The Era -- Day By Day

[Fading Fast]

...
("Ya gonna go sign up, right?" enthuses Joe. "A ham! A HAM, YET!" "Allaway out ta Canawsie -- fa a ham?" snorts Sally. "I'll tell'a woild!" "But..." buts Joe. "A HAM! Not a brisket -- a HAM!" "What, ya all of a sudden don' like brisket? Ya awways liked brisket. Since nineteen toity-seven ya like brisket! What's wrong wit' brisket?" "IT AIN'T HAM!" "Hmph," grumbles Sally. "Ya wan' 't'is p'ticuleh when ya woiked inna pickle fact'ry." "It's a higheh class a' woikehs at Sperry's," retorts Joe. "Ya gotta have t'right kin'a lunch t'fit in! T'ey lookit brisket an' say 'hey, lookit t'guy eatin' brisket. Hey Brisket, how ya doin'. At's whattey call me now, Brisket. I ask ya!" "Ya wannem t'callya 'Ham' instead? Izzat it? Honestagawd, Joe, t'stuff you come up wit'." "I like ham," mutters Joe. "I just like ham." "Awright," sighs Sally. "I'll go get a chance onna ham. An' maybe I'll enneh 'at baloney contes' too!")
...

't'is p'ticuleh

...

(If this means we can look forward to five weeks of Irwin being humiliated at boot camp, then I, for one, am all for it.)

These are still our Marines. I want to believe, I need to believe, they can pre-vet someone like Irwin out before wasting a space on him at boot camp.

And in the Daily News...

If you look up "fall guy" in the encyclopedia, you'll find a full pag...

Finally, I have a (tenuous) connection to a Page Four story. While my tie is weak, at least the Page Four story is a good one. For many years, I did business with the law firm Davis Polk, which back in '42, represented some of the heirs of the widow who was romanced by her 26-years-younger-than-she reverend. I was hoping I'd find a personal link to Jinx Falkenberg or the hero cab driver one day, but this connection is okay.

And in the Daily News...
...

DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE
...

Where's the Dragon Lady when you need her? Oh screw it, life is cheap and the law malleable over there right now; Normandie should just kill him in his sleep and Pat will help her tie up the loose ends.

And in the Daily News...
...

WHAT? NO CANE???
...

Looking at Bim's forearm, perhaps they should team up as the "Battllin' Gump Boys."

 

[Harp]

Particular disgust with the case of Congressman Orman W Ewing led to a brief
legal search. Convicted of raping a stenographer, sentenced 8-24 years; appealed
all the way to the US Supreme Court, cert denied.

 

[LizzieMaine]

(All you people going around saying "it's gonna get worse before it's gonna get better," you can stop now. Oh, and "this is not a pinochle club!")

Strong Japanese forces armed with flamethrowers and supported by a non-stop artillery barrage are hammering at Gen. Douglas MacArthur's lines in apparent preparation for a resumption of the offensive aimed at a knockout conquest of the Philippines. A War Department communique reported that a quantity of ordnance supported and signal supplies, supported by three pieces of Japanese artillery, have been captured by MacArthur's men in what is termed "a minor local action."

It was reported by the Vichy radio in a broadcast monitored in London that two waves of Japanese bombing planes have struck Hawaii in the second air raid of the war against the islands. The Vichy radio is known to frequently broadcast exaggerated and inaccurate Axis propaganda. It is also possible that the Vichy broadcast confused Hawaii with Japan's second air attack on Australia.

British counterattacks are reported to be stemming Japan's all-out attack on the Burma Road supply line to China, in a climactic battle raging today along the Bilin River front. British bombers are reported to be attacking heavily along the river, with "heavier than usual" Japanese losses.

Soviet troops advancing over the frozen northwestern front toward Leningrad have destroyed two enemy battalions and have widened a breach in the secondary German defense lines, it was reported today by the official Red Army newspaper Red Star. Advances were also described along the Kanilin and Kharkov fronts.

A campaign to rid Brooklyn of the last remaining old-law tenement firetraps was launched today by Magistrate Charles Solomon, in cooperation with the City Department of Housing. Magistrate Solomon warned today that hereafter persistent violators of fire codes will face loss of use of their property, with the Department of Housing prepared to begin legal proceedings to forbid occupancy of structures found to be noncompliant with the laws. Inspector David Wilson of the Department's legal department indicated today that he is in full accord with Magistrate Solomon's warning to property owners.

("It's gonna get worse before it gets..." OH SHUT UP!)

(And if there's one thing Herbie can't stand, it's a dull tropical drama.)

("Lookit'at ham," sighs Joe. "Lookit how it's all shiny onna end, an' all smoky onna skin. An' ya WON it! A ham! A whole ham! I ask ya!" "Ya been lookin' at it eveh sincet I brung it home," says Sally. "I otta puttit inna icebox, 'fore it sperls." "Ham don' sperl," protests Joe. "Ham neveh sperls. We neveh had a ham ta sperl." "'At's cause it don' last aroun' heah long enough ta sperl," sighs Sally. "Hey," observes Joe. "T'ey got hams at A&P." "You gotta buy t'em hams. T'ey ain' givin'm away." "Oh. Hey, I wonneh if Daniel Reeves is givin' away hams? You could ask." "Yeah," sighs Sally. "I'll do t'at." "Good," nods Joe. "Y'c'n neveh have too many hams.")

(Hoarder!)

The war has come to Coney Island with the appointment of George C. Tilyou, operator of Steeplechase Park, as deputy rationing administrator for the borough of Brooklyn. Mr. Tilyou, whose father built the famous amusement center more than forty years ago, noted today that with tires and automobiles already rationed and sugar rationing to begin shortly, he anticipates spending most of his time on his new job, even after Steeplechase opens for the season in May.

(Hig's no fool. He saw what happened to Mungo last year, and he doesn't trust himself.)

(Not a bad likeness.)

(Where's your Dumb Luck now???)

(Slug him, Connie. No jury will convict.)

("C'mon, Doc, they let you in and you don't even have any forearms!")

 

[Harp]

If Connie strikes Tom she will commit an act of assasult and battery,
and she has no legal defense; so, should a jury hear this mere passion will
not fly; defense motion probably benched ditto. Thomas could pursue divorce
with sufficient grounds citing cruelty and irreconciliables. She's probably a lousy
cook too. Toss it all in Thomas, let it fly out to left field. As he responded to Connie
he seems a tad depraved heart indifferent, no cook in the kitchen; nor whore in
the budoir, cannot state all that in either strip or filing, just reading betwixt the
lines.

...This is what happens when you root for Normandie to kill that louse of a rat
she's wed to. Kinds lose perspective on the underlying morality of it all.

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

By all means, let's put the wardens under the control of the Army so this guy can have a *real* court martial.

Hmph.

I wonder what the fee is to check a kid in a nightclub.

And that's how THE RAT SANDHURST got where he is today.

"And I'll be counting the morphine pills, so don't try anything."

And he didn't even NEED the cane!

I dunno, after that boulder thing, this seems kind of pedestrian.

"Oh, and Wednesday is pinochle night, so remember to bring cash."

Emmy Of The FBI.

HOW DOES HE GET HIS NECK TO DO THAT???

 

[Harp]

Tunis Quick quite literally got away with murder. His legal defense of not knowing
his .22 rifle was loaded is nonsense-a rifle is always loaded. And he deliberately
pointed this weapon at Ms Abbott then squeezed its trigger, killing her.
Nor can he avail passion; frankly he should never have been charged with
ANYTHING less than MURDER 1. LASTLY, he's twenty one years old.

And what the hell is a grown man doing chasing a child of fourteen?

 

[Fading Fast]

...

A campaign to rid Brooklyn of the last remaining old-law tenement firetraps was launched today by Magistrate Charles Solomon, in cooperation with the City Department of Housing. Magistrate Solomon warned today that hereafter persistent violators of fire codes will face loss of use of their property, with the Department of Housing prepared to begin legal proceedings to forbid occupancy of structures found to be noncompliant with the laws. Inspector David Wilson of the Department's legal department indicated today that he is in full accord with Magistrate Solomon's warning to property owners.
...

Nice to know Solomon is still around; we haven't heard from him in awhile.

...

("It's gonna get worse before it gets..." OH SHUT UP!)
...

For the 17 years I lived at home, we lived under stricter heating restrictions than the ones listed here.

...

(And if there's one thing Herbie can't stand, it's a dull tropical drama.)
...

Joe and Sally need to go see "Ball of Fire," a fun comedy without war or other troubles leaking in.

...

View attachment 403417
("Lookit'at ham," sighs Joe. "Lookit how it's all shiny onna end, an' all smoky onna skin. An' ya WON it! A ham! A whole ham! I ask ya!" "Ya been lookin' at it eveh sincet I brung it home," says Sally. "I otta puttit inna icebox, 'fore it sperls." "Ham don' sperl," protests Joe. "Ham neveh sperls. We neveh had a ham ta sperl." "'At's cause it don' last aroun' heah long enough ta sperl," sighs Sally. "Hey," observes Joe. "T'ey got hams at A&P." "You gotta buy t'em hams. T'ey ain' givin'm away." "Oh. Hey, I wonneh if Daniel Reeves is givin' away hams? You could ask." "Yeah," sighs Sally. "I'll do t'at." "Good," nods Joe. "Y'c'n neveh have too many hams.")
...

Meant to ask this yesterday, is ham somehow really above brisket (not something I really know what it is even though you've explained it to me before) in the workman's lunch hierarchy? Back in my college days, my regular PB&J was looked down upon in the Sterns department store's employee cafeteria, but it seemed a good-natured ribbing.

...

(Not a bad likeness.)
...

Doesn't Goering have the authority to shoot this guy without Hitler's permission? No wonder Germany lost the war - Hitler didn't delegate a thing.

If Connie strikes Tom she will commit an act of assasult and battery,
and she has no legal defense; so, should a jury hear this mere passion will
not fly; defense motion probably benched ditto. Thomas could pursue divorce
with sufficient grounds citing cruelty and irreconciliables. She's probably a lousy
cook too. Toss it all in Thomas, let it fly out to left field. As he responded to Connie
he seems a tad depraved heart indifferent, no cook in the kitchen; nor whore in
the budoir, cannot state all that in either strip or filing, just reading betwixt the
lines.

...This is what happens when you root for Normandie to kill that louse of a rat
she's wed to. Kinds lose perspective on the underlying morality of it all.

There is a lot of tongue-in-cheek to the "Normandie should kill Sandhurst" comment, but the second point, that in war-torn China, at that moment, the law is what you make of it, wasn't. Hence, Normandie (especially with Ryan's help and some forethought) could commit murder and probably get away with it, but back in the States, Connie couldn't.

And in the Daily News...

By all means, let's put the wardens under the control of the Army so this guy can have a *real* court martial.
...

Not commenting on which side is right (then or now), but in the Eleanor dustup, you can see parallels to Bill and Hillary during Bill's presidency. We see it time and again, in these Day-by-Days, how so little is really new.

And in the Daily News...
...

View attachment 403447
I wonder what the fee is to check a kid in a nightclub.
...

"Could you check again, please? He was in a red snowsuit. I know I came in here with him, I just can't find my kid-check ticket. My wife is going to kill me if I've lost another one."

...

And that's how THE RAT SANDHURST got where he is today.
...

My Dad was not like Sandhurst in anyway but this one ⇩ when I asked him a question.

And in the Daily News...
...

I dunno, after that boulder thing, this seems kind of pedestrian.
...

It's actually pretty funny that even facing imminent death, Tracy just wants to be away from Debby Thurndike. That's really dry humor, especially delivered right in front of her.

Tunis Quick quite literally got away with murder. His legal defense of not knowing
his .22 rifle was loaded is nonsense-a rifle is always loaded. And he deliberately
pointed this weapon at Ms Abbott then squeezed its trigger, killing her.
Nor can he avail passion; frankly he should never have been charged with
ANYTHING less than MURDER 1. LASTLY, he's twenty one years old.

And what the hell is a grown man doing chasing a child of fourteen?

As steam was coming out of my ears reading this ridiculously light sentence, I was thinking, what does our resident lawyer Harp think about this miscarriage. So thank you, you anticipated my question.

 

[Harp]

There is a lot of tongue-in-cheek to the "Normandie should kill Sandhurst" comment, but the second point, that in war-torn China, at that moment, the law is what you make of it, wasn't. Hence, Normandie (especially with Ryan's help and some forethought) could commit murder and probably get away with it, but back in the States, Connie couldn't.

As steam was coming out of my ears reading this ridiculously light sentence, I was thinking, what does our resident lawyer Harp think about this miscarriage. So thank you, you anticipated

Indeed. Facetious tongue-in-cheek. And earlier boilerplate polish of no account
except amusement. Hocus pokus locus fate does place Normandie inside Chinese
interior lines, however, she has a conscience as does Patrick Ryan, so they are
free amidst war torn circumstances. Both bound by conscience. And a conscience
can exact great cost, demanding tribute down to the last penny.

And for Justice to exist, a measue of Injustice must also live.

 

[LizzieMaine]

It would seem that the Quicks are a family of some prominence in New Jersey, which explains why young Tunis gets off so light for killing a teenager. I have absolutely no doubt that if his name was Joe Schmutz, he wouldn't be so lucky.

Brisket, when I was growing up, was always the cut of meat that stayed and stayed. We had it a lot, usually in some kind of boiled dinner with potatoes and cabbage, and the leftovers lingered and lingered. It was damp, stringy, and flavorless, at least the way I was used to eating it, so imagine my surprise when I learned that it was the basic building block of pastrami. Ham, by comparison, was a rare and glorious treat. The sliced deli-counter type of stuff was one thing, the canned-in-aspic boneless ham was another, and the royal glory of ham was the bone-in baked with mustard and brown sugar glaze variety.

I don't think Mr. Caniff has ever before given us a character as utterly loathsome as Mr. Sandhurst. He makes Captain Judas look like Gandhi.

Meanwhile, I'm looking over the article on Dixie Walker referred to a couple days ago, appearing in the 2/14/42 issue of the Saturday Evening Post. It's a fascinating piece that manages to say absolutely nothing while insinuating a great deal -- namely, that Larry MacPhail and Leo Durocher can't stand Mr. Walker for reasons having nothing to do with his on-field performance. The article doesn't quite manage to suggest what those reasons might be, but it does make it pretty obvious that there's something going on to which we are not privy. Leo, ever the diplomat, goes out of his way to damn Mr. Walker with faint praise for hitting .311 last year, and then indicates that Johnny Rizzo will be his right fielder in 1942. Spring training should be very interesting this year.

 

[Harp]

A similar human being with Sandhurst is/was the late Mr Leo Durocher.
Durocher had issue with Ernie Banks while managing the Cubs. Long ago I once
made favorable remark a la White Sox to Ernie and got scolded, so I dropped
any idea of bringing up Mr Durocher. Leo the lion was a ba***rd character, I'll
give him that much. Ernie was a gentleman. An innate quality Durocher never had,
only a sneak's brass knuckles nestled in his pocket.

Me grandmar would bake an Easter ham with brown sugar, pineapple, and ginger ale.
Scallop potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and biscuits. How I miss her and her cooking.

 

[LizzieMaine]

(At least it's a good day to be in the map and globe business.)

Japanese planes showered incendiary bombs behind the lines of General Douglas MacArthur's forces on Batan Peninsula, where a War Department communique reported that fighting continues on all fronts. The communique described the fighting as "positional" and as "part of a Japanese campaign to 'soften up' the defenders" preparatory to an all-out assault meant to drive them off the peninsula. It was reported that numerous incendiary bombs fell oon on ammunition dumps and supply centers, and other positions behind the lines, but it was not indicated if they had caused significant damage.

Igorrote tribesmen fighting alongside American forces on Batan have returned to their formerly suppressed tradition of headhunting, this time at the expense of Japanese invasion forces. Three tribesmen recently presented their commanding officer with five cases of ammunition for a small trench mortar after beheading one member of a Japanese gun crew with an axe to get it. The tribesmen apologized for not getting the mortar as well.

Soviet spearheads advanced westward toward the Latvian border today as the Red Army newspaper Red Star declared that Russian troops have seized the balance of power on the eastern front, and have disrupted German plans for a spring offensive. Red Star predicted the imminent collapse of German resistance, asserting that Soviet forces have already captured many points the Nazis had intended to use as springboards for a planned spring thrust. The newspaper also expressed gratitude for Anglo-American materiel support which is "increasing daily," and predicted increased military action. "The best German troops have already been killed," declared the newspaper, "and present German forces are inferior in combativity and equipment."

A twenty-five year old Ridgewood woman on trial this week with five men as Nazi spies took the stand in Manhattan Federal Court this afternoon in her own defense. Mrs. Helen Meyer of 6033 Linden Street denied her involvement in the spy operation, after the prosecution rested by outlining the use of "mail drops" in Long Island City, Scranton, Pennsylvania, Lisbon, and Madrid by accused spymaster Kurt Frederick Ludwig to relay coded letters to the Gestapo. One of those letters, mailed last July 4th, warned German authorities that three of Ludwig's operatives had already been picked up by the FBI.

A 41-year-old Army sergeant from Fort Hamilton last night killed himself with a gunshot in a Bensonhurst hallway, in front of his former girlfriend, while his rival looked on. Technical Sergeant William Wilson confronted Mrs. Helen McCarthy as she returned to her home at 1708 86th Street in the company of Private Maurice Fennelli, also attached to Fort Hamilton, and declared "Helen, I came here to blow your brains out, and mine." "Don't be ridiculous, Bill," replied Mrs. McCarthy, as Sgt, Wilson drew a pistol and fired a shot into his head. Police stated that Mrs. McCarthy has been separated from her husband since 1939, and had been going out with Wilson for four or five months, before going out last night with Private Fennelli. Sgt Wilson was single, and is survived by relatives living in Washington Heights in Manhattan.

(There was a time when this would've been a front page story.)

("No!" declares Sally. "I'm drawrin' t' line! Y'c'n havva ham san'wich f' lunch an' a ham san'wich f'suppeh, but y'AIN'T havin' no ham san'wich f' bre'fas'!" "Awwww," awws Joe. "Not even on toas'?" "I don' know how ya gonna get any woik done t'day," sighs Sally, "Fois' t'ing ya done ya got home, ya wen' right afteh t'at ham. A whole ham! Keep it up, ain' gonna be nut'n lef' but t'bone." "Hambone soup," murmurs Joe.)

(I've lived in three different apartments, a continent apart, all of which had exactly that cabinet sink in the kitchen. It's like meeting an old friend.)

(Well, they were sold out of stirrup pumps and blackout blinds.)

Reader D. McGrath will cancel the Eagle tomorrow, having had enough of the paper's "criticism of the Government during wartime," and calls the tone of the paper "increasingly subversive and unprincipled," especially in promoting claims of "boondoggling in the Office of Civilian Defense." The Editor takes the cancellation in stride, stating "that's all right with us."

(Sure, Leo, sure. Just don't let Sally hear you say that. Oh, and "Berger is a cutie who can take a punch?" Well, I suppose, if you go for that type.)

("WHO IS IT?" comes a raspy voice from the other side of the door. "IF IT IS THAT DAN DUNN, OOOOOH WILL I GIVE HIM SUCH A SLAP!")

(Pfft. No need to plot and scheme -- first patch of ice on the sidewalk, and he's done for.)

(Mary goes in for the new feather cut.)

(THE RECEIVER IS OK! And just in time for "Lum and Abner!")

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

I don't get these wardens at all. Demanding the military take over the OCD and then complaining about bullheaded supervision that doesn't allow criticism? Take a deep breath, folks, and think about it.

Sammy Kaye? Ew, the war's going worse than I thought.

Every small town's the same.

I mean, it's not like he has a job to go to...

Before the Internet...

I can't wait for the Dragon Lady to show up and cut Sandhurst's tongue out.

AND NO COMPLAINING!

Orrrrrrrrrr you could just shoot 'em.

Style points to Moon for the black undershirt.

Playing grown-up.

 

[Fading Fast]

...

Soviet spearheads advanced westward toward the Latvian border today as the Red Army newspaper Red Star declared that Russian troops have seized the balance of power on the eastern front, and have disrupted German plans for a spring offensive. Red Star predicted the imminent collapse of German resistance, asserting that Soviet forces have already captured many points the Nazis had intended to use as springboards for a planned spring thrust. The newspaper also expressed gratitude for Anglo-American materiel support which is "increasing daily," and predicted increased military action. "The best German troops have already been killed," declared the newspaper, "and present German forces are inferior in combativity and equipment."
...

Yet, there are three more years of this to go.

...

(I've lived in three different apartments, a continent apart, all of which had exactly that cabinet sink in the kitchen. It's like meeting an old friend.)
...

I had that one - or one very close to it - in an apartment in the '80s. The neat thing about renting in several modest apartment buildings in the '80s and '90 is those apartments were like a time capsule of '50 - '60s appliances and decor.

...

(Sure, Leo, sure. Just don't let Sally hear you say that. Oh, and "Berger is a cutie who can take a punch?" Well, I suppose, if you go for that type.)
...

At leat Parrott didn't use that hated picture with the stupid arrow pointing to the dropped ball.

...

(Mary goes in for the new feather cut.)
...

The original dialogue for panel one is below. Dale Allen changed it to what we saw today to keep the story flowing.

Tom: "Connie, what do you think of my new plaid suit and Donegal Tweed overcoat?"

Connie: "Could your clothes be any busier? You look like a carnival barker. I won't be seen in public with you dressed like that. I'm going."

Also, if Mary is really serious about this, she should call over to "The Gumps" and ask Lady De Stross for the name of the doctor who did the "work" on her.

And in the Daily News...

I don't get these wardens at all. Demanding the military take over the OCD and then complaining about bullheaded supervision that doesn't allow criticism? Take a deep breath, folks, and think about it.
...

I get that Henry Sanford has an alibi for when his wife committed suicide, but considering this is the second wife who killed herself in, basically, the same way in four years, perhaps the police should spend a few minutes looking into the possibility he hired someone to do the killing. It has been known to happen, just ask O'Dwyer.

...


Every small town's the same.
...

And that's one of the big reasons why I live in a large city where you become anonymous.

And in the Daily News...
...

Orrrrrrrrrr you could just shoot 'em.
...

 

[Harp]

Ms Meyer is subject to prosecutorial cross by taking the stand, which her defense
chair elected to play for jury sentiment; otherwise she has no defense and is guilty
of treason during war. A capital offense. There seems-as in the Brooklyn spy ring-
a lack of teeth in sentencing. Considered against Nazi barbarity this naive court
conduct itself is questionable. Diaboli advocatus, start sending these idiots to
Sing Song shocker-rocker, play it up presswise and give these pro Nazi chuckleheads
something real to think about. If a few punks can be chaired for killing mob-wise,
citizen turncoats are equally eligible for rigorous application of the Law.

New York judicial laxity interests... Present day Chicago inexplicably suffers
lax jack n' jill jurists whom cannot understand that fear must be instilled on
the street. Violent offenders apprehended and charged need held through trial,
taken off the street. And, if convicted sentenced. Not slapped. Sentenced. Hard time,
long time.

Women do not typically commit suicide by firearm. Sanford needs a thorough
vetting, this second wife dying by self inflicted rifle shot is ridiculous. He is involved.

 

[LizzieMaine]

"Mr. Sanford, we'd like you to stick your hands in this melted paraffin. Oh, just routine procedure."

 

[LizzieMaine]

(A subway accident, a fight with the Mayor, a strike on Long Island, a stolen garbage truck -- ah, remember what it was like before the war? All we're missing is Amen and O'Dwyer.)

Members of the Flatbush Unitarian Church have unanimously resolved to fight for "an immediate end to all forms of discrimination. " The congregation at 1901 Beverly Road voted this week to adopt a declaration authored by their pastor, Reverend Karl M. Chorowkowsky, condemning all forms of racial and religious discrimination, with particular attention given to the anti-Negro and anti-Semitic discrimination that is widespread in everyday American life. "We are painfully aware," stated the declaration, "as we celebrate Brotherhood Week that our vociferous protestations of democracy and equality must remain so much cant and hypocrisy" so long as such discrimination is practiced and permitted in industry, in defense production, in labor unions, in school systems, in our Armed Forces, and even among blood donors. The declaration further insisted that such discrimination must be "condemned as blasphemy against the sacred cause of freedom in human rights." The statement concluded by declaring that "the day for academic discussion was yesterday. The time for action is now."

(The headdress in fact made it to the USSR, and remains today in the Museum of Contemporary History in Moscow. It was presented, after a solemn ritual, with the warning that it was to be worn by no one but Stalin himself.)

(Night baseball, on the other hand...)

("Initiative?")

The two detectives who were demoted after accusations of drivers' licensing racketeering pleaded not guilty yesterday at their arraignment before Kings County Judge Peter Brancato. Forty-two-year-old Frank Keenan and 32-year-old James Bree, who were demoted in rank to patrolman and reassigned to precinct duty after the charges were filed, were specifically accused of accepting a $75 bribe from one Rocco Sinisi of Halsey Street, after they found him with a fake license. The two defendants remain free on $1000 bail each pending trial.

A city-wide shortage of taxicab drivers has led to a call for 100 women between the ages of 21 and 35 for service as drivers for one of Manhattan's largest taxi concerns. Applications are being accepted at 87 Madison Avenue in Manhattan.

(What, no photo with the little arrow pointing to the bat as it flies from Mickey's hands? The Eagle is slipping. Oh, and "Hitlow" Wyatt? Is that nice?)

(Ina Ray Hutton is no relation to Betty Hutton or Marian Hutton, who are sisters, but is half-sister to June Hutton. Ina Ray and June are really named Cowan, and Betty and Marian are really named Thornburgh. There aren't actually any band singers named "Hutton." Got that straight?)

(Good thing Mussolini isn't here, he'd be offended by that punch.)

(Careful, George. This is how it went down with Rudnick.)

(You're out of your league, Connie. Send for Leona.)

(That's what you get for not going for the extended warranty.)

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

So, what you're saying, Rep. Fish, is that you let random people you barely know use your franking stamp in furtherance of their personal business. What's that "Penalty For Private Use" clause say again?

"Well," says Sally, as she gives Leona her morning feeding, "we done our bit." "I'm worried," sighs Joe. "Shoul'n she be wawkin' a' crawlin' a'sump'n? She's gonna be six mont's ol' next week!" "Nah," replies Sally. "I read inna book. Babies don't s'posta stawt wawkin' till awmos' a yeeah ol'. So we got -- OW!!!" "What?" blurts Joe. "What? What?" "I t'ink onna matteh a' teeth," groans Sally, "she's a lit'l aheada schedule."

Don't wait for the DL, Pat. Cut his tongue out yourself.

"Wait, you don't want to be a hippo? C'mon, hippos are great! Everybody likes hippos!"

It's this attention to small details that makes Mr. Eyes a leader in his profession.

"So, Wilmer been drafted yet?"

Better hurry, just three weeks left to file!

Well, given that we've just had a boxing story and a horse-racing story, my guess is "golf clubs."

Shadow Smart, Gender Outlaw.

"Such Crust!" Plushie's a Bungles fan.

 

[Fading Fast]

(A subway accident, a fight with the Mayor, a strike on Long Island, a stolen garbage truck -- ah, remember what it was like before the war? All we're missing is Amen and O'Dwyer.)
...

I had a similar thought as I kept getting whiplash reading these all-over-the-map stories.

While the driver's excuse seems flimsy, who steals a garbage truck anyway?

...

("Initiative?")
...

Lichty's getting a little silly with the bald thing as all those recruits should be in their early 20s.

...


(What, no photo with the little arrow pointing to the bat as it flies from Mickey's hands? The Eagle is slipping. Oh, and "Hitlow" Wyatt? Is that nice?)
...

⇧ Sigh.

Regarding the Eagle's call yesterday that Ray Robinson might be facing his Max Schmeling moment, the Eagle was right but wrong, as this was not like Louis' first Schmeling fight as it predicted, but close to the second one.

...


(Ina Ray Hutton is no relation to Betty Hutton or Marian Hutton, who are sisters, but is half-sister to June Hutton. Ina Ray and June are really named Cowan, and Betty and Marian are really named Thornburgh. There aren't actually any band singers named "Hutton." Got that straight?)
...

Anne Baxter cannot be happy that the Eagle stole seven of her prime acting years stating that she is 26 when she's really 19. Otherwise, in eight years, she'd have been playing theater ingenue Eve at the age of 34. The experienced fact checkers must have all been drafted.

...

(You're out of your league, Connie. Send for Leona.)
...

Sure, they'd have to borrow her from "Terry and the Pirates, " but this is a perfect job for Burma.

...

(That's what you get for not going for the extended warranty.)

I'm thinking the problem is with the American receivers, German technology and all.

And in the Daily News...

So, what you're saying, Rep. Fish, is that you let random people you barely know use your franking stamp in furtherance of their personal business. What's that "Penalty For Private Use" clause say again?
...

Maybe it's the way I consume news today that these types of stories don't hit my radar, but if that's not it, doesn't it seem like there were more "broken heart" murders in the '40s than today?

And in the Daily News...
...

View attachment 404055
It's this attention to small details that makes Mr. Eyes a leader in his profession.
...

All Tracy's thinking is, "Heck, I can get out of this once they leave, but do I have to save Thurndike?"

 

[Harp]

As remarked earlier, there seems a marked leniency at trial court for espionage.
Ms Ingalls recd 8 months, and that is for failing to register foreign agency, not active
display criminal espionage. Perhaps the investigative team was a bit too quick
to approach Grand Jury. Time and patience, build the case even if street scrapings
are meager fare. Read IF Stone. Izzy scoured the street for his stories.

Ms Cintorino recd 6-15 yrs for shooting her boyfriend, putting three rounds in her former
lover. Again, too light. She'll be out in four or five years. Ewing will not be sentenced
to death for rape but he should be hit with at least twenty-five years without parole.
He too will recd light sentence, appeal all the way top tier SCOTUS where his cert
will be stopped. Today's sentencing quandry was yesterday's mix-mash.
Can't do the time, don't do the crime.

 

[LizzieMaine]

(So much for "the 10 percent fare hike doesn't apply to us.")

The vital Austrialian north coast base at Darwin was placed under military control last night with a Japanese attack believed imminent. It was revealed that communications to Koepang, a south Timor base 330 miles from Darwin had been severed since shortly after the sighting of a Japanese convoy in that area yesterday. The Japanese are believed to have made a landing at Koepang, despite an attack on their fleet by the Australian Air Force, and it is expected that the Japanese may be prepared to launch an attack on Darwin from across the Timor Sea.

Resistance of Filipinos to the Japanese invaders is growing in intensity and is becoming "increasingly effective," according to a statement by General Douglas MacArthur. A War Department communique released last night noted that "the Filipinos are taking every opportunity to show their contempt for the Japanese aggressors," and it was reported that a "secret society" called the FFF, or "Fighters For Freedom" has formed to foster civil resistance. Warning posters put up by Japanese authorities in Manila warning that for every Japanese killed, ten Filipinos would be shot were altered by the FFF to read "For every Filipino killed, ten Japanese will be shot."

Dispatches from Russia reported last night that German defense lines continue to crack under terrific Soviet pressure, and it is hinted that a major announcement will be forthcoming on Monday to mark the 24th Anniversary of the establishment of the Red Army. The London radio reported that 41 German divisions have suffered heavy losses in the Russian campaign, with 350,000 men killed in the past two and a half months of fighting.

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce will fight all attempts to block an increase in the five-cent subway fare, urging Brooklyn legislators to vote against any measure preventing the City from imposing a fare hike, or requiring that such an increase be submitted to voter referendum. The Chamber argues that the subway system is not earning its cost, and that its deficits should not be shouldered by taxpayers.

It is likely that workers will be drafted for service in the nation's war plants, predicts Selective Service Director Lewis B. Hershey. Pointing out that there are only 60,000,000 Americans presently available to work, and another 10,000,000 defense workers are needed for war industries, Mr. Hershey declared yesterday that the time has come when "nobody can refuse to work for the Government."

("HEY!" shouts Joe. "Didja HEEAH t'at? Leonora TAWKED!" "What?" whats Sally. "G'wan! She did not! T'at book I read says a baby don' tawk till she's a yeeah old." "I sweahtagawd, I hoid 'eh tawk! Clear as day. T'eah was a guy onna radio tawkin' bout t' Dodgehs, an' she said "bu-bu-BUM!")

A Brooklyn dentist who has become a regular spectator in Kings County Court has his own idea for solving the borough's crime problem. "The idea of the electric chair doesn't seem to scare these guys much," says Dr. Jack Lillenfeld of 734 Ocean Avenue, "but I bet a sentence of two weeks in the dentist's chair would have them quaking. Many a criminal would go straight if he had a sentence of a couple of extractions hanging over him. Dr. Lillenfeld has become a familiar figure at the County courthouse, appearing every Friday to watch whatever trial is in session. As a result of this hobby, he has developed clear views on each of the county's judges. "Judge Martin is altruistic," he declares. "Leibowitz is brilliant. Brancato is always good-natured. Fitzgerald has a keen wit which he often uses to enliven the proceedings, and Goldstein is markedly patient and kindly."

(You know it's the second day of spring training when Leo starts messing with the lineup.)

(Pole vaulting? With a name like "Cornelius Anthony Warmerdam," I woulda thought he'd go out for crew.)

Old Timer P. J. DeCantillion remembers the days when the social life in the old 12th Ward, down around Hamilton Avenue, revolved around going to wakes. As tobacco and pipes were passed around, and drinks were poured wake-goers would shift quickly from discussing the accomplishments of the deceased to a general debate on the pressing questions of the day -- debates that sometimes grew heated before the arrival, around midnight, of the food. Wake-goers who lingered all thru the night would be treated to a hearty bacon-and-egg breakfast before being sent on their way.

Hollywood screenwriters need to keep up to the minute on the latest slang, and that means the old flapper talk of bygone days is strictly "off the cob." Instead, script authors loitering around the film capital's drugstores, racetracks, poolrooms, and swing joints report that hepcat talk has taken over. "Do you dig me?" means "do you understand?" To "give the Fuller" means to "give someone the brush-off." "A slight case of Andy Hardy" means "infatuation." When you "hit the jiggles" you go out dancing." When you enter the room with "What's the buzzin', cousin?" you are inquiring about the present state of affairs. And "a yum yum" is someone considered eminently kissable.

(I can never quite tell what time period Mr. Ryder functions in -- but given the presence of an 1860s riverboat and a 1940s officer, he's either operating in a time vortex or a tourist trap.)

(Even Chester Gould has never come up with anything this sick.)

(A plum colored tie? That's a bit Goering.)

(Bill and the kids offer a valuable lesson in industrial economics. And "Sure, Fritz, Secret Operative 48, huh? Gladtameetcha, I'm J. Edgar Hoover.")

(It's a bit easier to understand George when you realize that he lives and moves in a world populated by utter psychopaths.)

(The lettering here is such that I wondered at first what "Tarzan's Toe!" could possibly have to do with the story.)