The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-06-01
Norfolk Hos Meat Galore
By FREDERICK c. OTHMAN

By FREDERICK C. OThMAN
 Norfolk, Va, June 1.-(UP)-This is about bread with butter on 1t. Remember?
 And cigarets by the carton, eggs with bacon Cor ham), chicken cooked any way you want it and steaks of all varieties. Go ahead and drool Then buy ticket to Norfolk, Va.
 What happened was the boss sent me down from Washington to do a story about a guy in Panama hat setting up shop on a station plat form and auctioning off the Sea- board Airlines railroad for s52,00O,- 800
 It was interesting, all right, but you can read about it on the flnan- cial page. The real news, think, is Norfolk the incredible, where the men folks are sailors, all the girls are beautiful and nobody stands in line for anything
 In the hotel coffee shop yester- day morning the girl wondered whether I'd have bacon or ham. I said ham. She said what kind, ugar-cured or Virginia smoked? Honest, I'm not kidding I took sugar-cured. With it came two chunks of butter for my toast.
 So I thought then I'd see if may be some kind tobacconist would break down and sell me some smokes. I said could I please have some cigarets?
 What kind?" he wanted to know. Any kind" said.
 T got all kinds" he said. He did, too. I said I'd have g. package of Camels. He said wouldn't I like two packages? I said would. He said as a matter of fact he got pretty drrned tired of handing out cigarets a package at time. A waste of effort. Wouldn't I like a carton?
 So I walked out with my smokes under my armand I'm still telling the truth and nothing but-and pretty soon 1t was time for lunch.
 The bill of fare said q took notes) f1let mignon, sirloin steak lamb chops, southern fried chicken and roast turkey. I settled for the chicken and it was noble eating SIPS.
 Then I took the ferry across the Eliza beth river to see Panama hat peddle a railroad and I don't care whether you believe me or not: The news stand was piled high with chocolate bars, chewing gum and cigarets. Nobody was lining up for any of these things and if 1t hadn't been for the sailors you wouldn't have known there was a war on.
 The financiers, including Otis A Glazebrook, Jr., of New York, who brought the $5O,OO0,O0O with him were standing around the platform talking about you-know-what: Nor folk beef steaks.
 After a couple of hours of Palaver Glazebrook's committee of bond holders bought their railroad from the elderly auctioneer and it was time for a beer. I had bottle of one of those de luxe brands ] 1 HAUL SStIl III UWO years.
 For dinner tried another restau- rant. Nobody introduced me. ] didn't bribe anybody. The menu said sirloin steaks in melted butter, g I had one of same and I don't think I ever tasted better.
 By now, as you may have gather ed. was feeling too full to worry much about the reason why. I did talk to & Norfolk newspaper men though, and he said there lever had been shortage of anything in Nor folk except Scotch whiskey.
 He said his wife never had tc serve him macaroni. He said he un- derstood the concentration of Navy people in town caused the govern. ment to shake its stumps in a pro- visioning way. He said Norfolk wal a wonderful town.
 Amen, said I, wiping the butter of my chin.