RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 79, 27 December 1928, Page 8

RANDOM NOTES

SIDELIGHTS ON CURRENT EVENTS LOCAL AND GENERAL (By Cosmos.) The belief has been steadily growing with us that Christmas Day and Boxing Day should be followed by Recovery Day. • • * “M” says he knows from experience that it isn’t good luck to pick up a horseshoe on Boxing Day—when travelling in a motor-car. A reader who had a financial interest in several of yesterday’s race meetings says that the only person who can make money out of these “forecasting competitions” is the man in the weather bureau. » • • Writing in. “Britannia,” the new London weekly, which he .directed until a few days ago, Gilbert Frankau recently commented thus: “So Lord Birkenhead has left the Government, and the retirement from high office of the most conspicuously successful man of his generation is a more ominous portent than seems to be realised.” Frankau no doubt realises how true were his words on that occasion, as only last . week a cable message announced that he had been relieved of his position as editor and director of “Britannia,” and that Lord Birkenhead had been appointed in his stead.

Notwithstanding the determinfid efforts which have been made to stamp out the underworld of Chicago, the principal news items received from that American city still refer to crime. It is, therefore, not so surprising to hear that legitimate business interests in Chicago are taking criminals into partnership for protection against organised crime. We are told that leaders of professional gunmen have organised various “protective’ associations, which shopkeepers are “invited to join. They are made to pay heavy fees and monthly dues on pain of having their places of business blown up or set on fire, or their customers’ cars wrecked. The Chicago papers tell us that one of the city’s most notorious gunmen has become the invited partner in a clothes-cleaning concern, whose president declares that, having vainly sought redress from the State Attorney and the courts, has decided “to hire a devil to fight devils.’ Whatever else may be said about Chicago, nobody can call it a dulLCity. * ♦ *

The English Lord Justice who waxed indignant some time ago over those women who “spend their money in attempting to improve the face that Providence has given them” regarded beauty culture as a modernistic evil of the post-war. years. His remarks, however, have been the subject of a lengthy correspondence in the British Press, where it has been shown that “beauty doctors” have been in practice for over 3000 years. When the tomb of Tut-ankh-Amen was opened in the Valley of Kings, among the glitter of jewels and royal trappings brought to light was a small cosmetic vase, moist, intact, and delicately perfumed, eloquent of the sweet feminity of the young queen who died several thousand years ago. At intervals throughout the centuries it appears that someone has risen in protest against this eternal desire of woman to improve upon the features with which Providence has endowed her.

Commenting upon the days of Addison. a contributor to the “London Daily News” reminds us that even that genial old gentleman, “Mr. Spectator.” was caught in the meshes of an angry correspondence directed against that “portion of the Fair Sex who were so often Fairer than they had any right to be.” It all arose out of a letter from an aggrieved young man who fell out of love with his wife as soon as he had married her. He asks Mr. Spectator’s advice in a frank and manly fashion. “Never man was so enamoured as I was,” he wrote, “but to my great astonishment I find that her lips, cheeks, eyebrows, and hair are all the effects of art. I shall part with her by the first opportunity, unless her father will make her portion suitable to her real, not her assumed, countenance.” And after 3000 years of striving we have it on the authority of a practical scientist, women are growing more beautiful. Which recalls the truth of the saying: “Keeping everlastingly at it brings success.”

In view of the publicity which has been given to Scotland Yard during the last few weeks, many people will be interested in that conservative biio efficient British institution. It is safe to say that few people have the remotest idea of what Scotland Yard is like, as it is by no means an easy matter to gain admission, unless, of course, one has been, summoned to the building by the officials . themselves. Should you desire to enter Scotland Yard you are asked to fill in a printed form giving all kinds of personal information concerning yourself and your business. This slip is taken to the official you desire to see while you remain in the custody of an attendant. After vou have had your interview, if it is granted, the slip is returned to you. Without it you cannot leave the building. If you tried to you wouid be detained pending an investigation. Scotland Yard possesses a remarkable recording system which enables officials to find any criminal’s record or other topic in a few minutes.

Fingerprints and records relating to dangerous criminals of all countries are kept up to date, and many clerks are kept constantly engaged on this work alone. In the Records Department they have the • dossiers of all habitual criminals. These are made up of details collected from all parts of the world, and are remarkably complete. Many a criminal who has given an alias and a false address has been astonished to learn that he cannot fool Scotland Yard. Comparisons of his photographs and fingerprints make identification a comparatively easv matter. In the Photographic Department sensitive cameras and other equipment reveal what the naked eye could never hope to discover. Forged wills and other documents are invariably subjected to the photographic test, and interesting evidence is often discovered. Many people have beard of the museum which is housed in the Scotland Yard building. This is a comparatively small apartment which is fitted with numerous glass cases. On the walls, hang pictures and a variety of other objects, all of which have some connection with crime. Gruesome in the extreme are many of the exhibits, a description of which would not make good holiday reading. CHRISTMAS LAMENT. (Contributed by a young man who tried to buy gifts for all his friends on Christmas Eve.) The world Is so full Of such highly-priced things', I think we should all uiaie the incomo of Back