Peace Piece

Last January banjo-eyed Funnyman Eddie Cantor (ne Izzy Iskovitch) paused in his Pebeco Toothpaste broadcast. For the best essay on How Can America Stay Out of War? he would give a $5,000 col lege scholarship. Rarely had a radio bene faction been launched under happier au spices. The title was picked by onetime Secretary of War Newton Diehl Baker.

As judges, Funnyman Cantor, who never got beyond the seventh grade himself, had lined up four famed U. S. college presidents. University of Chicago's Robert Maynard Hutchins, Stanford's Ray Lyman Wilbur, Vassar's Henry Noble MacCracken, College of the City of New York's Frederick Bertrand Robinson.

After his broadcast Eddie Cantor had wires of congratulation from Mrs. Frank lin Delano Roosevelt, General John Joseph Pershing, Novelist Booth Tarkington.

From 212,000 essays, the judges last fortnight unanimously chose that of Lloyd Lewis, 17, of Plattsburg, Mo. Comedian Cantor excitedly hopped to a long distance telephone, called Lloyd Lewis from class, congratulated him, summoned him to Manhattan. When Winner Lewis arrived last week to collect his scholarship, he delighted Comedian Cantor by making first-rate human interest copy. Big-eared, slick-haired, sloe-eyed, and looking not un like his benefactor, Lloyd told how he had written his essay between chores on his father's 100-acre farm, how his Plattsburg teachers had dismissed it as "only fair," how at first he did not believe his good fortune until Eddie Cantor confirmed the news on the air. To newshawks he drawled: "I'm going to the Empire State, to see how much corn the big silo will hold." Two nights later Comedian Cantor proudly produced Lloyd on his Pebeco broadcast.

Meanwhile in West Orange, N. J. a woman preparing to address her club on Peace memorized parts of the Lewis essay. Certain phrases had a familiar ring. Looking back through earlier research she came upon an article in the December Peace Di gest by President Frank Kingdon of the University of Newark. She compared the prize-winning essay with the Kingdon arti cle, found them identical. Dr. Kingdon was notified, tried to reach Eddie Cantor before he started his weekly broadcast, failed. He hastened to spill his news to a friend on the staff of the Newark Evening News. The News telephoned to Cantor. Within a few hours the comedian's office in Manhattan's Steinway Hall was popping with newshawks. To them brash Lloyd Lewis amazingly explained: "Sure it's President Kingdon's article. I didn't understand that it had to be an original piece. I thought you just were to send in the best essay you could find. If I had known, I would have written one myself." Dismayed, Eddie Cantor gulped : "An honest mistake. . . . But of course he doesn't get the scholarship." Lamented Judge Frederick Bertrand Robinson: "Eddie was doing a fine thing. . " . Most unfortunate!"

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