On The Spot?

Daily colyumists in Manhattan's English-speaking press are the following:

Calvin Coolidge, Herald Tribune.

Arthur Brisbane, American.

Mary Louise ("Texas") Guinan, Graphic.

Franklin Pierce Adams, World.

Frank Sullivan, World.

Will Rogers, Times.

Neal O'Hara, Evening World.

Harry Irving Phillips, Sun.

Karl Kingsley Kitchen. Sun.

Beverly Smith, Herald Tribune.

Heywood Broun, Telegram.

Russel Crouse, Post.

Harry Acton, American.

Leo T. Heatley, Journal.

Louis Sobol, Graphic.

Sidney Skolsky, News.

Mark Hellinger, Mirror.

Walter Winchell, Mirror.

A weekly colyumist on Zit's Theatrical Newspaper is its managing editor, Paul Sweinhart. Last week he wrote: "I've just heard . . . that the crack was made the other morning in a night club that a certain daily newspaper columnist will be bumped off within six months." Broadway's newswise readers associated this warning not with Colyumists Coolidge, Brisbane, Guinan, Broun or a dozen others, but instinctively thought first of Gossip-Colyumist Walter Winchell (TIME, June 17, 1929). New York has heard before the rumor of threats against his life. Not loath to dramatize his position, Colyumist Winchell himself has helped circulate the impression that "some day. . . ." Characteristic is the legend that he has placed in a safe deposit box the names of those who might cheerfully see him "rubbed out," with a detailed account of their motives.

Some Winchell "cracks" of the past two months: "Evelyn Dallas, who got all that publicity when Geo. White discovered her in Florida, was dumped with others . . . Harry Richman, however, diamond-wrist watched her, and she likes . . . Mary Garden doesn't seem to be swooning at sight of Capt. Babe (6 ft. 7) White, the African explorer any more. ... A high official who 'resigned' recently because of 'ill health' was forced to retire because he was Harry Thawish. . . . What theatrical att'y has terpsichorines fired from shows when they do not go out with his 'particular' and 'eminent' friends? . . . Dunhill's wishes what Big Eye-Glass Man would pay his cigar bills? . . . What'll y'bet that Yolande Lossee of the Club Calais, and one of John W. Davis' nevviews ankled up a secret altar Satdee and then parted? . . . And that the late Andrew Carnegie's nevview Harry Sproul Jr. of the Racquet & Tennis Club, was welded in the shhh! manner to Annette Boudreau of Ottawa on May 16th? . . . A certain husband is marking time so he can trap his sqaw and her well-known pash in a public place and then disgrace them out loud. . . ."

If Colyumist Winchell has annoyed any one with such peeping chitchat, observers reflected that he may also be feared and hated for what he knows and has not written.*

*Six months hence (issue of May 4, 1931) or sooner, TIME will report any sudden changes in the roster of Manhattan colyumists.

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