The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-05-10
Observations
Mrs. Curtin Seems
to be Efficient
as Housewife
BY Helen Esssry

90 IKE Mrs. Jonn curtin, wire
of the prime minister Of Australia.
She's a refreshing change from
women of bustling importance and
too many earrings And yet you
know at a quarter OF glance that
this tidy little person in her plain
dark dress-"That's fitting me more
skin tight every day I'm in your
country" everlastingly knows
what she's about
She made a simple little speech
the other day at Mrs. Rooseyelts
press conference. bringing greet
ings from the women OF Australia
10 the women OF the United States.''
] almost forgot 70 listen TO what
she was saying as she stood up
from the First Lady's sofa-("l can
talk better when I'm on my feet)
so intent was | on a memory OF
my childhood which she suddenly
brought 10 life
Why, she's exactly like my Aunt
Matilda Aunt Matilda was a
friend with whom the neighbor-
hood children were left when their
mothers went out for an afternoon
away from home.
Aunt Matilda cooked the most
lucious fruit cake and cookies
Her jellies never fell nor did
her disposition. nor the twinkle in
her shiny, brown eyes. But she
always made us mind our manners
and do what she told us TO do.
Mrs. Curtin is another Aunt Ma
thilda. Certainly. she has left the
larder OF Government House geam-
ing with jars Of preserves and jel-
lies Each jar is clearly labeled.
She put the place in order, got that
of her mind And then she whip
ped up a good meal for John, |
mean the prime minister-she said
there were NO servants in Austria
liza unless you could produce a
Doctors certificate saying you were
too i'll TO do your own work.
When she got the prime minister
well fed and purring. she told him
what to do when he got TO the
United States and London.
And will the prime minister DO
what his wife ordered? He will,
indeed. He'd better. II he knows
what's good for him and his job
and his country.
got the impression from what
Mrs. Curtin said that there is no
race problem in Australia At
least II is deftly and dictatorially
handled in that vast, unsettled
country. we have only aborigines
there" she declared And we
keep them back from the cities.
Some OF the smarter ones get TO
the back posts, But they're not
trained TO work"
IT'S A WICKED TITLE-"Ladies
Now and Then'-that Marie Man
ming Gasch has given her new
book. II reminds me OF the car
toon Belcher did for London
Punch" several years ago. Two
forlorn old charwomen were sit
ting before a bar in a London pup
having mug or two OF beer. las
you we'll knoxfi Mrs. Green" said
one OF the two. Il can be loidy--
hu thank 'eaven l can be natural,
100"
The ladies in Mrs. Gaschs remin-
iscences are the sort OF ladies who
&C n be natural, too. The sort
whose goings-on make sprightly
reading, especially when interpret
ed by as witty a female as Marie
herself.
love her Alice Roosevelt Long
worth tales. Especially the one
about that inspired antic" which
induced her. the daughter OF T.'R.,
n leave playing cards at the doors
OF various friends and acquaint-
ances. She was then the wife or
the speaker OF the House, but her
style was definitely not cramped.
The hands she dealt that ar
ternoon were corrosive comments
on the people thus honored." writes
Mrs. Gasch. with Alice on this
escapade went Katherine Elkins,
daughter OF the West Virginia SEN
ator and much beloved by the Duke
OF Abruzzi, brother OF the king OF
Italy Al the house OF Senator
Keene, living with three manag-
erial spinster sisters. Alice dealt
three old maids and a knave. o..
At the home Of Preston Gibson,
who began his career by marrying
an heiress. she deposited two
queens OF diamonds and with them
that sinister card known as the
curse OF Scotland. the nine OF dia-
monds. which in Mr. Gibson's case
proved prophetic