Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-02-21
Up and
Down
Broadway
by alter
Wimchell
PRIVATE PAPERS
OF A CUB
REPORTER

WHEN THE American
troops invaded Africa,
Winston Churchill was hav-
ing dinner with his family In
London. "Well," he said. you
arc going to hear II on the
wireless In q few moments. so
there is no point In concealing
the big news any longer. The
American troops are invading
or will be invadinx--Africa
within q few minutes!" He
looked around in self-satisfac-
ton. waiting for every one to
become enthusiastic and say.
"How jolly! How joIly!". But
there was no such rousing reac-
ton. One Of Churchill's
daughters looked UP and said:
ooh, that's not news, father. ]
knew that SIX weeks ago!".
"YOU knew II six weeks ago."
popped Pop. "Why didn't you
tell me?"
To which Churchill's daugh.
ter, OF British Intelligence. re-
piled. "Well, I didn't know
whether 1 was supposed to or
not"
YOU have heard, no doubt.
many OF the quips told about
the WAVES. but here Is one told
by one Of the pretty ones-a doc
tor at a naval dispenSary. -.
"Do you know what a WAVE
is?" she asked.
Frankly, I don't" we said.
whats q WAvE?"
well" she said. "the Navy
thinks Il knows. The Navy says
that n WAVE Is q woman--who
Is ssentiai-sometimes."
HOKE WEIGH. the editor,
passes along the dilemma Of the
newcomer in Army Intelligence
"A message came In that
stumped him. He couldn't de-
cipher several numbers which
led off the message. The num-
bers were 1898. After con-
siderable perspiring. aggravation
and worry that he would lose his
desk lob. he learned l5l943 WAS
merely the date!
SOME Of US think we've solved
the riddle about all the wild ru-
mors sweeping our armed forces
and nation--many Of which are
credited TO this broadcaster.
Particularly the recent rumors.
viz: Did you ever say the war
would end In As days? Didn't
you say our base was a concen-
tration camp? And didn't You
say Deanna Durbin, Bette Davis
and Judy Garland were killed I'm
a plane crash flying TO entertain
troops?"
In the Satevepost for Nov. 81.
1912. an article titled "Hitier's
Short Wave Rumor Factory"
reveals that an American in
Berlin named Joe Scanlon plays
American recordings and then
shouting breeziIy, says: Hello
Folks! This Is station Debunk
bringing you the inside dope
from everywhere!'". The
Americanazi prefaces his bulle-
tins with FLASH" and then Of
fers depressing stories of disas-
tiers to American troops, etc..
Says the Satevepost: "For the
next few minutes the technique,
though not the content, Is REM
iniscent Of Walter Winchell."
incidentally. the Nazis' secret
weapon was revealed by Hitler
long ago, but few Of us remem-
bered that he once said: "An I
need for a war are planes. tanks
and loudspeakers!"
HE WAS one of the very first
members OF the RATS Eagle
Squadron. the group OF Ameri-
cans who fought Hitler before
the u. S. decided TO take him on
The records OF the Raj re-
veal that he is credited with
shooting down 46 enemy planes
with "63 probabIes". After the
squadron decided TO permit
Yanks to enlist in the u. S.
forces, he saw action in North
Africa. Now he is a student at
the Officers Candidate School
at Miaml-"to learn how TO
fight"!. But wait. That's not
the story. His hometown board
has him posted for draft eva
sionl
A HOLLYWOOD producer de-
cided to do a boy-and-girl story
OF great simplicity and charm.
He recalled "One More Spring."
which reminded him OF Robert
Nathan, which sent him to the