POSTSCRIPTS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1932, Page 8

POSTSCRIPTS

Chronicle and Comment

BY PERCY FLAGE

There will be a vehement protest if the City Council decides, as a general policy, to prohibit street processions. Working days for thousands in offices are dull enough as it is. * * » Noted that in a glove battle with.' Camera a German boxer retired on account of aa injured foot. Probably; due to the "lumbering Alp" treading on it. •■ * # * PARADOXICAL. That dress reform edict from Sydneyreminds us of the costly and illogical vagaries of fashion. Skirts -went shorter as the husband's' salary grew larger, now they are longer, and . . . well, you know how your bank account stands to-day. *■ * * INTEKPKETATION. So far as we can gather, that French; contribution to the worries of the Disarmament Conference means that the League of Nations shall be converted into a policeman armed to the teeth, failing which France will continue to play that role—to the entire satisfaction of her Chauvinists and armament makers. •* * ■ * ONE CRITIC TO ANOTHER. I see as some wise guy 'as made 'Isself a critic stern; But w'en a chap starts that game, I Think Vs got lots ter learn. This time it's all erbout er sign Wot I meself 'aye seen; I thort it pretty cute., in fact, An I ain't nowise green. The butcher wot don't play the band Jus' 'ad 'is little joke, Reely it's time for pore old "G.H.AV." to be woke. 'E orta arsk wot that sign mean! . Now—there's er propersitionl Cause as it is, the "W" ( Looks like the oppersition. In my opinion Marcus Marks Is easy our best "joker," Yet 'c 'ad to explain a, yarn Of 'is for some pore croaker. JAMIE McCLANCT. P.S. —Love from Maine. ' • * * LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT. L.D.A. gives vent to these:— What said the Maori as he killed th» last of the giant birds? "It ain't gonna reign no moa, no moa, It ain't gonna reign no moa." And listen. Amongst the names of competitors in some recent school tennis matches I noticed those of Misa B. Good and Miss C. Lever. Methinka this carries out to the letter that pious instruction of Kingsley's: "B. Good, sweet maid, and let who will beat C Lever." * * * CRITICS CRITICISED. Dear Percy Flage,— Gilbert and Sullivan lovers last week were thrilled to bits by Wellington's dramatic, critics indicting exponents of G. and S. light operas now in session for taking liberties with phrasing and ."business." As these critics were merciless in upholding tradition their zeal would cause Gilbert to rest quietly, knowing full well that "technicists" were alert to preserve his immortal lines; but what a. falling: off was there. The reviewers of both dailies fell badlyin their notices of the "Pirates." They wrote about the patter song: "I am th» very 'pattern' of a modern Major-Gen-eral" instead of Gilbert's alliterative, "I am the very 'model' of a modern. Major-Gineral" (the "i," please, prinO, Gilbert (I quote with shame), The crimes committed in thy name* . Yours, D.O.N, * • * OSTRICH OPTIMISTS. It is our cousin Izzy once more on the warpath . . . this time reinforcing our note on the "kite-flyers" who specialise ia corners turned, tides waxing (or waning), and such "like guesses. When you're snooping round the landscape with your moral down at heel And its trouser cuffs all frazzled, looking rather as you feel— Which is not precisely joyous, though, not bordering on the tearful, Comes along the usual "prophet" with. his cheerful Tittle earful (Which we" paraphrase): "Dear brethren* you'll be very glad to learn . That the worst at last is over, and thei tide is on the turn. I have just returned from—(somewhere:Yurrup, Noo Yark, or Cathay) And therefore I can speak in an authoritative way. I've been guest and leading speaker at tha best Rotavian clubs, And have dined and wined with Big Brains at the most palatial pubs; I have looked the whole world over, and I can promise every mourner For past happy days, that good times ara —well, just around the corner." So the "prophet" makes the headlines of the papers (please don't laugh!)' With a nice verbatim statement, plus, of course, his photograph. But if asked: which corner, prithee? And how far have we to walk To make contact with the good times? H« will snuffle, snarl, and bauljj. That's the time to heave the cabbag* t ... it may help such loons to learn Its the milk of human patience—not th* tide—that's on the "turn." * * * THE GREAT GOD TAMMANY. Halfway through its . investigations of New York city government and polities, the Seabury Committee unearthedsuch facts as these. During his six years as sheriff of: N.Y. county on a salary ranging from 6000 to 15,000 dollars a year, T. F. Farley banked 560,680 dollars. James A. McQuade, Democratic leader in Brooklyn and Register of Kings county at a salary of from 9000 to 12,000 dollars, deposited 574,524 dollars in six years. In the same period, the chief clerk of tho City Court banked 131,161 dollars. 'He could not name sources of supply. City Clerk, Michael J. Cruise, "did not remember" certain items that made up 157,758 dollar bank deposits in sis years. Joseph Flah.erty, a Tammany election district captain for four months, deposited 20,000 dollars while his salary for that period was 900. ' An under-sheriff banked 662,311 dollars in a little less than seven years. A veterinary and former Tammany; office-holder, who had been practising before the Board of Tax Appeals, admitted that his average income had been 125,000 dollars a year, and that "ho had been splitting "his fees." The examination of witnesses having business dealings with the city developed tho fact that they paid large counsel fees to the law firm of George W. Olvany, head of Tammany from 1924 to 1929. In less than seven years the deposits of the firm exceeded 5,293,000 dollars.

Other phases of the inquiry involved questions of police protection for night clubs and gambling resorts, political manipulation of judgeships and of utility franchises. No wonder the committee failed to run down (for examination) Eussell T. Sherwood, said to be Mayor Walker's "financial agent."