Americana
Notes on U.S. habits, customs, manners & morals, as reported in the U.S. press last week:
P: In Chicago, Dr. Andrew C. Ivy estimated that from seven to 16 million of the nation's 140 million people could expect to have stomach ulcers.
P: In & around Wapello, Iowa, hunting parties beat the brush for a lion and a black panther, supposed to have been turned loose by an itinerant showman at the height of last summer's meat shortage.
P: In Washington, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 1946 walkouts had cost the nation 107,475,000 man-days of work--a record loss. Nevertheless, beamed the Department of Commerce, the great U.S. consumer had gone on a record spending spree. His 1946 bill: $127 billion--$900 per person.
P: From Christmas Eve to mid-afternoon of Dec. 25, car-happy Los Angeles County counted 24 dead in 340 major traffic accidents. The national Christmas traffic toll: 244.
P: In Okanogan, Wash., a minister of the Gospel was charged with grand larceny. The rub: one Sunday in November, he stole a private plane to fly to services in Spokane.
P: In Memphis' radio station WHHM, seasoned (15 years) Announcer Cecil J. Fike, onetime soldier with three and a half years AAF service in the Pacific, suddenly tossed away his script, banged on a table and shouted: "Are you listening, Crump,* damn you! This is an opportunity I've been waiting for for a long time. . . ." Thereupon, hour after hour, while phones jangled, fervent, incoherent Cecil Fike aired almost every complaint known to veterans. Next morning, dishevelled, tired and fired, he explained: "I just got fed up."
P: In Detroit, bar owners complained to the police about police who bar-hop in squads, cadging bottles of whiskey.
P: Without reasoning why, Ohio University's Dr. Harvey C. Lehman reported that U.S. leaders are growing older by the generation. In 100 years, said Lehman, the age of the average Congressman has risen from 35-39 to 55-59; Justices of the Supreme Court from 48 to 56; members of the Cabinet from 46 to 60. In the Revolution, the average age of generals was 39; in World War II, 58.
P: To his usual question--"Are you going to make any New Year's resolutions?"--Tireless Pollster George Gallup got the usual answers. The most popular resolutions: 1) to save more money, 2) improve my character, 3) improve my disposition. No. 9: quit drinking.
P: The Veterans Administration gave an answer to critics of the 52-20 club. In the 18 months since V-E day, said V.A., only 66.627 had collected their $20 a week for a full year.
P: In Manhattan's twin-towered Waldorf-Astoria, 125 of the season's debutantes danced their way into society while eager sub-debs looked enviously on. The event: the nth annual Debutante Cotillion and Christmas Ball, to benefit the New York Infirmary for Women and Children. The sponsor: Coty, Inc.
P: In Washington, the Modern Language Association of America accused the U.S. of having an inordinate bent for hypocorism, i.e., baby talk. Chief victims of adult hypocorism: 1) children, 2) pets, 3) lovers, 4) readers of advertising.
P: In Utah's state prison, slight, bearded, ageless (according to him) Hiram Bebee, sentenced to be shot for the murder of a Mt. Pleasant town marshal, took a highly philosophical view of the news that he had been granted a new trial. Said he: "Physical death is unimportant to me. I have lived many times before and will live many times in the future." The Bebee formula for indefinite life: "proper eating and thinking."
* E. H. Crump, Memphis political boss.
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