Evening star., 1944-08-29
Letters to The Star
Sees Plus and Minus Values
in Wartime Washin&ton

tngton Is wonderful :. but"
Washington Is the most beautiful
capital city have seen, and that isn't
just because 1t is the capital Of my coun-
try. have lived In 18 others, so have
basis for comparison. The avenues
are as wide and graceful as those Of
Faris-not as famous, perhaps, but with
as many inspiring vistas and old trees.
The buildings aren't as mellow as Lon
don's (give us time) but they're poll
ished, spacious, constructed to accom-
modate the volume and urgency Of bus
| mess. The parks are as green and well
tended as those of Prague and Madrid.
Infinite physical comparisons are in
evitable, and I'll be accused of for
getting Rome's fountains, Rios bay,
Cairo's Nile, though I haven't forgot
ten them nor the snow caps around
Bern. I'll not claim any snow caps for
Washington. But charm comes with
age; and now, on my latest arrival, I
find that Washington is growing up.
We don't conduct business at sidewalk
cafes, nor sun ourselves on a beach IN
the afternoons. This isn't Brussels or
A1obOAAs "AuU " "dcAull6IOIl oOClCGy ldCkS
in glamour it makes up in modernity
and informality.
I like these things about wartime
Washington in August:
The air-conditioned restaurants and
stores, the streamlined trolleys, the
trim girls in the smart uniforms with
straight stocking seams, the planned in
tricacy of the Pentagon Building, tiny
colored girl in a red dress gazing out
Of the window in the top of the WASH
ington Monument. the sturdy State De-
partment Building chat looks old
enough and friendly enough to be my
grandmother's house IS times enlarged,
the abundance of drugstores, the red
trlck sidewalks and red-brick dwellings,
the courtesy of the public building at
tendants, the good food served by over
worked mattresses, the pressed and
| proud look of the men in uniform, the
| cool dignity of the White House, the
impatience of the entire populace to
| get somewhere, the efficiency at the
| airport. These impressions are felt
with greater impact when one is re-
turning from another country. It Is
a great feeling to have some one stop
you uncertainty on the pavement and
| say: Pardon me, there doesn't seem
| to be any H street; I guess I'm lost"
and to be able to say: you've just
crossed New York avenue, you're on H
street now"
But the average traveller, coming
into Union Station, hasn't yet expert
cnced these pleasures. Arriving from
Texas, Montana, Florida, he's worn out
from the congestion of wartime travel;
he didn't want to make the trip; he
had to come; he longs for BATH an
unwrinkled shirt, perhaps even a ten
tative welcoming smile. Then, he runs
into the taxi situation. He finds cabs
swarming around the exits, gratefully
halls an empty one and is ignored. Aft
er 10 or 20 minutes OF arm waving and
futile shouts to the starters who seem
to be minor dictators, his humble ap-
peal is heard and he grudgingly is al
lowed to squeeze in with a group of
people who obviously think he is travel
ing for pleasure.
Also, I do wish 1t were more enjoyable
to listen to the radio: The commercials
literally set my teeth on edge, and the
| jun1py. 15-minute serials during the
day aren't absorbing if you haven't
heard the beginning and won't hear the
| end. The news commentators, of course,
| one listens to respectfully because lack
| ing microphone, confident voice
aren't we all?
Then, too, the movies aren't much
| pleasure, whether it's the tedious re-
lays Of waiting to get in position to see
| the screen, or the succession of orches-
tras, comedians, beauties when you get
there
Also. I marvel at the number of sleek,
12-cylinder private cars still being driv-
en- around Washington, with Army,
Navy or un-uniformed officials seated
in serene pomp alone on the back seat
I think the generals abroad are per-
forming their official travel as effec-
lively, and certainly with less consump-
ton of gasoline, in modest jeeps.
Too, I think the saleswomen in the
glossy department stores should re-
member that in the future their posi-
tions may depend on service, not super
ciliousnesS. I went to tempting per-
fume counter the other day-not looking
too tempting myself, I dare say, as it
was shortly after my arrival and I
hadn't had time for polishing I asked
for my favorite perfume, fairly ex-
pensive brand had longed for while
abroad. At last I saw the familiar
package almost within reach. The
saleslady looked at me carefully, and
gingerly placed a small bottle of some
thing inferior before me: THAT one is
$3.50, this is only $3.50" She sighed
and turned to continue her conversa-
ton with colleague. From some unex-
pected resource of courtesy. I said,
Thank you," before leaving the coun-
ter without the perfume.
The same feeling of superiority to
customers is experienced in many res
taurants, hotels, stores, clubs. The at
titude has become one of "take it or
leave it-if you don't want it some one
else will, and 1t doesn't make the least
difference to me, If it's you or some one
else" I've taken it with perfect resigna-
ton because I remember Washington's
| population is largely transient, unap-
| preciative, and the staff of salespeople
may have bitter recollections of poor
tips, long hours, weary indifference to
work well done.
However, except for my incipient in