
| ing the popular season four, five
and six months from now, and the
floating population is hearing a call
to come early and settle down.
AS last winter, one of the appeals
by Florida is to release homes and
apartments in crowded, defense
busy cities to war workers. Another
argument likely to come to the lore
is to close up Northern homes, forget
the fuel oil problem and spend the
money for conversion to coal on
living where house heating is not
a concern.
Miami Beach already has begun
pre-winter campaign of clearing
away the cobwebs relative to wal
conditions there. Typical of the eff
forts to set the Northern public
Alright on what they must expect
are these two 'broadsides":
/. Has the Army taken over:
NO" says the answer. This err
roneous impression has been fos-
| tered by the fact that part o
Miami Beach's facilities now are II
use by the United States Army Ali
Forces for training officers and per.
sonnel. But the Army occupies less
than half of our 329 hotelS and only
seven of our 934 apartment build
ings."
2. Has the Army taken the bes
accommodations? Again the answer
is no." with the explanation: Unit!
available for civilian vacations rep
resent a complete variety in al
price ranges-from large ocean-fron
to small residential hotels, large
and small apartments, individual
villas and homes"
Further sketching the picture o
the resort in wartime, the cit,
fathers vouch for the fact that pub
lie beaches are open without mill
tary regulation during the dayligh
hours, there is no curfew, no mik
tary restriction of pedestrian ant
automobile traffic in the city o
over the causeway. The city, thl
statement points out, is not blacket
out but, like its sister coastal areas
is dimmed out Autos at night mus
travel with only parking lights, ant
not more than 20 miles per hour,
AS to oil on the beaches, the cit.
confesses that the greasy slime ha
been washed ashore ''in few in
stances" But it adds. ''in ever
case. it has been quickly and nat
urally removed by tidal action, an
at no time has it interfered wit
4 surf bathing"
So close is the Gulf Stream at thi
point of the mainland that dee
. sea fishing continues as a diversion
along with golf, boating and racin
"in season."