The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1945-02-15
So This Is New York
By North Callahan

inc view IOrk lily DeIense hccTc-
alton Committee has compiled a list of
things for service men to see and do
while in New York, and to give you an
idea of what G.. l. Joe Is apt to be doing
on a visit here, I arr setting forth a
few Of the recommended items. These
are not necessarily the ones ! would
select personally, but those which seem
most popular as we'll as typical.
Near the top of the alphabetical list
Is the Arcadia Ballroom, one of those
huge dance halls with a floor seemingly
a mile long and two orchestras which
do their best to fill the place with music
and people. Ordinarily such dance halls
have hostesses who dance with boys for
the proverbial ten cents a dance. How
ever. this is one Of the better bathrooms
and on Monday nights, it is given over
to service men and women who may
dance free for the evening. OF course,
here congregate the jitterbugs, those
ndeterminate species of nature, who
gyrate to their hearts delight-and
hundreds are in uniform.
Another extreme is'the Book Canteen
which Is in a large room of the big pub
lie library at 42nd Street and 9Th Ave.
Here the ~quieter type Of service mar
may indulge his fancy to the fullest
among the printed pages Of unlimited
volumes. G.. I. Joe can also check any
bit Of information available to modern
knowledge, from the golfing climate OF
Ceylon to how much a pair Of socks
cost in Iceland. There are free books
too, donated by generous New Workers.,
and the service man can take these out
and keep them. Often there can be seen
here, along with average fellows. a be-
spectacIed soldier wearing perhaps the
single stripes of a Pfc. who at home
has a framed diploma denoting that
he Is also a Ph.D.
For French soldiers, sailors and ma
rines, Of whom there are a surprising
number in New York, the Cantine La
Marssllaise on End Avenue is the answ-
or 70 their desires for recreation. Here
they may enjoy dancing. small games,
obtain information, read in the library,
cit in the lounge and talk to girls, hold
parties, play ping pong or write letters.
Every now and then some celebrity OF
French nationality comes to town and
those in charge Of this canteen usually
manage to get him or her to pay the
place a visit. I recall one night seeing
Charles Boyer leaving the canteen under
. barrage of admiring cheers and smiles
from the young service people and their
hostesses.
One of the most valuable listings in
tbs group is hat Of the Public Tele-
phone Center for the Armed Forces To-
Gated right on Times Square. When
Johnny calls you long distance, the
char 'es are good that he will be calling
from this de luxe spot which has been
especially built for him and his bud
dies. It really is nothing more than one
big glorified telephone booth, but ornate
to the extent of magnificence. Enclos-
ed by moderfiistic glass, lighted in a
scientific manner, the room resembles
the main foyer of some exclusive coun-
try club in the Adirondacks. While
Johnny waits for his call, he sits IN
deep, soft chairs. reads the latest mag
azines furnished free and listens to
the dulcet tones of Muzac music coming
from ~well-placed outlets and consisting
of nice dance tunes recorded by the best
orchestras. In fact, this, would be a good
place for him to 60 to even II he didn't
have q telephone call to make.