The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-13
As Pegler Sees 1t
BY WEsTBRooK PEGLER

club, an organization of boys between IS and
Is, with about 100, 900 members, who attend
some Of the games at the Brooklyn b~all-yard
free. This action is by way OF rebuke TO Leo
Durocher, the manager OF the team, for his
implication in "a long series OF events both
on and off the baseball diamond" The events
are not specified, but reference may be sus-
pected to Durocher's association with George
Raft and other personalities Of the under
world of the movies, the radio and the night
clubs, his muckerism on the field and his
marriage.
Directly this can not have the effect of a
| boycott OF the baseball firm, although it
| might deter some adult cash customers who
are Catholics, and some others. The fact that
some Of the persons who own a financial in
tel est in the firm are Catholics is a compli-
cation because the letter Of withdrawal says
Durocher's example would be deleteri-
GUS to the moral and spiritual welfare of
boys. These owners will be unlikely to plead
guilty OF maintaining a moral nuisance, as 4
member of their w clergy implies.
/ am opposed to boycotts in general but
not in principle, believing that they are jusN-
fed in some circumstances and that the in
dividual has a right to decide for himself
what reasons are sufficient. In this case. l
prefer the counsel OF Patrick r. Seaman, the
managing editor Of the Tablet, a vigorous
| weekly r'maintained by and in the interest Of
the Roman Catholic diocese Of Brooklyn
which is regarded as the official publication
Of the diocese.
In personal comment on Durocher'S con-
duct, Mr.. Seaman wrote that he had "sold
out his reputation among the Knot-Hole kids
and other youths who had looked up to him
- emphasis on up - as a hero, a smart fell
low. q good StrafeRISt a leader worthy of
adulation and imitation but offered him en-
couragement and another chance.
Leo Mr.. Seaman said, here is a chance
to show you are a real guy, not a cheap or
disloyal fellow. Redeem yourself before the
season starts, not only for your own eternal
welfare but for the pleasure all of us might
get by seeing the Dodgers play this year,
This is consistent with the position taken
by Branch Hickey, the business executive of
the firm, who recently described himself as
a moral and spiritual receiver for Durocher.
Mr.. Hickey is a conspicuously religious Pro-
testant. He said he had prayed over Durocher,
still had faith in him and had hope, at least.
that he would shun some of his old compan-
ions this year and henceforth, and otherwise
reform.
Dispatches from Havana, where the Brook
ly team is training, report that Durocher has
quit gambling on cards and forbidden the
team to play cards for keeps. has Withdrawn
from the society OF bookmakers and other
verboten types and is making a stab. at least,
at vlndlcating Rickey's confidence. The very
moment when this mar is showing symptoms
OF fright and correction would be no time to
review all the reasons why he suddenly found
himself IN E fix. 1t is not rubbing it in. how
ever, to say that a change had become inn
perative.
1t is too bad that Brooklyn chose Havana
Tor THIS years training rites because Havana
Is a Latin-Anerican capital with the tradi-
tlonal vices and, by coincidence, was select
ed this year as a special outpost by the
criminal scum Of New York, Chicago and the
Mlamls, Fortuitously, Lucky Luciano. an ex-
traordlnarlly loathesome rogue, boobed up
there. having broken his exile in Sicily to
winch ne was deported On his untimely re-
lease from prison in New York. Prostitution
and narcotics are among his business inter
ests, and naturally in Havana he met old
friends down from the states.
Although several American journalists who
might qualify as experts on the roster and the
relationships of American gangsters have So
]ourned IN Havana, the reporting of
this unique coterle. as usual, has been tan
tallzlngly reticent. They suggest much but re-
veal nothing. They advertise themselves and
their own munificent charities and invaluable
services to the nation, the sick and poor and
their incorruptible devotion to tolerance. but
they also publicize individuals in the manner
known as "glamorous'' who, in the hands of
honester and more courageous journalists.
would be deglamorized as public enemies.
The only exception Of this propaganda that
| have read was written by Robert Ruark of
the World-Telegram who is one OF the cosmic
rather than the gents'-room school, however.
and apparently just happened by. Even Mr..
Ruark, though, is Sketchy. He says a cam
palgn is going on to sweeten Luciano's charac-
ter with barber water, but lets it 80 at that.
He tells us that a pushful sprout of the new
dealnlght club-HollyWood axis. of late present
ed In the role Of friend and leader of our
youth, has been socializing with 1.-The mob
in Havana and is a buddy Of Luciano, but
again fades out. +.
1t certainly is true that we of the press /
nave been refniss in our dealing with the rise
OF the new underworld both in entertainment.
which now again, to an important degree, is
infested with vermin. and in professional sport.
Our panoplled and self-important celebrities
never break news stories which any city-side
reporter would recognize as such and turn in
to the desk, but, worse, they glorifv wastrels
ana crooks as amusing, generous and worthy
fellows. l would say, also, however, that Presi-
dents Roosevelt and Truman have been SINH
larly careless, if not worse, for they have en-
tertained and d~ignified persons against whom
the FBl and the Secret Service surely would
nave turned In adverse reports. To be sure.
2 president should be allowed to select his
own society but he shouldn't be obdurate
when Mr.. Clark, the Attorney General, is ap-
peallng to the sport editors to discredit false
gods in sport and exalt only admirable men
for the good of American youth.
feel bound to argue that Durocher's err
rors, though spectacular, would be less harm
tul to young boys, than the habitual cynicism
ana contempt for our system of government
shown by other men. Baseball is an ~institr-
ton, certainly. but a trivolity. after all bv
comparison with the administration Of JUS
tlce, and it is no trivial matter that children
should grow up morally and spiritually in
ured to the like Of the Joe Fay trial in Newark.