The Era -- Day By Day

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

"He just wanted to chat with me. He also said he wanted to get into bed with me..."

"Sonja will take 'em off in the middle of Madison Square Garden." "Now just a minute!" yells Gypsy.

EXACTLY WHAT WERE YOUR ORDERS, SIR?

You can't be this naive, kid, not after all you've seen.

Seeza Maboiks!

"Well, at least we've got a fourth for bridge."

"Look,. it's this way -- 'You want this. You can't have it.'"

"What Jacket Are You Wearing Today?"

"I did feel sorry for the guy in the wheelchair though..."

Where's the foreman here? YOU'RE HOLDING UP VITAL WAR PRODUCTION!

 

[Fading Fast]

...

A new drive to wipe out the bookmaking evil in New York State is underway in the Legislature, with Brooklyn Senator James J. Crawford submitting a bill that would establish a statewide network of betting agencies which would be authorized to accept bets for all New York racetracks under the parimutuel system. He asserted that such a program would generate up to $25,000,000 per year in new revenue. Senator Crawford was the sponsor of the betting law that led to the legalization by referendum vote in 1939 of parimutuel wagering in New York State.
...

Ma Sweeney seems a bit more cranky than usual this morning.

The two greatest business in the world to be an owner of are legal slot machines and legal parimutuel wagering. Stripped to its core, their business model is this: take in $1, return less than $1. It's incredible.

...

The manufacture of ice cream has been ordered cut by 35 percent, as the Office of Price Administration continues to cut back on the production of luxury foods. In announcing the order last night, Food Administrator Claude Wickard explained that the use of milk for less essential civilian purposes must be curtailed to allow increased production of staple items such as cheese and butter.
...

Ice cream is less essential?

...

(It should be quite a show when Mr. Kern testifies.)
...

Flynn's as dirty as the come, but he rolled over Kern before, so I'll bet he does it again and easily. The powers that be want him to win as they all do the same type of dirty stuff, so unless they have a reason to get Flynn out, they don't want him found guilty. That said, I hope I'm wrong and Kern surprises us and does a good job.

...

"Sonja will take 'em off in the middle of Madison Square Garden." "Now just a minute!" yells Gypsy.
...

She is an athlete taking her skates off in the middle of a performance. Whoever "wins" them, might want to let them air out a bit before tossing them in their closet or riding home with them in the car that night, "Let's just put those in the trunk till we get home."

...

You can't be this naive, kid, not after all you've seen.
...

"Four for four, the man loves his slippers. Let me just trot on over and see if Mr. Gray needs anything today. I wonder if he'd consider renaming the strip 'Little Fury Sandy.' That's probably pushing it."

...

Seeza Maboiks!
...

Oh Min!

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

Flynn ever the Irish marmaduke of course goes without need for any introduction but nevertheless met the lass upon the moor, Miss Saterlee has mature woman writ her loveliness. Flynn scoundrel he most certainly was but still what's fair Jack the lad here.

Corky is acting with the courage expected a British soldier. And American soldier. And he'll most assuredly dally Errol- Rouge.

 

[PrivateEye]

"Sonja will take 'em off in the middle of Madison Square Garden."

Somewhere in Brooklyn a guy with a foot fetish is emptying his bank account...

 

[LizzieMaine]

("Huh," says Joe. "I wondehed why we ain' seen Cliff Evans's colyum lately -- looks like he's a reguleh repowrteh now!" "He betteh watch his neck," notes Sally. "Dig too deep in some'a t'is stuff, an' he might get hoit." "Yeh," agrees Joe. "Some trunks is bes' left unop'ned.")

German daylight raiders resumed the attack today over southeast England, as rescue squads worked in relays to find survivors of the 100-some children and teachers buried in the rubble of an elementary school flattened by a dive-bombing plane. Forty eight were known to be dead in that attack, 50 were wounded, and 20 remain missing. During the night six more dead children, their bodies crushed by the rubble, were found in the ruins. Authorities are moving to investigate charges that the air raid sirens did not sound before the attack, that barrage balloons did not go up, and that air raid shelters were locked. There were claims in the House of Commons that, at a second school, children were machine-gunned by a German plane as teachers ushered them out of the building.

The men of the Red Army, from privates to generals, are confident that victory over Hitler is only a matter of time. Triumphs on six major fronts have energized them, according to correspondent M. S. Handler of the United Press, who is accompanying the Soviet forces on the Rostov front. "Russian soldiers are not given to extremes of exaltation or depression," Handler observes. "They are dogged in defeat, and calm in victory. They accept reverses only as temporary phenomena and regard ulitmate victory as unquestionable."

(Mr. Schultz, for those coming in late, dominated the numbers racket in the early thirties until he was run out of the city by Mayor LaGuardia -- who ordered him shot on sight. Mendy Weiss and Charlie 'the Bug" Workman of the Brooklyn Murder For Money Gang took up that challenge and fatally shot him in the back room of a Newark restaurant in 1935. Workman was convicted for that killing two years ago, on the testimony of Abe "Kid Twist" Reles, and is presently serving a life sentence at Sing Sing. It was, as they say, in all the papers.)

The New York Daily News, Manhattan morning tabloid with the largest newspaper circulation in America, announced today that it will begin an effort to reduce that circulation in order to conserve newsprint in the face of wartime paper shortages. The News currently sells 1,850,000 copies on weekdays, and over 3,900,000 for its Sunday editions. Starting today the paper will run advertisements declaring "Don't buy a News -- Borrow one!," and will increase its advertising rates by approximately 10 percent while requiring advertisers to reduce the space used by approximately 10 to 15 percent. Effective next week, the Sunday News will sell for 10 cents a copy in Canada instead of a nickel, and it is expected that price increase will soon take hold for copies of the Sunday News national edition distributed west of the Mississippi. The paper notes that, eventually, that 10 cent price may prevail right up to the suburbs of New York City itself. An editorial in today's editions of the News stresses that these changes are intended to be temporary, with normal conditions to resume after the war,

The former mayor of Freeport, Long Island is free on $500 bail today after his arriagnment yesterday in Brooklyn Federal Court on charges of trafficking in gasoline ration coupons. Russell L. Randall, a member of one of Freeport's first families, had served as mayor there from 1931 to 1933, and was for the past four years a member of the Nassau County Public Welfare Department. He was loaned out from that job last year to aid in handling B and C ration books for the Nassau County Rationing Board under the supervision of the Office of Price Administration. OPA enforcement attorney James Birdsall charged yesterday that Randall stole 60,000 gallons worth of ration coupons that had been placed under his care, and passed them along for resale to a Freeport garageman and his helper. Randall had been assigned by the ration board to supervise the "tailoring" of ration books to the exact amount of mileage to be issued to each applicant, and was supposed to return the coupons removed from those books to the board for official destruction. Instead he sold them to garage owner Francis Levitt, who in turn resold some of them to Lawrence Crici of Inwood. The coupons were then used to cover the sale of excess gallonage to motorists not entitled to it, at a premium of 5 cents per gallon over the posted price.

(And since Joe and Sally are still in the neighborhood, they might walk down Midwood Street this week to take in "Now Voyager" at the Patio. "Hmph!" hmphs Ma Sweeney, looking up from her nickels. "That picture was nooo gooood at all.")

(You ain't seen nothin' yet.)

Brooklyn's first Negro detective begins his new duties today, determined to help put an end to the "muggings" that have occured in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section over the past year. Vernon R. Holliday, formerly a patrolman assigned to the W. 123rd Street station in Harlem, was promoted this week to Detective Third Grade and transferred to the Bedford-Stuyvesant precinct as a result of requests by Negro clergymen, who said that the presence of a Negro detective "would serve to create a better interracial understanding" in the district. Several Negro patrolmen are already on duty in the neighborhood, but Holliday will be the first plainclothesman.

(There wasn't much chance of keeping Waner off the bottle when MacPhail was running the show, but Mr. Rickey, staunch grape-juice Methodist that he is, might have better luck if he is inclined to try. Walter Beck, incidentially, will always be remembered by his nickname -- "Boom Boom" Beck. The first boom was the bat hitting his pitch, the second boom was that batted ball banging off the tall iron wall at the old Phillies ballpark.)

Dodger announcer Red Barber has a new off-season job -- he'll spiel for bandleader Sammy Kaye, of "Swing and Sway" fame, on his new Wednesday night feature over WABC. The program, premiering next Wednesday at 9 PM is sponsored by the same cigarette concern that brings you the Dodger broadcasts.

(Don't get your hopes up, Mr. Sherwin, you're not her type.)

("The Snail?" He's got a hard shell, but once you get to know him I bet he's a real softie.)

(Suddenly, the flame from Irwin's dropped cigar consumed them all in a sheet of deadly fire.)

(I MEAN SERIOUSLY, LOOK AT THIS FACE.)

(Oh, and somebody haul off these dead bodies. Poor Punchy.)

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

Lt. R. W. Dowling, Juvenile Court, will never make Captain.

And if this still doesn't do the trick, we'll consider replacing "Terry and the Pirates" with "Hugh Striver."

HEY SANDY THOSE ARE FAKE MESSAGES PASS IT ON

Everything happens in a candy store.

"Wish he'd hurry up and get drafted, I miss the old gang."

"Whatta ya mean you can't find the registration slip??"

Well, at least she missed your nose.

So much for improved Sino-American relations.

"For you'll look sweet -- up-on the seat..."

Nobody treated you like this back in Covina. Oh, wait, yes they did.

 

[Fading Fast]

("Huh," says Joe. "I wondehed why we ain' seen Cliff Evans's colyum lately -- looks like he's a reguleh repowrteh now!" "He betteh watch his neck," notes Sally. "Dig too deep in some'a t'is stuff, an' he might get hoit." "Yeh," agrees Joe. "Some trunks is bes' left unop'ned.")
...

"Girl, Crying 'My Baby!' Crashes Fire Lines to Save Bag of Heroin."

Now that is a classic New York City tabloid headline that is also evergreen. No one would bat an eye at that headline today.

Sadly, the story about the synagogue being vandalized is also evergreen.

...

(Mr. Schultz, for those coming in late, dominated the numbers racket in the early thirties until he was run out of the city by Mayor LaGuardia -- who ordered him shot on sight. Mendy Weiss and Charlie 'the Bug" Workman of the Brooklyn Murder For Money Gang took up that challenge and fatally shot him in the back room of a Newark restaurant in 1935. Workman was convicted for that killing two years ago, on the testimony of Abe "Kid Twist" Reles, and is presently serving a life sentence at Sing Sing. It was, as they say, in all the papers.)
...

In light of the prevailing lenient attitudes in NYC today toward criminals, it's hard to imagine a time when a mayor would /could give a "shot on sight" order. Today's Mayor, Eric Adams, would be out of office the same day if he said anything remotely like that, even in jest.

I refuse to get my hopes up that Flynn will, at least, be denied this appointment as I believe he will, once again, get away with it. At least he has to twist uncomfortably again, but maybe a guy like that doesn't twist uncomfortably as that's part of what makes guys like that who they are.

...

The New York Daily News, Manhattan morning tabloid with the largest newspaper circulation in America, announced today that it will begin an effort to reduce that circulation in order to conserve newsprint in the face of wartime paper shortages. The News currently sells 1,850,000 copies on weekdays, and over 3,900,000 for its Sunday editions. Starting today the paper will run advertisements declaring "Don't buy a News -- Borrow one!," and will increase its advertising rates by approximately 10 percent while requiring advertisers to reduce the space used by approximately 10 to 15 percent. Effective next week, the Sunday News will sell for 10 cents a copy in Canada instead of a nickel, and it is expected that price increase will soon take hold for copies of the Sunday News national edition distributed west of the Mississippi. The paper notes that, eventually, that 10 cent price may prevail right up to the suburbs of New York City itself. An editorial in today's editions of the News stresses that these changes are intended to be temporary, with normal conditions to resume after the war,
...

I'll bet the paper comes out financial ahead when all is said and done, but boy does attempting to reduce circulation go against everything that is bred in the bone of a newspaperman.

...

Brooklyn's first Negro detective begins his new duties today, determined to help put an end to the "muggings" that have occured in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section over the past year. Vernon R. Holliday, formerly a patrolman assigned to the W. 123rd Street station in Harlem, was promoted this week to Detective Third Grade and transferred to the Bedford-Stuyvesant precinct as a result of requests by Negro clergymen, who said that the presence of a Negro detective "would serve to create a better interracial understanding" in the district. Several Negro patrolmen are already on duty in the neighborhood, but Holliday will be the first plainclothesman.
...

As Lizzie says, "coming events cast their shadows before..."

...

(I MEAN SERIOUSLY, LOOK AT THIS FACE.)
...

"Yes indeed, a face made for radio."

..

And if this still doesn't do the trick, we'll consider replacing "Terry and the Pirates" with "Hugh Striver."
..

I know you're kidding, but if they made that and only that change, I'd bet there would be a measurable drop in circulation as some people probably buy the paper just for "Terry." Plus, some would stop buying in protest, especially once they read stupid "Hugh Striver" for a few days. On some days, I used to pick up a copy of my college newspaper just to read "Bloom County" (which was a really good comicstrip in its day).

...

HEY SANDY THOSE ARE FAKE MESSAGES PASS IT ON
...

"Oooh, maybe that would get me back in Mr. Gray's good graces as he reduced me to one panel today after I innocently suggested that name change for the strip to him yesterday."

...

Everything happens in a candy store.
...

They were some of the most interesting places in America in the 1940s.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

I am only follower of Terrence, read Corker and just impatiently await script-ahhmm, climax as it were. Cork forces Joey to sign deed transfer over to him, good as gold then pops out to wave the Jolly Roger letter of marque.

Bye the bye just bit and bob but noted White Cargo film ad. Sounds like a 'reel' scorcher.

 

[LizzieMaine]

It's unthinkable today of any paper having a circulation of over 4,000,000 -- and that was in a country of about 160,000,000 people. And the News won't even reach its peak circulation until after the war. That's an awful lot of newsprint.

One thing we'll likely see soon, though, is a reduction in the size at which the comic strips are printed -- and that, alas, will mean some of the more detailed artists may have to adjust their styles accordingly. Some strips will be drawn in such a way that papers can slice off the top and bottom quarters of the artwork without compromising the content -- leading to weird aspect ratios. So if you see some of our strips suddenly moving to thigh-up instead of full-body shots, you'll know the reason why.

 

[Fading Fast]

It's unthinkable today of any paper having a circulation of over 4,000,000 -- and that was in a country of about 160,000,000 people. And the News won't even reach its peak circulation until after the war. That's an awful lot of newsprint.

One thing we'll likely see soon, though, is a reduction in the size at which the comic strips are printed -- and that, alas, will mean some of the more detailed artists may have to adjust their styles accordingly. Some strips will be drawn in such a way that papers can slice off the top and bottom quarters of the artwork without compromising the content -- leading to weird aspect ratios. So if you see some of our strips suddenly moving to thigh-up instead of full-body shots, you'll know the reason why.

That will be disappointing, but right now, I'll just settle for scans that we can read.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

Thank you Ms Elizabeth. Quite the observe that. I myself only shag after Terrence and Buccaneers with mere dawdle across and over page pond. Flynn eminent jack for all standard no less, intuit a very lonely man.

 

[LizzieMaine]

("NOT A NICKEL!" roars Sally, her fist pounding the table, causing Stella the cat to skitter to the safety of her lair behind the stove. "NOT ONE SINGLE RED NICKEL! WE GOT RIGHTS! T'AT BUM LAN'LOEHD AIN' GETTIN' A NICKEL F"M US 'SLONG AS WE GOTTA STAY HEEAH!" "I tawked to 'im yest'day," sighs Joe. "He said t'pipes freezin wasn' his fawlt. He says we shoulda knowed betteh t'en t'not leave a fawcet runnin' a trickle ovehnight. He says we gotta pay damages." "NOT A NICKEL!" roars Sally, her Irish now well and fully up, and her face turning the color of the beets staining her daughter's bib." "Whot's this landlarrd's name now?" asks Ma Sweeney, as she cheerfully jogs a stack of small paper slips into neat alignment and slides them into a brown envelope. "Give me his name, daughter, an' maybe there's a friend I know who'll pay him a call to talk things ovarr. It could just be then he'd see things yourr way." As Joe's eyes grow wide, Sally tears a corner off the Eagle's front page, and in her neat Palmer Penmanship hand, writes down a name.)

The ban on pleasure driving in Eastern states was relaxed slightly today by the Office of Price Administration, with specific permission granted motorists to drive to weddings, christenings, baptisms, and regular church services in the event that other means of transportation are not available. The order also permits motorists to drive to meetings directly related to their work, if such meetings are compulsory and if no other means of transportation is available. Meanwhile, no officials of the Nassau County OPA were available today to comment on the case of the guests who drove to the wedding of Catherine Adamson and David Montgomery at the Garden City cathedral on January 16th. Several wedding guests have been summoned to appear before the Nassau County ration board for violating pleasure-driving restrictions.

A Japanese warplane bombed Espiritu Santo Island, important American supply base along the route from the United States to Australia, the Navy announced today. Although the bombs caused no casualties or damage to military installations, the Navy said the attack was significant in that it was carried out 535 nautical miles south of Guadalcanal, and more than 700 miles from the nearest known Japanese airbase at Munda in the Solomons. It was conceivable, according to military authorities, that the plane was launched from an aircraft carrier or from a plane-carrying submarine.

Four women who have been picketing the Loft Candy Company's plant in Long Island City were ordered held on $400 bail on disorderly conduct charges after a woman claimed that the pickets had called her a scab and hit her on the head. The Congress of Industrial Organizations paid the bail, and refused to characterize the labor action now in progress at the factory as a strike, arguing instead that union sympathizers have been locked out of the plant by management. Magistrate Abner Surpless in Brooklyn-Queens Night Court warned the CIO attorney that "every time a picket is arrested for assault or disorderly conduct and comes before me, I'll hold him or her in bail."

A Suffolk County war plant was ordered closed pending a criminal investigation into the death of a 16 year old girl who was employed there. Suffolk County District Attorney Fred J. Munder ordered the closing after Josephine Habb of LIndenhurst, a worker at the Tedlee Chemical Company plant, died yesterday and five other workers were hospitalized for what doctors identified as methyl bromide poisoning. The five other workers, including Miss Habb's father, were expected to recover. The chemical firm began operations last week in a former embroidery factory, manufacturing chemicals used to extinguish incendiary bombs as a subcontractor for the Lionel Bauman Company of Brooklyn.

A Brookyn federal grand jury is investigating evidence seized by the FBI in the cases of two naturalized German-born war workers who are accused of microfilming secret airplane and gun blueprints for transmission to their homeland. The workers are identified as 41-year-old Frank Heinrich Wilhelm Grote of the Bronx and 46-year-old Herman Karl Grohs of Woodhaven, both of whom worked in war plants where munitions are manufactured. The two were stated by FBI agents to have been connected in their espionage activities with those of Carl Reuper, one of 32 German spies sentenced to long prison terms a year ago.

(The position of New York City Chamberlain was abolished under the new city charter adopted in 1938, which also did away with the Board of Aldermen and established the present City Council structure. Prior to this the chamberlain's job was a particularly juicy political plumb directly appointed by the Mayor -- who during Mr. Flynn's tenure was that lovable Tammany character James J. Walker. Wheels within wheels.)

War plants thruout the Metropolitan area are sifting their employee files to determine if they have been victims of a Brooklyn-based birth certificate racket which, it is believed, has been used to secure sensitive positions for enemy agents. Meanwhile, the Kings County District Attorney's Office has subpoenaed two employees of the county clerk's office believed to have accepted fees from racketeers seeking information in census records that could be used to obtain false birth certificates. Indictments in the matter are expected to be handed down by the grand jury today.

("Well what's sarong with that? Ha ha, get it?")

Further tightening of petroleum restrictions in the Eastern sector looms, and fuel oil rationing is expected to be extended to the western states of Oregon and Washington today, with Deputy Petroleum Administrator Ralph K. Davies warning that supplies remain dangerously low. It is anticipated that, unless there is improvement in the supply situation soon, fuel oil rationing will be imposed along the entire Pacific coast.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn Attorney General Nathaniel Goldstein has submitted a report to Governor Dewey calling for the immediate formation of an "oil pool" from which supplies may be drawn to supply the emergency needs of consumers who would otherwise be forced to go without heat. The report, to be formally delivered to the Governor today, acknowledges that it may take another two to three weeks to fully uncover the cause of the present fuel crisis, but advises that some curative method be applied immediately. "People cannot be permitted to freeze to death," he warned, "while we are trying to find out if there is someone to blame."

("Hmmmm," hmms Margie Hart as she waits for her broken leg to heal. "A snake act! IT JUST MIGHT WORK!")

(In the offices of the New York World-Telegram, cartoonist Willard Mullin sits at his drawing table and scowls at the picture of a fat, tattered Bum, who he's been drawing since 1937. "Nah," he says. "He'd never go for it.")

("And while I look that up, why not step in the back? We've got some nice pinball machines in there, help to pass the time..."

(Nope, nobody's gonna notice that, no sirree.)

(Poor Irwin. Missed his fight and everything.)

(PRETTY GOOD, HUH? I'VE BEEN TAKING LESSONS AT THE GROUP THEATRE. STELLA ADLER SCRATCHES MY EAR. NO NOT POLLY ADLER!)

(I never knew Irwin had a brother.)

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

I'm surprised they aren't selling tickets.

"Dodgers codgers!" roars Mr. Branch Rickey. "HO! HO! That's A MERRY JEST! A JOLLY JAPE! DODGERS CODGERS! YES INDEED. BAR THIS TURKIN FELLOW FROM ALL PRESS CONFERENCES FROM HERE ON! HO! HO! DODGERS CODGERS!"

"Hmph!" hmphs Sally. "I don't get it."

"I forget what grade I'm supposed to be in, but I don't suppose that'll matter much!"

"Come my dear. Let us take a walk on the Boardwalk."

"I told you not to feed the strays!"

Well don't look so bored about it.

"Listen, let me tell you about what happens every time I try to get married..."


Ah, good, I was afraid we'd forgotten about the Slither Sisters.

Playful old Prune Face.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

Corky gave as good as got.

Flynn trial isn't quite tight and right for his prosecutor.

 

[Fading Fast]

("NOT A NICKEL!" roars Sally, her fist pounding the table, causing Stella the cat to skitter to the safety of her lair behind the stove. "NOT ONE SINGLE RED NICKEL! WE GOT RIGHTS! T'AT BUM LAN'LOEHD AIN' GETTIN' A NICKEL F"M US 'SLONG AS WE GOTTA STAY HEEAH!" "I tawked to 'im yest'day," sighs Joe. "He said t'pipes freezin wasn' his fawlt. He says we shoulda knowed betteh t'en t'not leave a fawcet runnin' a trickle ovehnight. He says we gotta pay damages." "NOT A NICKEL!" roars Sally, her Irish now well and fully up, and her face turning the color of the beets staining her daughter's bib." "Whot's this landlarrd's name now?" asks Ma Sweeney, as she cheerfully jogs a stack of small paper slips into neat alignment and slides them into a brown envelope. "Give me his name, daughter, an' maybe there's a friend I know who'll pay him a call to talk things ovarr. It could just be then he'd see things yourr way." As Joe's eyes grow wide, Sally tears a corner off the Eagle's front page, and in her neat Palmer Penmanship hand, writes down a name.)
...

This story gets better every day.

...

A Japanese warplane bombed Espiritu Santo Island, important American supply base along the route from the United States to Australia, the Navy announced today. Although the bombs caused no casualties or damage to military installations, the Navy said the attack was significant in that it was carried out 535 nautical miles south of Guadalcanal, and more than 700 miles from the nearest known Japanese airbase at Munda in the Solomons. It was conceivable, according to military authorities, that the plane was launched from an aircraft carrier or from a plane-carrying submarine.
...

"...a plane-carrying submarine."

How awesome is that idea.

...

("Well what's sarong with that? Ha ha, get it?")
...

...

("Hmmmm," hmms Margie Hart as she waits for her broken leg to heal. "A snake act! IT JUST MIGHT WORK!")
...

"dates"

And in the Daily News...

I'm surprised they aren't selling tickets.
...

"...who had packed a great deal of living into her 16 years."

"They were not exactly engaged." "Exactly?"

...

"I forget what grade I'm supposed to be in, but I don't suppose that'll matter much!"
...

I think the last time we saw Annie in school was way back when Nick was still around and some woman who owned, of course, a candy shop was trying to kill Annie and, I think, Sandy too. Hey, that wasn't in Red Hook, was it?

...

Ah, good, I was afraid we'd forgotten about the Slither Sisters.
...

I just assumed the Slither Sisters had been rounded up and taken to a detention house.

 

[LizzieMaine]

("Hey, lookit," says Joe, riffling thru the mail he picked up at the apartment. "A V-mail f'm Solly! Sez heah,'Deah Joe an' Sal. Jus' a few lines t'tell ya I'm OK. I can't say wheah we'eh goin', but we're onna way!'" "Hope he keeps his head down," replies Sally. "Aw, ev'yt'ing's gonna be jake. Solly's like a cat. Nine lives he got. You shoulda seen 'im swimmin' aroun' innat brine tank. Well, maybe eight lives, anyways. Hey -- now lookit t'is! A letteh f'm t' lan'loehd." "BUM!" blurts Leonora. "Mama gonna kill'm." "Say," Joe beams. "She's gettin' pretty good wit'teh sen'nences, ain' she?" "What's it say?" growls Sally. "Says heah, 'Deah Mr. an' Mrs. Petrauskas,' an' getta loada t'is, he ev'n spelt it right. Says heah, 'I wish to apollagize f'my erreh t' o'teh day when I to'l Mrs. Petrauskas t'at you wou'd be liable f'damages f'm t'broken pipe. Innis time of wawr it is soitenly com-men-dubble t'at you took steps to consoive wateh by not leavin' t'fawcet runnin' oveh night. Please be re-assured t'at you will owe nut'n fawr t'is damage or t' repaihs t'at were nec-ces-sary. I am making im-med-iate a-range-ments t'coinvoit yowr buildin' back to coal, an' expec' t'is woik to be com-pleted shawrtly, as I have today signed a con-track wit' a foim f'm Flatbush, F. Leary an' Sons, t'do t'woik, an' I am in-sured t'at all nec-ces-sary poimits will be ex-pee-di-ted. Inna mean-time, I have poichased a new electric heateh t'tide you oveh un-til t' woik is com-ple-ted. T'is is a fine heateh t'at I poichesed f'm Loeseh's, an' it should give you no troubles. Please let me know im-med-i-ate-ly if you have need of any'ting else. As eveh, et cet'ra, et. cet'ra.' Well, don'nat beat awl." "Smarrrt man, that one," comments Ma Sweeney. "What?" asks Sally. "Francis Leary does foine worrrk," smiles Ma. "Foine worrk indeed. You know, Joseph, Mr. Leary was loike a fatherr to me children. A fatherr." "Good ol' Uncle Frank," nods Sally. "Awlways t'eah when we need'd'm." "His boys are noice too," smiles Ma. "Big strappin' lads, an' husssky with it!")

A 28-year-old Astoria woman will serve from one year and three months to two years and six months in the New York State Prison for Women on a charge of manslaughter in the second degree. Mrs. Rita McKibbon of 31-48 36th Street was sentenced yesterday for the killing last May of 46-year-old Edward Deacher. Deacher, who was employed as a civlilan guard at Floyd Bennett Field, was one of the heirs to the estate that owned the apartment building in Rockaway where Mrs. McKibbon and her husband Robert then lived. The McKibbons testified that Deacher was "drunk and belligerent" when he appeared at their apartment on the might of May 16, 1942, and that he grabbed Mrs. McKibbon in the hallway. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. McKibbon admitted stabbing Deacher, but Mrs. McKibbon did admit that she had a knife in her hand when Deacher grabbed her. The jury, in finding Mrs. McKibbon guilty on the manslaughter charge recommended leniency.

Assistant United States Attorney Herbert Sorin made his way from office to office in the Brooklyn Federal Building today dressed in the khaki shirt, shorts, long stockings, and broad-brimmed hat of a Boy Scout to raise money for the current Brooklyn Boy Scouts fundraising drive. Standing sternly his side as he knocked on each door in turn was State Senator Daniel Gutman, decked out in the full uniform of a Scoutmaster, there to insure that each donation was duly collected. The spectacle was the result of Attorney Sorin paying off an election bet he lost to Senator Gutman in November, and realizing that misery loves company the Senator agreed to come along when his victim paid off. Within an hour, despite the wisecracks of their colleagues, the two had collected $50.

(Keep 'em flyin', Moish!)

("He never plays sailors though, it's in the terms of his probation that he can't go near boats.")

One of the few remaining New York City veterans of the Civil War died in a Bronx veterans' hospital yesterday. Thomas Henry Stritch, who served in Rhode Island and Connecticut regiments of the Union Army, was 96. He had been for many years a fixture in Memorial Day parades and G. A. R. luncheons, and had lived the last several years of his life at the Sherman Square Hotel, Broadway at 71st Street. Mr. Stritch was born in England, and came to this country at the age of twelve. He was 16 when he ran away from home to join the Army.

(Now just a minute, Mr. Rickey -- why *didn't* you make a grab for Etten?? You ought to know that anyone dangling a bag of money in front of the desperate Mr. Nugent's nose could have carried him away. Does this mean you've already signed Camilli to come back and you aren't telling anyone? YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT WOULD YOU?)

("Scarface" is back -- but cut to shreds to get it past the Code.)

("Sorry lady, no train tickets west. IS THIS TRIP REALLY NECESSARY?")

("You got the wrong place, lady! You want the candy store two doors down!")

(SLAP! "Fortunately, I've still got a left.")

(ISN'T TRIX A TERRIBLE CUR FOLKS? THE DOG YOU LOVE TO HATE!)

(Wa-wahh-WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Inside Joke: Dale has drawn this Gal Reporter to look exactly like Dale Arden, Girl Reporter, the heroine of another strip distributed by the same syndicate that handles "Hugh Striver," and a strip which Dale, no doubt, wishes she was drawing.)

 

[LizzieMaine]

And in the Daily News...

"She understood 'strumpet' to men 'a sort of English muffin.'" Who's writing this dialogue? Sturges?

Mr. Oberstein, formerly a high executive and artists-and-repertoire man for the Victor company, is well known for his shady activities. Victor canned him in 1939 after it came to light that he was paying disk-jockeys to push certain records with which he was connected on the air, and went on to operate a number of pirate-ish labels that sourced their masters from -- someplace -- and were distinguished by using the cheapest possible materials for their manufacture. So yeah. The midwest. Or Mexico.

"All that Ovaltine I had to drink will finally pay off!"

"My Honor Is Loyalty."

"Credits. All right now, let's see -- oh, there seems to be some mistake, this is a check. A -- um-- blank check. Ah. Very well, all seems to be in order..."

How all war stories begin.

"Aw, I bet Gypsy didn't have to learn Latin!"

To the shores of Tripoli!

Better get used to getting shot at, son -- it's open season on single unattached guys under 38.

No wonder Pipdyke Manufacturing hasn't won the E pennant.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Oh, and...

The slogan was "The Best Tunes Of All Have Moved To Carnegie Hall!," promoting "The Lucky Strike All Time Hit Parade." And yes, ten times in a half hour, on a program designed to appeal to an intellectual audience, was a bit much.

 

[Fading Fast]

("Hey, lookit," says Joe, riffling thru the mail he picked up at the apartment. "A V-mail f'm Solly! Sez heah,'Deah Joe an' Sal. Jus' a few lines t'tell ya I'm OK. I can't say wheah we'eh goin', but we're onna way!'" "Hope he keeps his head down," replies Sally. "Aw, ev'yt'ing's gonna be jake. Solly's like a cat. Nine lives he got. You shoulda seen 'im swimmin' aroun' innat brine tank. Well, maybe eight lives, anyways. Hey -- now lookit t'is! A letteh f'm t' lan'loehd." "BUM!" blurts Leonora. "Mama gonna kill'm." "Say," Joe beams. "She's gettin' pretty good wit'teh sen'nences, ain' she?" "What's it say?" growls Sally. "Says heah, 'Deah Mr. an' Mrs. Petrauskas,' an' getta loada t'is, he ev'n spelt it right. Says heah, 'I wish to apollagize f'my erreh t' o'teh day when I to'l Mrs. Petrauskas t'at you wou'd be liable f'damages f'm t'broken pipe. Innis time of wawr it is soitenly com-men-dubble t'at you took steps to consoive wateh by not leavin' t'fawcet runnin' oveh night. Please be re-assured t'at you will owe nut'n fawr t'is damage or t' repaihs t'at were nec-ces-sary. I am making im-med-iate a-range-ments t'coinvoit yowr buildin' back to coal, an' expec' t'is woik to be com-pleted shawrtly, as I have today signed a con-track wit' a foim f'm Flatbush, F. Leary an' Sons, t'do t'woik, an' I am in-sured t'at all nec-ces-sary poimits will be ex-pee-di-ted. Inna mean-time, I have poichased a new electric heateh t'tide you oveh un-til t' woik is com-ple-ted. T'is is a fine heateh t'at I poichesed f'm Loeseh's, an' it should give you no troubles. Please let me know im-med-i-ate-ly if you have need of any'ting else. As eveh, et cet'ra, et. cet'ra.' Well, don'nat beat awl." "Smarrrt man, that one," comments Ma Sweeney. "What?" asks Sally. "Francis Leary does foine worrrk," smiles Ma. "Foine worrk indeed. You know, Joseph, Mr. Leary was loike a fatherr to me children. A fatherr." "Good ol' Uncle Frank," nods Sally. "Awlways t'eah when we need'd'm." "His boys are noice too," smiles Ma. "Big strappin' lads, an' husssky with it!")
...

Joe isn't there yet, but soon he'll put the pieces together and start to realize how the world really works.

Next to "Terry and..." this is my favorite daily strip. You should hire Dale Connor away from "Hugh Striver" to illustrate it and it would become a top syndicated strip in little time.

I picture Ma Sweeney as a younger, rougher Mary Worth with a clear Irish sparkle.

...

A 28-year-old Astoria woman will serve from one year and three months to two years and six months in the New York State Prison for Women on a charge of manslaughter in the second degree. Mrs. Rita McKibbon of 31-48 36th Street was sentenced yesterday for the killing last May of 46-year-old Edward Deacher. Deacher, who was employed as a civlilan guard at Floyd Bennett Field, was one of the heirs to the estate that owned the apartment building in Rockaway where Mrs. McKibbon and her husband Robert then lived. The McKibbons testified that Deacher was "drunk and belligerent" when he appeared at their apartment on the might of May 16, 1942, and that he grabbed Mrs. McKibbon in the hallway. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. McKibbon admitted stabbing Deacher, but Mrs. McKibbon did admit that she had a knife in her hand when Deacher grabbed her. The jury, in finding Mrs. McKibbon guilty on the manslaughter charge recommended leniency.
...

Based solely on what we know from this paragraph, she should have been found innocent or given a suspended sentence, at most, but of course, there are many facts and details we don't know.

...

(Keep 'em flyin', Moish!)
...

Our current culture's obsessions have squeezed men (and women) like this out of their quasi public lives and, even, out of existence and that is our loss. Growing up in the 1970s, in a "mixed ethnic neighborhood," I knew several older guys like him.

...

(Wa-wahh-WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Inside Joke: Dale has drawn this Gal Reporter to look exactly like Dale Arden, Girl Reporter, the heroine of another strip distributed by the same syndicate that handles "Hugh Striver," and a strip which Dale, no doubt, wishes she was drawing.)

That's cool inside info. I only stay with this strip for the illustrations - panel one is particularly impressive today.

And in the Daily News...

"She understood 'strumpet' to men 'a sort of English muffin.'" Who's writing this dialogue? Sturges?
..

The exchange over "strumpet, crumpet, ragamuffin" was awesome. You said it yesterday, the court should be selling tickets for this show.

...

Mr. Oberstein, formerly a high executive and artists-and-repertoire man for the Victor company, is well known for his shady activities. Victor canned him in 1939 after it came to light that he was paying disk-jockeys to push certain records with which he was connected on the air, and went on to operate a number of pirate-ish labels that sourced their masters from -- someplace -- and were distinguished by using the cheapest possible materials for their manufacture. So yeah. The midwest. Or Mexico.
...

More great info, Lizzie. As we'd learn in a little over a decade with the payola scandal when record companies were paying DJ to play their records on air, Oberstein wasn't the one dirty ashtray in this business.

Says Law (oversimplifying) says supply creates its own demand; well, as we see here, demand, sometimes, creates its own supply, too.

...

"My Honor Is Loyalty."
...

The individual is unimportant, it is the survival of the state that matters or some such hooey.

...

"Credits. All right now, let's see -- oh, there seems to be some mistake, this is a check. A -- um-- blank check. Ah. Very well, all seems to be in order..."
...

And Joe, reading the comics and Lizzie's comments, sees another way the world really works.

"Miss, these records are two years old."
"So?"
"So what have you been doing for the past two years?"
".................avoided getting shot by the gangster..............floated our way out of the mine..............walked through a Florida swamp................tunneled our way into the corrupt doctor's burial ground.................and then I sank a German U-boat......"
"Here's your GED."

Come to think of it, why hasn't the great Daddy Warbucks done what most rich people do with their kids when they go away and enroll her in a fancy boarding school?

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

Flynn is in. And Miss Saterlee quite satyress she. A lass who can raise the dead.
Cork will scribble a chipper for the back room Bletchley Parkers. Good lad.