The Era -- Day By Day

[MissNathalieVintage]

Her parents really took out a big ad just for this photo to be the first thing one sees in the women's interest section of the Trib.

 

[Fading Fast]

Wonderful drawing of the seaplane in action. The reason Joy never wears a bathing cap is that her hair, apparently, is impervious to water.

 

[LizzieMaine]

It's a good thing Downwind doesn't go in for a Dude Hennick-style haircut, or Joy would have to find some other way to pull him along...

 

[LizzieMaine]

British planes dropped tons of high explosives and incendiary bombs on Hamburg shipyards, leaving the yards "a mass of flames," according to the British Air Ministry. The raiders had the handicap of heavy ground haze, great searchlight activity, and intense anti-aircraft fire, the Ministry reports, so instead of attacking en masse, they split up and attacked singly from various altitudes and directions in order to evade ground defenses. The intensive night raids followed wide daylight attacks against German ports along the French coast.

The possibility that France may re-enter the war on the side of the Axis is forseen in Berlin, amidst reports that Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop has left for, or is about to leave for Vichy. Dispatches from Switzerland suggest that the Axis Powers are attempting to persuade France to declare war on Britain by offering comparatively easy peace terms, and it is also reported that French president Pierre Laval is discussing the situation with Nazi officials in Paris.

The first Brooklyn draft board to complete listing and numbering its registrants today turned in its work to Colonel Arthur V. McDermott. Local Board 174 in Bay Ridge has assigned its registrants draft numbers from 1 to 3186.

A clerk who swore he's never heard of Joe Adonis was selected today to serve as foreman of the Superior Court jury that will try Adonis's pal Sam Gasberg on charges of kidnapping, extortions, and assault. Daniel F. Powers of 710 54th Street was the first juror to be accepted in the trial, despite having a police record of his own. Mr. Powers was once arrested and discharged for firing off a pistol on the Fourth of July.

Possible fifth-column activity involving the illegal pawning of citizenship papers in Bay Ridge is under investigation by the FBI. U. S. Attorney John T. Cahill is reported to be interested in the probe of whether naturalized merchant seamen are using their papers as security for loans. The possibility that such "pawned" certificates might be used in illegal voting is also reported to be under investigation.

(The Hon. Mr. Seabury was a crusading lawyer who back in 1932 headed the "Seabury Commission," an extensive probe of political corruption in the New York City government that forced Jimmy Walker's resignation as mayor. That he's connected with this organization gives it instant legitimacy in the eyes of the public.)

Critics who claim that social studies textbooks written by Dr. Harold G. Rugg are "communistic" confronted the author in person last night at a town meeting in Manhasset. The Manhasset Board of Education banned Dr. Rugg's books last month, acting at the instance of complaints by the Manhasset American Legion that they contained "un-American, communistic, and socialist teachings," and during the meeting at Manhasset High School, Dr. Rugg defended his work, declaring that he intended to "portray a complete picture of the social structure of the nation." When a parent demanded from the floor that he explain "why we teach students between the ages of 11 and 14 that the founders of our country were skunks," Dr. Rugg took exception. "I have smiled till now," he retorted, "but I have never called the founders of our country skunks."

Three men are under arrest in connection with the August 23rd robbery of a mail train in upper Manhattan. The suspects include a former police officer, 32-year-old Thomas Gentles of West New York, New Jersey, who is reported to have been "dismissed from the force" in 1937. Another of the suspects, John Hanley, also of West New York, is already under indictment for a robbery at a Consolidated Edison office in Manhattan, during which $31,000 in cash was taken.

(Yep, nothing says "The American Way of Living" like a hokey cardboard fireplace. And I bet Schroth is sore that those 24 pages are in the News, Journal, and Mirror and not the Eagle.)

(Joe Medwick resents this drunkard drake for stealing his nickname. Joe is a clean-living wholesome fellow whose lips would never touch wine cake.)

One Biddy Briggs writes in to Helen Worth to unload a massive catalog of woes. Her husband is a no-account bum who will do nothing around the house, her son spends all his time engaging with his pigeon coops, skips school, and is allergic to soap, her daughter is naught but a "noisy brat," and her dog runs rampant in the streets to the annoyance of the SPCA. "Only the cats can I count on," she sobs. "Mr Toodles brings me mice and leaves them under the kitchen stove, and Dolly Duchess sits on the stairs where she is determined to be stepped on." Biddy says she's ready to walk away from everything and everybody, and wants to know Helen's thoughts. Helen says "take some time off -- a day, a week, a month -- and see what happens. What say the readers?"

("Of course we're Communists! In the cafeteria, we were hungry -- so ve et!")

Fred Fitzsimmons not only led the National League in winning pecentage this year with a glittering .889, but he set a new league record in doing so -- surpassing the .824 mark set by Jack Chesbro of the Pirates in 1902 and equalled by Dazzy Vance of the Dodgers in 1924. That, says Tommy Holmes, ought to qualify Fat Freddie for a new award being given out this year by the Sporting News in honor of the top performance of the year by a veteran player. Certainly 40-year-old Jimmy Wilson's return to the active roster for the Reds qualifies, as does elderly Ted Lyons' fine performance this year for the White Sox. But Fitzsimmons also doubled thruout the season as a vital member of Leo Durocher's coaching staff -- when he wasn't pitching, he was coaching first base, and served also as Durocher's first lieutenant during team practices. Give him the award already!

(Even the turtle is fed up.)

(Does Willie Mullins know Mr. Snuffer stole his overcoat?)

(Yeah, Slim cared soooooooo much about his son and his mother that he left them homeless. Mary needs to get herself squared away here.)

(IT'S A GENERAL ORDER! 'CAUSE I'M A GENERAL! GET IT?)

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

"Madame Lady Finger." Chester Gould reads the paper today and says "Damn, I shoulda thought of that one..."

Annnnd we're back. Wynn wouldn't do it, huh? Lahr must've told him the check bounced.

Down to the wire.

You could work for your keep, helping old Bert run his still out in the woods...

Aw, c'mon, get that hat off. We wanna see!

Where's Blaze when we need him?

Oh, Min. Seize this opportunity and run, run like the wind!

"What Are You Wearing Today?"

That's one way to get out of a bad situation.

I dunno, Jim. That fashy haircut makes me kinda nervous.

 

[Fading Fast]

...The possibility that France may re-enter the war on the side of the Axis is forseen in Berlin, amidst reports that Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop has left for, or is about to leave for Vichy. Dispatches from Switzerland suggest that the Axis Powers are attempting to persuade France to declare war on Britain by offering comparatively easy peace terms, and it is also reported that French president Pierre Laval is discussing the situation with Nazi officials in Paris....

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You tell 'em Ilsa.

...
(Yep, nothing says "The American Way of Living" like a hokey cardboard fireplace. And I bet Schroth is sore that those 24 pages are in the News, Journal, and Mirror and not the Eagle.)...)

I'm not just saying it, that fake fireplace was the thing that jumped out at me from that big ad too. I had just assumed fake fireplaces were a post-war or even '70s thing.

...
("Of course we're Communists! In the cafeteria, we were hungry -- so ve et!")...

According to the earlier Eagle article, all these college kids learned their communism in middle school from the social studies textbooks written by Dr. Harold G. Rugg.

....Fred Fitzsimmons not only led the National League in winning pecentage this year with a glittering .889, but he set a new league record in doing so -- surpassing the .824 mark set by Jack Chesbro of the Pirates in 1902 and equalled by Dazzy Vance of the Dodgers in 1924. That, says Tommy Holmes, ought to qualify Fat Freddie for a new award being given out this year by the Sporting News in honor of the top performance of the year by a veteran player. Certainly 40-year-old Jimmy Wilson's return to the active roster for the Reds qualifies, as does elderly Ted Lyons' fine performance this year for the White Sox. But Fitzsimmons also doubled thruout the season as a vital member of Leo Durocher's coaching staff -- when he wasn't pitching, he was coaching first base, and served also as Durocher's first lieutenant during team practices. Give him the award already!...

Seconded!

...
(Even the turtle is fed up.)...

"Snap" is the perfect response. Also, a great name for the turtle himself.

I want to be the contractor for Doc's house.

... (Yeah, Slim cared soooooooo much about his son and his mother that he left them homeless. Mary needs to get herself squared away here.)...)

Agreed, this is incredibly weak. Faced with two unappealing choices, you choose the least bad one - over to you Mary. And honestly, sending that son to jail is not really a bad choice.

...
"Madame Lady Finger." Chester Gould reads the paper today and says "Damn, I shoulda thought of that one..."...

Darn it Lizzie, you beat me to that one. That name, even as a nickname, is too good to be true.

Note again the prevalence and popularity, in the 1940s, of a career in jewel thievery.

Betty Klempa turned out to be much better looking than I expected, but heck, she's got a German-sounding name and it's 1940, so she's obviously guilty. Kidding aside, gruesome but interesting mystery.

I'm not commenting on the name of the magazine "Man to Man."

... I dunno, Jim. That fashy haircut makes me kinda nervous.

Old pal Jim Trailer certainly let Tracy and Pat go through a lot until he decided to get involved and, even then, it wasn't to save Tracy and Pat, but to stop the bad guys from getting away.

 

[MissNathalieVintage]

 

[MissNathalieVintage]

 

[MissNathalieVintage]

 

[MissNathalieVintage]

There is still mounted police in Chicago. It always creeps me out and I cant help but think of those poor horses having to be in the traffic and not out in the country side were they naturally should be.

 

[Fading Fast]

That's not a small bonk on the head. And just noting, her hair's still all but perfect.

 

[LizzieMaine]

And how is Downwind not drowned by now? Wasn't he unconscious/semi-conscious at best when he went into the water in the first place?

Interesting to see the resistance to paper milk cartons in Chicago -- I don't remember any real controversy at all when they showed up in New York. One day, boom, Get Sheffield Sealect Milk In The Exciting Two-Quart Container! Somebody on the Chicago Board of Health owns stock in a glass company.

 

[ChiTownScion]

"What Are You Wearing Today?"


I wonder what a grand in cash at a fine men's clothing store would have really bought Harold back in 1940. A cashmere overcoat at Brooks Brothers (online, and it really does look like a decent one) will set you back at about $1,700. today. A decent suit can be had for about $800.

I'm not too proud to admit that I hit the mall outlet stores when it comes to dress clothes. You don't get anywhere near the level of service that you get in a regular store from the chain, and you're on your own when it comes to tailoring. The quality of the lines offered may not be up to what is offered at a regular Brooks Brothers store either... but I've done okay. I wear suits so rarely in retirement (lodge events, primarily) that they tend to last years longer that when I was working.

I've even bought sport coats at Goodwill for five bucks and gotten away with it. An odor- proof plastic bag for checkout and a beeline to the nearest dry cleaners can work wonders in that realm.

 

[Fading Fast]

"What Are You Wearing Today?"


I wonder what a grand in cash at a fine men's clothing store would have really bought Harold back in 1940. A cashmere overcoat at Brooks Brothers (online, and it really does look like a decent one) will set you back at about $1,700. today. A decent suit can be had for about $800.....

According to an inflation calculator (based on the gov't CPI measurement), which is far from perfect, $1000 in 1940 is worth about $18,600 today. So, depending on how much of his $1000 Howard was willing to spend - and the quality of merchandise he bought - he could do some real damage in a men's store with a grand back in 1940.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I wonder how he plans to get all that stuff back home? He's going to need a steamer trunk, when all he left home with was a small suitcase.

It's time for a little box in the corner of the last panel each day showing the running total he's spent and has got left.

 

[Fading Fast]

I wonder how he plans to get all that stuff back home? He's going to need a steamer trunk, when all he left home with was a small suitcase.

It's time for a little box in the corner of the last panel each day showing the running total he's spent and has got left.

We've all seen it, somebody has a windfall of some sort and goes spending nuts. I like the running-total box idea.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Adolf Hitler and Generalissimo Francisco Franco met today in a railway car at the Spanish-French border. According to reports from Spain, the two dictators were accompanied by their foreign ministers, and three meetings were held. A communique concerning the meetings will be issued tonight.

French Vice Premier Pierre Laval left tonight for Paris after a conference in Vichy with Premier Marshal Henri Petain. The United Press reports that the substance of the meeting involved negotiations in process with the Nazi Fuehrer, and that Laval is on his way back to Paris to provide the French reply to the question of whether France will join the war against England on the side of the Axis. A French government spokesman had earlier indicated that France would undertake "no military, naval, or aerial action against England.

Details of German preparations to invade the British Isles were made public today by the British Air Ministry, with reports from London stating that Germany had concentrated hundreds of self-propelled barges, each 150 feet long and capable of carrying two railroad carloads of men and equipment at invasion ports along the French coast. The barges, targeted by terrific bombing by British raiders, had been altered to allow the landing of tanks and heavy guns on the British shores.

(No, you're supposed to put the egg *in* your beer.)

The national presidential campaign reached new depths of bitterness today in remarks by Democratic National Committee chairman Edward Flynn criticizing the type of cabinet appointments likely to be made if Republican presidential nominee Wendell L. Willkie is elected. Chairman Flynn cited a list of banking, corporation, and public utility executives whom he argued would be Willkie's choices for Cabinet positions, including Thomas Lamont, a partner in J. P. Morgan & Company, steel executives Tom L. Girdler and Ernest T. Weir, Sun Oil Company president Joseph Pew, and former Appellate Division jurist and public utilities legal representative Joseph Proskauer. Mr. Flynn further suggested that for Postmaster General, Mr. Willkie would nominate "a person who is sending thru the mail scurrilous letters in which President Roosevelt is attacked."

Mr. Willkie is to speak tonight at the Bronx Coliseum, the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, and the Manhattan Center. Meanwhile in Brooklyn, "No Third Term" Day will be observed at the Academy of Music in a speech by former New York Governor Alfred E. Smith endorsing Willkie's candidacy.

The attempted theft of several housecoats from a Nostrand Avenue shop led to a furious foot chase thru Crown Heights this morning before the proprietress of the store captured the shoplifter. Two young women entered the dry goods and notion store of Mrs. Clara Stein shortly before 11 this morning, and while Mrs. Stein took one of the women into the rear of the store for a fitting, the other began "rummaging" thru the stock. When Mrs. Stein discovered that the woman had "rummaged" right out of the store with several housecoats, she chased after her, shrieking with rage, and finally apprehended the woman, locking her in a "half-nelson" while yelling for her son to go after the other woman and a third woman who had been waiting outside for the other two. Handicapped by high heels as they clattered down the street, those two were stopped by a bystander, 37-year-old Carl West of 1289 Union Street. After the young women gave Mrs. Stein $5 for the housecoats, no charges were pressed, and the three were let off by police with an admonition.

(The guy on the bike is sorry he missed all the excitement.)

("Kolinsky Fur" was the fur of a weasel-type animal from Siberia. "Levinsky Fur," in the slang of the Era, was a fur coat from a pawn shop.)

Physicians in charge of examining and classifying draftees under the Selective Service law, will be provided with a confidential book of instructions on how to detect and expose fakers trying for medical exemptions from military service. It is expected that approximately one out of every five draftees will be classified "1-A," meaning they are qualified for general military service. College students who meet the physical specifications of that class may be placed in class 1-D for deferrment until the end of the present academic year. Those in class 1-B will qualify physically for limited military service, while those classified 4-F will be permanently and completely disqualified. The contents of the instructions issued to examiners are not being made public, but military authorities express confidence that few fakers will escape detection.

Republicans in the State Legislature acknowledged that a law extending voting hours in the state to 9 pm will largely benefit Democrats, especially in heavily-Democratic New York City, but they nevertheless joined with Democrats in unanimously approving the measure.

Truancy in New York City schools dropped sharply during the 1930s, according to a study by the Bureau of Attendance of the Board of Education. Ten years ago, according to that report, truancy cases ran as high as 10,000 a year, but during the 1938-39 school year, they dropped to approximately 6000. There has also been a change in the average age of habitual truants -- in 1930, 73 percent were under the age of 15, but at present the ratio is reversed, with 73 percent over the age of 15. The report cites discordant home conditions, particularly situations where the parents fight and argue constantly as a primary contributor to habitual truancy.

(And Friday is Positively No Refunds or Returns Day.)

The new Negro Playwrights Company opened its first production at the Lincoln Theatre in Harlem, and Arthur Pollock headed uptown to view the opening performance of "Big White Fog," written by the company's founder, Theodore Ward. He finds the show "very earnest and honest, and striking evidence that the company does not intend to produce piffle about its people." But he also finds that it is "unfortunately, a pretty bad play. Its sincerity, however, keeps the audience intent." The drama depicts the lives of a family conflicted in its views of the Marcus Garvey movement of the 1920s, and is generally well-acted by a cast headed by Canada Lee and Louise Jackson, although it would have benefitted from "more rehearsal."

(International intrigue paired with illicit office romance. Wonder what the cartoon is?)

Civilian groups at Floyd Bennett Field are uniting in opposition to a possible takeover of the entire field by the Navy Department. It is argued that a military takeover of the airport will cost the jobs of 500 civilian workers. Navy Secretary Frank Knox admitted on Monday that a purchase of the field is under consideration, leading to protests from civil air operators who use the field and argue there is no other civilian facility in the area sufficient for their needs.

The Eagle Editorialist praises Assistant Attorney General John H. Amen, pointing out that even though he has come out on the losing end of several high profile cases over the past two years in his investigation of official corruption in Brooklyn, he still has won about ninety-five percent of his cases.

Reader William H. Whitton writes in to protest the "Ride With Roosevelt" signs now displayed by Brooklyn trolleys, and argues there is no place for such billboards on a municipally-run system. The EE replies that the billboards are paid advertising, sold to the Roosevelt campaign on the same basis as any other advertising, and the space is available on an equal basis to anyone who cares to buy it.

(There's No One With Endurance....)

Magazine publisher Bernarr Macfadden has been accused of illegally spending a quarter of a million dollars of his firm's money to fund his presidential campaign in 1936. Stockholders of Macfadden Publications, Inc, publishers of Liberty magazine and physical-culture and health publications, allege that Macfadden channeled company funds into his personal Macfadden Foundation to be used for campaign purposes and other personal ventures. Stockholders also charge that the publisher used company funds to pay his personal staff, and that he also took a personal loan of more than $300,000 from the company in 1937, a debt which he then induced directors of the company to cancel.

The Football Dodgers are back at work at Ebbets Field today preparing for Saturday night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Bruiser Kinard, all-league tackle, who has been sidelined by a gash in his left hand that required seven stitches, is reportedly now ready to play, but coach Jock Sutherland does not anticipate using him, hoping instead to allow him another week's recovery time in order to be fully prepared for the upcoming game against the Giants.

New York Rangers manager Lester Patrick predicts the Blueshirts will repeat as Stanley Cup Champions for 1940-41, as his team breaks up training camp in Winnipeg and prepares to barnstorm home alongside the Americans. "We're intact and we're the champions," declared the Silver Fox. "Let the other fellow do the worrying."

Don't miss the Quiz Kids broadcast tonight at 8pm over WJZ. Ten year old public-school mathematical wizard Richard Williams will make his second appearance on the program.

(Yeah, a lot of senators have that problem.)

(Jo, could you come in here please and take over now?)

("A few scrapes?" Is that what you call ABANDONING YOU AND HIS ONLY SON TO LIVE IN THE STREET?)

(CUT! General, the line is "Of course you realize -- this means WAR!" Now do it like we rehearsed!)

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

(There's easier ways to get back at a nagging boss than croaking them. Why not just short-sheet her?)

(Under the laws of the time an annulment would not be granted unless it could be proven that the marriage had not been "consummated." And LOL at the Neighbors today -- there exist home movies of me behaving exactly thus. Those stupid floodlights were HOT.)

Both sides = whistling in a graveyard.

Oh come now, Annie, all that time you spent hanging around with Nick must've taught you *something*....

Wow! So the coming war will be fought with flame-throwing flying submarine tanks? I can't wait!

Got your will in order, Chops?

Point of order: most of the exploding cigars you can get in 1940 contain no actual explosive but a small compressed spring bound by a thread that burns thru when the flame hits it and sort of just pops the cigar open. It goes "smack" or "pop" more than it goes "boom." Real exploding cigars using flash powder went out of style in the 1910s after somebody actually got killed by one.

Watch out Skeez, he'll have your job before he's done.

Y'know, Mamie, your feet wouldn't get squashed so much if you'd wear real shoes once in a while.

Well, you know, now that you mention it, he does kinda look like Ronald Reagan sometimes.

 

[ChiTownScion]

Well, you know, now that you mention it, he does kinda look like Ronald Reagan sometimes.

I have the sneaking suspicion that this semester's tuition at "the school of hard knocks of the university of life" is gonna be a real slam to our hapless friend Harold. Getting into Yale and being tagged by Skull and Bones might be less costly.

When I got engaged to my now wife, a friend counselled me, "Let your wife handle the money: women are far more prudent in that regard than you or I. " Not sure that applies to Lillums, but this kid reminds me of myself after having cashed that first decent paycheck. Generosity is a virtue, but overdoing it for the wrong reason is a vice.

 

[Fading Fast]

...The attempted theft of several housecoats from a Nostrand Avenue shop led to a furious foot chase thru Crown Heights this morning before the proprietress of the store captured the shoplifter. Two young women entered the dry goods and notion store of Mrs. Clara Stein shortly before 11 this morning, and while Mrs. Stein took one of the women into the rear of the store for a fitting, the other began "rummaging" thru the stock. When Mrs. Stein discovered that the woman had "rummaged" right out of the store with several housecoats, she chased after her, shrieking with rage, and finally apprehended the woman, locking her in a "half-nelson" while yelling for her son to go after the other woman and a third woman who had been waiting outside for the other two. Handicapped by high heels as they clattered down the street, those two were stopped by a bystander, 37-year-old Carl West of 1289 Union Street. After the young women gave Mrs. Stein $5 for the housecoats, no charges were pressed, and the three were let off by police with an admonition....

In the Dan Dunn version of this story, it took both Dan and Irwin weeks of undercover work to accomplish what feisty Mrs. Stein and her son accomplished in one, no-nonsense, fell swoop.

Oh, and "admonition," how refined for Brooklyn - over to you Joe and Sally.

...The Eagle Editorialist praises Assistant Attorney General John H. Amen, pointing out that even though he has come out on the losing end of several high profile cases over the past two years in his investigation of official corruption in Brooklyn, he still has won about ninety-five percent of his cases....

O'Dwyer's gonna wanna see his positive mention appearing soon.

... (Jo, could you come in here please and take over now?)...

I've struggled to understand this storyline since it began. At first, a neighbor trolling them as a ventriloquist made sense and, as you noted later, maybe it was showing that Jo and George both had mental problems, but if these guys hear it then we're back to the ventriloquist, I guess. Whatever, take the money. He's hot for it; ask $5000 (~$93,000 today) and be happy. Oh, and hold the money aside as you'll probably have to give it back to avoid going to jail.

...
(There's easier ways to get back at a nagging boss than croaking them. Why not just short-sheet her?)....

It looks pretty compelling that the maid did it, but boy would those police tactics, thankfully, not be allowed today.

Why put a gold cap on a wisdom tooth - why not just pull it?

If not for the Motion Picture Production Code, Hollywood would be trying to buy the Tisdale's story as we speak.

If the Canal inspectors step into Dan Dunn world, they will be in for a surprise.

Our comic strip writers could take a stab at the Mary Jean Anderson story, but it would be hard to do even in comic-strip land and, in truth, the Daily News played it for all its prurient value anyway.

..
Well, you know, now that you mention it, he does kinda look like Ronald Reagan sometimes.

Your running-total box just keeps clicking higher as even the bellhops know how to play a rube.