Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-12-16

ing girls had
arrived yet--a couple Of men
were polishing the floor another
was tinkering with the soft
drink coolers, and in the Office
A girl named Madgc that's the
only name She gave Us was
working al a desk
What" asked "docs the
war do Ia your business? ! sup
pose the man shortage hurts
YOU"
Eyes; no." said -Aladpe BE
lieve II or not. n isn't the short
age of men. It's the girl short
age. They're mostly all working
In factories, hut some of them
work here after they're through
at the factory, just for relaNa-
ton"
How about soldiers? DO YOU
get many"
."Oh, sure" said Madge. but
they just come and look. We
don't expect 10 get much bust
ness from them. Look, IL costs
two tickets for a dance. With
the Federal tax, It's | cents "A
ticket instead Of dime. 80
that's % cents, and not many of
the boys can afford II. But its
not the man shortage. It's girls
we need. You don't know any
that want 10 work here, do
" you'
our next stop was a book
store. piled 20 the ceiling with
new and Old books. presided
UvrT ny a Miss Nefna West she
SAID tho owner was out but
she'd been there long enough 10
know something about The husl-
ness
1T gets" She said 80 YOU
can tell just by looking at
person whether he wants 10 buy
hook. or he's just looking.
And II he wants tO buy one. YOU
can usually tell what kind /
don't know how know, l just
do
Yes, the war has changed
lot OF things. That book on
Money Making Formulas? Oh,
that's depression. book. No
bOdy'S looked at that, for l
don't know how long.
Mostly people complain that
since the war they have plenty
of money 10 buy books hut they
haven't time tu read them.
You'd be surprised how many
people ask for something light
and entertaining hut not too eN- .
citing. They get ~ tense on
their war jobs that they cant
90 Ia sleep az night Mostly
they want short stories.
"Nopc. Not much call for
books on automobile mechanics,
the way there used 90 be. Now
it, airplanes, some toOl-and-
die hooks-Oh, and you'd be
surprised how many people
want books on mathematics.
They've fallen behind in their
technical knowledge, and they
have 10 study up"
Likewise DctrOitcrS are look
ing forward 20 peace and the
industries they expect 10 spring
up
Books on plastIcs for in
stance, are very popular.
The most surprising thing 10
ne was the fact that most
books arc bought by men,
Women rarely buy books, Miss
West said.
II was couple Of blocks
farther up the street that we
saw a sign In window; DOOR
kEY KIDS MEET FRIDAY
AFTERNOONS" The shop
turned out 90 sell model air
plane kits and other related
things. and the proprietor Il a
hoy Of Is, Louis Sissman. whose
name YOU doubtless will recall.
lie is one Of Detroit's Quiz Kids
and likewise spelling cham
piOn. ~
His parents help him run the
shop while he's in school at
Country Day. It's non-prOfit
venture, they said, established
because Louis Just wanted 10
try IL.
The door key kids" arrived
automatically. Some Of them
are there just about every after
noon, and altogether there are
about $50 door key kids in the
neighborhood who 60 10 the
store and work on their l0-cent
Cor larger airplane models on q
table provided by the Sissmans
The door key kids arc jus,
what the name implies. Their
parents are working so the kids
are given a front door key and
left 10 shift for themselves.
The youngest. around z or s
years old, usually pin their keys
70 their sweaters or Jackets
with a safety MIN, The older
ones. up 20 about IA, carry keys
in their pockets or wallets l
didn't know that the door key
kids were quite as plentiful as
that in Detroit ~. NN
anyway there's 4 CROSS
section Of q few blocks ol gaudy
Woodward avenue, Detroit.