Turn to the Mirror

Not all readers of that gum-chewers' sheetlet, the New York Graphic, are gum-chewers. Some of them snuggle the pink-faced tabloid into Park Avenue homes, there to read it in polite seclusion. They have reason: the Graphic's gossip-purveying, scandal-scooping, staccato-styled Monday column, "Your Broadway and Mine."

For some time the writer of that column has been Walter Winchell, no ordinary scandal-scooper. Famed is he in theatre lobbies, speakeasies, night clubs. From one gossip-centre to another he travels to get column material. Alert, the Winchell ears hear all. Amiable, the Winchell disposition makes friends easily, elicits scandal-scraps. Then, at three and four in the morning, he goes back to his typewriter and two-fingers what he has learned, adding here and there the result of an imaginative mind.

Great is the jealousy, in some columnistic quarters, of the Winchell sources of information. Once, it is said, there hung a sign in the New York World office, warning all to tell Winchell nothing. But somehow, Winchell learns. Those interested to know who and his wife are expecting offspring find out in the Graphic's "Your Broadway and Mine" every Monday. When the offspring arrives, its sex is immediately disclosed. When Gossiper Winchell is flayed for a statement, he says "sorry" the next day--but only when serious consequences are threatened. Otherwise, he says nothing.

One day last week, Graphic-snugglers were surprised to read: "The Evening Graphic announces the appointment of Louis Sobol as dramatic editor and critic, effective at once. Mr. Sobol will also conduct the column known as 'Your Broadway and Mine.' " Discouraged, they turned to the Times, wherein appeared an advertisement announcing that starting Monday, June 10, Walter Winchell will conduct a column for a rival gum-chewers' sheetlet--the New York Daily Mirror. Many a Winchell reader does not believe all that he reads. Sometimes the Winchell prophecies are right; sometimes they are wrong. But Winchell worshippers have enlarged their vocabularies, learned many a word they never had heard before. Some Winchell Words are: "dotter"--daughter "moom pitcher"--moving picture "Hahhlim"--Harlem "gel"--girl "sealed"--married "Joosh"--Jewish "tome"--book "Horrors Liveright"--Horace Liveright "hush parlor"--speakeasy

Somebody heard little Walter Winchell sing in a Harlem cinema house when he was 13, found him a sing-song job in Gus Edwards' Newsboy Sextet. That year, "incorrigible," "stupid," he quit school. Soon he was touring with a "gel," applauded by a few and egged by many as he hoofed and sang. As his voice grew deeper, his singing grew worse. After being laid off, in Durham. N. C., he fed chickens on a boxcar to get back to Manhattan. During the War he was Sailor Winchell.

War over, Walter Winchell returned to vaudeville, then became a writer on the Vaudeville News. Salary: $25 a week.

In 1924, long-haired Bernarr Macfaddcn founded the Graphic, hired Writer Winchell on a seven-year contract as columnist, dramatic critic. Starting salary: $100 a week, all of which he earned by night.

As Graphic circulation grew, so did the Winchell fame, the Winchell salary. But the salary-growth was not rapid enough to suit the ambitious gossip purveyor. I And said he: "I was willing to stay with the Graphic because of the amazing liberty I enjoyed, but I became unhappy because of a double cross about money." This year, he said, the Graphic promised him $300 a week, 50% of syndicate receipts. Neither the $300 nor all the 50% forthcame, Winchell related. But in his desk was a contract with the Hearst organization for a weekly salary of $500 plus 50% of the syndicated receipts. Last week, the Hearst contract was sold to Publisher A. J. Kobler, of the Mirror, which, such sheets as Variety suspect, still belongs to William Randolph Hearst.

Gossiper Winchell admits his salary is $500 a week and 50% of syndicate receipts. He says he will continue with the Winchell Words, the Winchell gossip every Monday, which cause many to believe that Park Avenue sheetlet-snugglers will turn to the Mirror.